Here's my thoughts on the subject:

The IB Program is tough. That's why I dropped out of it. Actually, the reason I dropped out was because they didn't have enough math, physics and chemistry classes, and were forcing me to repeat classes.

If you can motivate yourself, I would suggest studying AP courses, self-studying a few, and working on research projects, or at a local uni lab.

It all depends on what college you are aiming for.

Furthermore, the same thing happened to me a year ago. The thing is that the IB/AP programmes(when taken very seriously, and max hardness), can start changing your perspective. You start looking at things for what they are worth, and not doing things for fun. Think about it. How will making a simple, cool game improve your college ambitions, etc? You'd be much better off studying another year of math in advance. That kind of thing happened to me. Not sure what your exact situation might be.

I've taken a good look at the IB and AP Math, Physics, and Chemistry curriculum's, and in my opinion, the AP exams are harder than the IB exams, but the IB class is more hardwork than AP. Considering that AP and IB is weighted evenly in most American Colleges, I would pick AP.

Goodnight

I went through the IB program as well, it's really just a matter of time and content management. I didn't feel stressed out because of the courses. But maybe that's because I didn't pay too much attention (got a 29 by the end of it - which I think is good but most people say is just around average). What I did with IB (and what I do with most university courses when possible) is take on projects that are related to game development in some way - and I had fun doing them. For example the extended essay was on violence and game development, one of my IT assignments was on game development technology, and stuff like that. Put the game into your studies I say :)

Coding I did'nt do so much back in the day, I had actually started coding in pre IB (that's what they called 10th grade). You know those graphical calculators they require you to have. Texus Instruments most people get I think - well that's how I actually got into programming - they have games for those things y'know, I got a hold of tetris and the code and it took me until the end of the 11th grade to actually "get" it. But you can use those calculators to your advantage, they're programmable, so program on them. They don't suck up too much time either.

Quote:Original post by baddogj
Its just that, the homework is just so stressful that when im finally done, all i want to do is just sit on a couch and watch tv, or play video games. Not read a book on programming or do some programming.

Same thing happened to me. For the last two years I've hardly done any programming, and have just relaxed by playing games.

Now, as I'm entering my junior year of college (I'm currently in a very, very intensive summer term), I'm finding that I'm getting back into programming now that I'm used to a bit more hectic of a lifestyle than High School was.

Once you get in a groove, you'll have an easier time focusing on out-of-school things, but while you get in that groove, don't feel bad for relaxing when you're not doing homework. Hell, when I wasn't doing homework for the last two years, I hardly did anything other than hang around with friends and play video games. Eventually I slowly sunk into the mindset that got me programming in the first place (lack of something challenging to keep my mind thinking about all the time), and you'll find that groove again.

I personally had my first year at college going for my Computer Science degree, and ended up switching majors entirely after that to Creative Writing. After the second year, I started getting back into my "old groove" and picked up Computer Science and hobby programming again, though I had liked Creative Writing so much that I decided to dual-major it.

Quote:Original post by baddogj
Im not sure if i can get good enough at programming to get to the professional level.

There's only one way to find out.

This is a decision you must make within yourself. I am a screenwriter. It took me almost two decades, tens of thousands of hours of writing, most of which was fit for the trash bin and lots of idiots over me who didn't know what I was talking about before I even got a little bit of credibility in that industry.

When I started looking at game design seven years ago, I was fascinated by the art form, and as I began to learn more and more about how to do it, it was about five years before I really felt I knew a little bit about it, and started to make some progress on my own game design that would even earn me a little respect from my far more informed peers here in this community, particularly given the fact I am not a programmer. This did not stop me from learning enought about technology to be able to articulate what I wanted my game design to do.

But if this process has taught me anything, its taught me that I wouldn't be here if I was going to make it. In screenwriting, and in show business in general, you have to be mentally set that you are going to make it, no matter what it takes, before you eventually do. I feel the same way about game design.

I'm talking about resolve here, and its the thing that separates the wheat from the chaff, and no amount of encouragement from your friends will really help, except in rare instances. This is something you are going to have to get straight in your own mind once and for all, then it becomes just a process of putting it all together, one manageable chunk at a time.

Take some time and think about it for awhile, make up your mind, and what you choose to do, don't give up on.

Good luck,

Adventuredesign