Hi yall! I am an IB student from a world school college, and for the last year of my life IB wqs really fun for me. It teaches you how to incorporate life and knowledge together through its extensive workload. Yes its hard, i agree i stumble many times, i complain a lot, i tend to run away from work, and many excuses to just be free for sometime. In my country, and in my college, we have both IB and A-Level students and to be honest, they aren't that different. You would different struggles of course between the two but certainly it wouldn't be the same. If you were just to compare workloads i do believe both of these education systems don't focus on their workloads only. In IB, you have your problems to solve and A-Levels you have your own too. Im just gonna give some insight, not sure how it would help but hey at least it gives you something to consider about.
(By the way, I think its really good to take a closer look and an in depth investigation of the education systems before you compare, sometimes things just get biased)
In a nutshell, IB requires you to take 6 subjects, 3 higher levels and 3 standard levels (there are occasions where students take 4 HL but that depends on you). Higher levels are more in depth and standard levels are just standard. Each subject is also different in terms of their scope of subject (just look at their website), so what IB targeting to develop a well-rounded knower that understands each component of education instead of just knowing a lot. It emphasizes on the quality of yourself as a knower, before you go in depth.
While in A-Levels its easier. Learn a LOT about a certain topic, gain deeper insights on a topic, know better about something. Only 3/4 subjects and you are good to go. Really simple, but doesn't mean its easy.
Both has its own strengths and weaknesses. IB looks like you have loads of work, but they are very flexible on most terms. Expensive yes because they touch on a ton of things that you wouldn't see on A Levels (doesn't mean that its unnecessary). A Levels are cheaper, simple, like literally just study and answer papers. You might think thats easy, but one wrong step there's no coming back. One paper determines your future. IB, you have cumulative system of marks, you have Internal Assessments (IA) , Extended Essays (EE) and CAS (which people say its not important but ever since Covid, people who cannot take exams aren't graded through their exams but instead through the IAs and EEs instead). Im not sure about A Levels on how they manage to get students to answer their papers but hey thats where the bias comes in.
I have one of my friends who are an absolute bookworm, study 24 hours like his life depended on it. So he took A Levels and it was perfect for him. But for me, Im more of a realistic and a mess, i like seeing things work and be a bit adventurous sometimes, so even my friends told me that i would be a better fit for IB than A Levels. Like i said both has its own pros and cons, none is better than the other, its just what works for you.
Imo, IB is definitely better because it forces me to do things I wouldn't be able to do myself. I know more aspects of a basic human knowledge like the ethics, values, long terms effects, mindfulness, like a well rounded human being. For me, i dont think i could be able to think like a human if i were be taking A Levels, i think i would be thinking like a book. But IB challenges you more to make you think more, hence the perception of a much bigger workload is hard is just in your mind; you wouldn't think that its hard if you actually enjoy doing it. I enjoyed most parts of IB, being a part of a community, knowing a lot of that is really crucial when im making decisions when researching. Like i said well rounded. Necessity or not, that is up to you to decide.
Do lots of research. Just know in the end both have its own strengths and weaknesses. Its up to you to find out which one is a better fit. Ask yourself who you are really like on the inside and choose your options mindfully.
All the best!
Wan