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IB just started as my school - worth doing?

I'm almost decided on doing the IB.

However, it has just been introduced into my school last year, and the results havn't come through yet. Of course the school says things are running fine..but the students have a different idea...

My question is:
Is it such a disavantage that the school is relatively inexperienced at the IB?
The obvious answer is "yes to some extent", but what is that "extent"?
Will it really hinder me that much?

If you decide to do the IB though, it is crucial that you find a college that is well experienced with the IB program, it can be a big part of your success as an IB student...cuz if its not very experienced then might as well do A-levels before that ruin your higher education prospect.

How true is this quote?

Reply 1

infernalcradle

15

This is true..but also, consider that the IB is much much harder than A levels, as wheras you may end up getting AAA, you may not get its IB equivilant.

Reply 2

robawalsh

OP

2

infernalcradle

This is true..but also, consider that the IB is much much harder than A levels, as wheras you may end up getting AAA, you may not get its IB equivilant.

yeah im aware of that :/
i suppose that just means extra work though...but even so..isnt the IB generally recognised as more of an achievement anyway?
you stand out on a list of 1000 kids who got AAA?

Reply 3

AnonymousPenguin

16

It's a huge disadvantage. The teachers who knew what they were doing got just about everyone to get a 6/7 and the ones who didn't - well it was in the 4-6 range -> it's just fortunate I didn't have any of those.

Reply 4

grape:)

22

My college has been running it for about 10 years and they still haven't mastered it (some of the lecturers)... :facepalm:

Reply 5

small_fry

I think it's mainly down to you as an individual with any course
If you know the teachers who are doing the IB, are they good ones?
If it's been going for two years now they will be on the right track and know what they're doing, in my opinion.

Ask the higher years what they think.

EDIT: school i go to has done the IB only one year before me. It's been good, if you were the first year i would have doubts about the school being ready, but 3 years down the line things will be on track. :h:

Reply 6

infernalcradle

15

robawalsh

yeah im aware of that :/
i suppose that just means extra work though...but even so..isnt the IB generally recognised as more of an achievement anyway?
you stand out on a list of 1000 kids who got AAA?

Yes, but your school is only just starting the IB (similar to mine..which school do you go to?) and therefore the teachers will not know how to teach to a sufficent standard, they will get things wrong etc.

Generally, esp due to the IB course/exam structure, it will take around 5 years-ish to begin to get it right.

Stick with A levels, unless you want to take the risk, obviously it depends on yourself as well, If you are highly motivated and will do the work on your own, then I don't think it matters as much, however if you know you cannot self teach large portions of the course etc. stay safe with A levels, afterall, this is your future....

Reply 7

Leto

10

It is a bit of a risk if they haven't had any results yet. I know it put me off one IB school because they had only been doing it for a year.

They'll be used to the A Level course no doubt which could prove an issue when it comes to teaching IB. If you've got your heart set on doing it though, would you consider going to a different school?

Reply 8

sak-y

14

I would strongly advise you against it.

People who say it's up to you and your efforts in the end, are wrong. You need to know where you're going, what you're doing wrong etc. all of which, only a competent teacher can tell you.

IB is so different than A-levels, that I wouldn't even go near an IB school unless they'd been doing it for 6-7 years.

At the end of GCSE, I moved away from my area and ended up going to a school that had been doing IB for 15 years. Even then, the teachers weren't perfect and some still didn't know entirely what they were doing, but they knew enough to put you on the right track, and the rest of it, you could do yourself.

In contrast, a school in my previous area started the IB for the first time. Some *very* bright people moved to that school and did the IB, and came out with very poor scores, which they did not deserve at all.

I would be wary of the IB in general, let alone a school that has only just started offering it recentlyl

Reply 9

Thingeh

1

It is a strong disadvantage. I've made this mistake at my school and working with teachers who know less about the course than what you do is stressful. Very stressful.

I'll spare you the lenghty "How much IB has failed at my school" rant.

Reply 10

Welix

2

I've only heard terrible things. Often schools try to impress the IBO in their first years and do really useless over the top stuff like three times the CAS requirement split in special projects rather than just doing it for what it is. Also teachers will have no clue how to give advice on EE or TOK or the IA's, because there's no similar things at A-Level. Also just basic structuring problems appear, where they make people do all the IAs in the second year or the EE in less than 3 months... stuff you only learn with experience, that no school can prepare for. Thankfully my school has done IB for over 6 years and they know what they're doing.

