This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

Who else hates the unfairness between IB and A levels

is it just me that is very pissed off at how much easier A levels is....
how 3 A's is equivalent to like what...34-36 or sumthing according to UCAS
but still were asked for scores like 38-40 for some of the top schools.
cambridge is asking me 40 and its like DO YOU GET HOW HARD THAT IS!? i get 3 As isnt super super easy, but it sure as hell isnt equivalent to a 40 and a bunch of requested 7s.
who out there understands? :mad:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1

steve2006

we dont care. Its your fault that u are doing the IB.

lol

UCAS Points Tariff is bull****.

Reply 4

Archibald246

What's to say that A levels aren't harder? You don't do both so you wouldn't know. There must be some reason that they ask for higher off IB...

Reply 5

evil groove

steve2006

we dont care. Its your fault that u are doing the IB.

Exactly.

Reply 6

βored

Maybe you should just be thankful that you get the option of doing the IB. Most of us have no choice but to do A-levels.

Reply 7

Rider

No its just some universities are too lazy to actually find out how IB is too underrated and how A-levels is overrated.

Reply 8

The Lyceum

Original post by &#946

Maybe you should just be thankful that you get the option of doing the IB. Most of us have no choice but to do A-levels.

Aye, I never even heard of the IB pre these forums yet it looks so interesting. :frown:

Reply 9

Y__

ManxKirsty

What's to say that A levels aren't harder? You don't do both so you wouldn't know. There must be some reason that they ask for higher off IB...

You're partially right, few people can actually say whether it's harder to get an A or a 7 (or a 6?) because you just do one of them. There's one undeniable point about the OP's argument though: For A levels, you can pick your best three subjects, whereas for IB you have to take six. Even if A levels are more in-depth than IB, it's really hard to do that well in a wide variety of subjects.

Reply 10

cactus_c

And for the french bac with OIB you can sit up to 13 subjects :smile:

(though most of us take 10 or 11)

Reply 11

linkdapink

Correct me if I'm wrong. But dont you do more subjects? So surely you get points for them all? I have no idea about any IB to be honest, but what I've heard

Reply 12

Jhawkins

I'm not being xenophobic or anything, but if you want to come to the UK and go to the best universities then you should only be the best... as they are/were primarily for people from England/the UK.

Reply 13

Blink.

Y__

For A levels, you can pick your best three subjects, whereas for IB you have to take six. Even if A levels are more in-depth than IB, it's really hard to do that well in a wide variety of subjects.

It's their choice to take IB though, so if they aren't capable of handling a wide variety then it's a bit daft to take IB in the first place.

Unis may ask for more points with IB than A-Level because A-Level is the traditional route really, may be viewed as more academic?

Cactus_C

you can sit up to 13 subjects (though most of us take 10 or 11)

:O And Cambridge only ask for 40 pts!? That means you could get away with an average of 3 - 4 pts! Surely that's not right :s-smilie:

Reply 14

Y__

xjodiewodiex

I guess the OP, being from Brussels according to his profile, had no chance to do A levels, but that's not the point. I'm not criticizing you or the admissions policies, it's most likely down to the fact that A levels are the traditional British system, whether they're better or not is another topic.
OP: By the way, are those 40 points they ask you for out of 42 or 45 (including that extra assignment stuff)? I think that 776 HL 666 SL, maybe 665 might be a "fairer" offer (and probably similar to AAA?!), but I doubt anyone will review their policies until the IB gets much more popular.

:O And Cambridge only ask for 40 pts!? That means you could get away with an average of 3 - 4 pts! Surely that's not right ?

No, cactus_c is talking about the French baccalaureate, totally different story than IB.

Reply 15

Nabster_88

steve2006

we dont care. Its your fault that u are doing the IB.

bullseye

Reply 16

KiwiBaby

For those who don't quite understand the IB:

IB is scored out of 45 points. A maximum of 7 for each of 6 subjects, plus a maximum of 3 bonus points for completing two majorly long and stupid essays and a speech in theory of knowledge.

Sound exciting?

I think that it IS harder to get a high score in IB than in A-levels, but mainly because of the variety of subjects you have to take. Everyone is obliged to take Mathematics, English (for English speakers, French for French speakers etc), a science, arts subject, language, and one other from the last three categories.

It's a really good system though. It prepares you well for university and if you are applying for Cambridge it IS only natural that they would ask for the very highest IB scores!!

Therefore, stop complaining and get working - you're lucky Cambridge even wants you :smile:

Reply 17

cactus_c

xjodiewodiex

:O And Cambridge only ask for 40 pts!? That means you could get away with an average of 3 - 4 pts! Surely that's not right :s-smilie:

Y__

No, cactus_c is talking about the French baccalaureate, totally different story than IB.

Yes, and from what I've heard french grading system tends to be underestimated quite often and the offers are very high compared to other grading systems.

Reply 18

TheEconomist2008->

Rider

No its just some universities are too lazy to actually find out how IB is too underrated and how A-levels is overrated.

Surely no one actually cares.
Its your opinion that IB is underrated, but yet you've never actually been able to compare, as i assume, and i'm probably correct in saying you have never taken a-levels.

I'm not saying they are rated perfectly either, but the unis are. So really stop whinging, given past data the uni's stand a much position to judge, rather just your opinion.

Surely you could of taken A-levels, if you felt it would be easier.

Reply 19

Y__

cactus_c

Yes, and from what I've heard french grading system tends to be underestimated quite often and the offers are very high compared to other grading systems.

Can't comment on whether that's true, but as far as I understand it, the French marking system is a bit "different". In GB, you're good if you get an A, in the IB, you're good if you get a 7 (out of 7), but for the French bac, nobody ever gets 20 out of 20, do they? So you're supposed to be absolutely clever if you get 18 (mention tres bien, non?), right?