When I was in high school, I chose to take standard-level IB math instead of higher-level IB math. The standard-level math focused on probability and combinatorics, whereas higher-level was focused on calculus (you had to take calculus first).
I appreciate the opportunity to have learned about these other subjects, which are arguably more useful in everyday life (and I went on to be a lawyer and a startup founder, where advanced calculus would not have been especially useful). It also meant my schedule was somewhat easier, since the standard-level class was not as challenging, and I was more mature by the time I took calc AB as a senior. I'm glad my parents realized that getting as far down the calculus path as possible was not the only goal, and suggested this path for me.
I appreciate the opportunity to have learned about these other subjects, which are arguably more useful in everyday life (and I went on to be a lawyer and a startup founder, where advanced calculus would not have been especially useful). It also meant my schedule was somewhat easier, since the standard-level class was not as challenging, and I was more mature by the time I took calc AB as a senior. I'm glad my parents realized that getting as far down the calculus path as possible was not the only goal, and suggested this path for me.