I would do A levels if I were in your position. As some people have said, the individual is not, I repeat, not enough to get you far. It might be in A levels, but IB needs first and foremost very well worked out planning by the school and teachers that can explain the mark schemes.

Reply 11

robawalsh

OP

2

Hmm. It seems to be very important that the school is experienced..it's The Portsmouth Grammar School which is a private school, which gets over 85% AAB pass rate at A-level.
IB on the other hand....

I do have my heart set on it quite a lot, and I wouldnt want to go anywhere else to do it. (plus. there's barely anywhere here that does it).

I feel quite willing to take the risk, but I don't want to end up with less than 35 points just because of the school.

Despite the arguments against, I still feel quite up for it..
I WANT to do the IB, but can only HOPE it will all turn out well.... :/

Reply 12

AnonymousPenguin

16

This score determines where you go to uni. Don't waste your opportunities on the impression that you have of the IB, it really is nothing special.

Reply 13

robawalsh

OP

2

How true is it that it is harder to achieve the equivalent of AAA in IB?
and that universities ask for 38+ which is more than the equivalent of AAA?

Plus, with A*'s being introduced next year, would it be better to get maybe AA*A* or AA*A than to get 38+ points at IB?

Reply 14

ScillyRose

:s We're the first lot in our college to do it, and admittedly the teacher's don't know entirely ewhat they're doing - butif you're a good enough student, you will do just fine. All it means is that you will actually learn a lot rather than just learn to pass the exams =)
Seriously, I would always reccomend the IB - if you can do it, iti s definitely worth doing!

Edit: Btw, someone I know has 4A*s at A level and was rejected from Cambridge,whereas my friend doiing the IBgot into Cambridge on 40 points. Obviously, not just about thegrades, but worth considering =D Makes you stand out!

Reply 15

robawalsh

OP

2

ScillyRose

:s We're the first lot in our college to do it, and admittedly the teacher's don't know entirely ewhat they're doing - butif you're a good enough student, you will do just fine. All it means is that you will actually learn a lot rather than just learn to pass the exams =)
Seriously, I would always reccomend the IB - if you can do it, iti s definitely worth doing!

Edit: Btw, someone I know has 4A*s at A level and was rejected from Cambridge,whereas my friend doiing the IBgot into Cambridge on 40 points. Obviously, not just about thegrades, but worth considering =D Makes you stand out!

well theres a convincing post for once :P
but isnt it like...really, really, REALLY hard to get 40+ points?

Reply 16

AnonymousPenguin

16

robawalsh

well theres a convincing post for once :P
but isnt it like...really, really, REALLY hard to get 40+ points?

I find this point that 40+ makes you stand out moot. I know one person who failed to get an Oxbridge place with 45 and plenty of others who ended on 44 and didn't get in. As for whether it's hard to get 40+ - well my school had a class of 20 and there were 10 >= 40 scores, with quite a few missing that mark due to new and inexperienced teachers. Make of that what you will.

Reply 17

E_D_B

9

robawalsh

well theres a convincing post for once :P
but isnt it like...really, really, REALLY hard to get 40+ points?

My school was all IB and the average in my year was just over 40. We were awesome though. :awesome:

IMO the IB really needs to be taught well, in a way that A-levels don't. There's too much content for people to be learning stuff they don't strictly need.

Reply 18

BeyondandAbove

11

Thingeh

It is a strong disadvantage. I've made this mistake at my school and working with teachers who know less about the course than what you do is stressful. Very stressful.

I'll spare you the lenghty "How much IB has failed at my school" rant.

This.

At the end some students knew more about the IB than the teachers. And this sucks.

In the end it is your decision, OP. I would advise you against doing it, however. Experience is key in the IB. So maybe you should stick to A-Levels. But if you feel you're ready for a challenge and/or if you think the IB curriculum suits you more, then go ahaid!

Reply 19

sak-y

14

OP, I can see why you'd be inclined to still go for the IB, despite everyone [bar 1] telling you not to do it.

Most people who go for the IB are clearly bright, and so you're probably in the mindset of 'perhaps these people on TSR aren't as bright as me and I'd be able to cope with it'.

This is just not the case.

Now I barely post on threads anymore, let alone twice on one - but I feel so strongly about this. This decision decides your uni and ultimately you career. Don't make a mistake that you'll regret later!

IB just started as my school - worth doing?

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