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Can my GCSE results predict my IB score?

(edited 4 months ago)

Reply 1

I didn't do GCSEs but I will let you know what the IB entails:

Language A: Paper 1 (non-literary, where you have to answer a question using the two texts you are given), Paper 2 (where you answer a question using two of the works you will study), Individual Oral (where you talk for 10 minutes about a question and its significance to a global issue, using a literary and non-literary work (has to be different from your Paper 2 books) and then answer teacher questions for five minutes. If you are higher level you will also write a higher level essay.

I did two language A's rather than a language B so I can't answer for that one.

A science: two papers and an investigation (IA - an essay which is part of your final grade)

Theory of Knowledge: An exhibition (an essay where you answer a set question using three objects), and an essay (the question choices change every year).

If you choose to do Visual Arts, you will be creating a process portfolio, a comparative study comparing three works from different cultural contexts, and an exhibition.

You need to do maths. The choices are Analysis and Approaches or Applications and Interpretations, each at either standard or higher level. Again, two papers and an investigation.

A humanities subject. Again, two papers (or three) and also an investigation.

An extended essay of 4000 words.

(I don't know about the other subjects that are available.)

It is a lot of work, and harder than A-levels, I cannot predict what you would get, but you sound clever.

Reply 2

lohiba

Original post

by Liv.O

If someone is on track to get all 8s/ 9s at GCSE, will they do well at IB? I hear it is quite challenging and difficult to do well. How smart does someone need to be?

First congrats because getting 9s at GCSE shows you're a strong student, which means you've got a good shot at doing well in the IB too!

The difference with IB is that you don't just need to be academically good (which you clearly are), you also need to study regularly and consistently and cope with the workload, you need to manage your time and schedule well. Also the IB marking style if very different from that of GCSE so you will have to adapt to that.

You can definitely do it. If you wanna see the type of grade you get you can always staert practicing for literature on Tilf website and see what mark you get so you can assess how far of you are.

Other than that I'd say, if you keep working, you will succeed and clearly your current gcse notes show you have what it takes

Reply 3

Liv.O

Original post

by lohiba

First congrats because getting 9s at GCSE shows you're a strong student, which means you've got a good shot at doing well in the IB too!
The difference with IB is that you don't just need to be academically good (which you clearly are), you also need to study regularly and consistently and cope with the workload, you need to manage your time and schedule well. Also the IB marking style if very different from that of GCSE so you will have to adapt to that.
You can definitely do it. If you wanna see the type of grade you get you can always staert practicing for literature on Tilf website and see what mark you get so you can assess how far of you are.
Other than that I'd say, if you keep working, you will succeed and clearly your current gcse notes show you have what it takes

Thank you!! How hard would you say it is to get a 40+? Is it virtually impossible or doable?x

Reply 4

autoharp99

Original post

by Liv.O

If someone is on track to get all 8s/ 9s at GCSE, will they do well at IB? I hear it is quite challenging and difficult to do well. How smart does someone need to be?

Hi! I’m an IB student. Short answer to the title is no. Getting straight 9s at GCSE indicates you’ve got a good brain on you/can work hard, so you’re much likely to do better, but there’s no correspondence between getting them and let’s say getting 40+ points. People who do worse at GCSE may do better with the IB, and people who do well at GCSE may crack and not stay on top of the workload and do worse.

People give the IB a lot of talk but imo and the rest of my year it’s such a breath of fresh air from GCsE and am really enjoying it. Like everything in life, a lot depends on your motivation and work, I would just take it as it comes - best of luck with your GCSEs!

Reply 5

autoharp99

Not sure we can answer this for you. For me yes, but that just doesn’t mean anything. It depends on your teachers, it depends on the subjects you take, it depends on you. Are you deciding between A-Levels/IB or a different qualification?

Reply 6

Liv.O

Original post

by autoharp99

Deciding between A-levels and IB

Reply 7

iL1L

Volunteer Team

Original post

by Liv.O

Deciding between A-levels and IB

What subjects do you want to take?

Reply 8

Liv.O

Original post

by iL1L

What subjects do you want to take?

A levels: Physics, Maths, FM, Chem

IB: english SL, maths HL, physics HL, chem (SL/HL?), spanish SL, history(SL/HL?)

Reply 9

iL1L

Volunteer Team

Original post

by Liv.O

A levels: Physics, Maths, FM, Chem
IB: english SL, maths HL, physics HL, chem (SL/HL?), spanish SL, history(SL/HL?)

I did English Language and Literature HL and History HL. Analysis and Approaches Maths at HL is the one I have heard about and it’s very challenging but if you want to do it for a-levels, too, then you sound ready for it. History is rather content-heavy but, looking back, it was manageable. We may have complained about the workload but it paid off in the end. You do need six subjects, though.

Reply 10

kaelem117

My school does ib and they always show us the graph of gcse to ib results, which always has an overall positive correlation, so to some extent.

However, ib is a lot harder and very different, you need more than just a good brain, there are still quite a few students who did very well in gcse but not so well in ib

Reply 11

nightnightnight

Original post

by Liv.O

A levels: Physics, Maths, FM, Chem
IB: english SL, maths HL, physics HL, chem (SL/HL?), spanish SL, history(SL/HL?)

Hey if you want I can give you advice for the IB, just ask anything (doubts, worries, questions…etc.)!

Reply 12

lissaa

I got all A*s (9s) at iGCSE and have right now a 45 predicted for my IB. I would say there is some correlation, as extremely smart people tend to do well in both. However, (i)GCSE are much much easier than IB, so some people who did well in their GCSEs won't do as well in the IB. From my class, two people who got all A*s at GCSE level both have predicted 45, but those who got, let's say 5 or 4 A*s and the 3 or 4 As are all finding it harder and getting anywhere from 36 to 42 (which are still very good scores!). So, it basically depends on both how well you did in your GCSEs but also how easy you found them, bcz IB certainly is a step up. And, of course, your IB subject selection and many other factors also come into play.

Reply 13

Jinglebells234

Original post

by Liv.O

A levels: Physics, Maths, FM, Chem
IB: english SL, maths HL, physics HL, chem (SL/HL?), spanish SL, history(SL/HL?)

Do a levels. Honestly you’ll be subject specific and you won’t be weighed down by the extended essay, languages and English.

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