IB exams 2017

Discussion and advice on Sixth Form matters

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

willowsticks
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:01 pm

IB exams 2017

Post by willowsticks »

Thought we can do with an IB support group here for the 2017 exams, where we can share knowledge and experiences. My experience is that IB info are not as readily available as the A levels exams.

How are your DC getting on with the program? Are their CAS activities being ticked off? Have they started their extended essays yet? Where can one access past papers?

my DS seem to be very (too) relaxed for my comfort, but he says he is on top of things. He has now discovered this new habit of studing with music in his ears and spend a lot of time on his phone. I dont want to be taking it from him as I am aware that I will not be there to be taking it from him when he goes to uni.

comments and advice from people with IB experience/knowledge are most welcome.

I look forward to your participations
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by Looking for help »

Hello willowsticks, my son is taking the IB in 2017. He has started working on his extended essay, but that will take a lot of work I think.CAS activities are being ticked off, that part is going well. My son also enjoys to work with music blaring, I don't understand it. He has done GCSEs and also AS levels as we moved abroad at the end of his year 12 and he wasn't able to continue his A Level choices so changed to IB instead, and is finding it totally different, but he is quite happy with his subject choices. He is doing 4 HL subjects, I have been trying to encourage him to drop one, but he is unsure which one to drop down.
This was all Greek to me when we came here, the one thing I would say is that the second year seems to be a lot of hard work!
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by silverysea »

Can IB experts explain a bit about it for me? DD1 may be taking it as her fall-back in 2018 (not sure yet due to complicated circumstances).

She wants to do Biology in Uni. Her AS level choices were going to be Bio, Chem, Geog already changed to Maths, and Music. Predicted all As for all GSCEs but exams have been very hard and we have had a grim time of it.

So I gather she should take Science which counts as two subjects at the higher level (needs chemistry to go with the biology for sure) and that means no room for music. right?

and must continue English (mum says hurrah to that), maths (also at higher level?), and MFL (we both say hurrah), which will be French for her, she loves.

does she have to do a humanity as well? She has gone right off Geography as an A level subject choice and now prefers maths as she is focussed on her career goals. She loathed History due to horrible teacher in KS3 and has a big attitude problem with RE as well.

Most people seem to say IB is harder than A levels-that seems odd to me though, surely they are not expected to get the same level of coverage when they have to cover so many subjects. She originally WANTED to maintain more subjects, but GCSEs have pounded that idea out of her.
franticmum
Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Nov 17, 2009 7:16 pm

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by franticmum »

Silverysea, your dd needs to do one 'individuals and sciences' (ie humanity) subject as the IB is all about breadth. Is the school offering any new subjects under this heading that your dd might be interested in such as psychology, philosophy, economics, etc? Taking 2 of any one heading does forfeit the 'arts' heading so music would not be possible.

My dd's school has quoted in the past that a score of 36 is the equivalent UCAS points for 3.75 A*'s at A level with 38 points being the equivalent of 4 A*'s at A level. It is believed to be a challenging course because of it's 6 subjects but also because of the extended essay, Theory of Knowledge and CAS. I have had it told to me personally by the Glasgow Uni Head of Admissions that they really like the IB. If your dd is hard-working and well-organised then she is the kind of person who will do well at the IB, allegedly.
silverysea
Posts: 1105
Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 3:32 pm

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by silverysea »

Thanks frantic mum, that is helpful. I need to understand the lingo!
willowsticks
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:01 pm

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by willowsticks »

I understand that the IB higher Mathematics is very demanding. So much so that my DS school will not let anyone without A* do the higher Mathematics.
From my observations if the uni course requireds mathematics, the uni tend to require the higher maths.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by Guest55 »

I'd try to stick to A levels if she can - I really don't think IB suits sciences so well.

There is a lot of 'compulsory' volunteering which does not sit well with me - students should not feel volunteering is part of school qualifications but something they want to do as a human being.
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by KB »

If they are certain about a science degree then taking IB is making life unnecessarily complicated / tough and risks not have the depth of study in the field.
If a career in science is the goal then taking science and maths AS/A levels provides a stronger base. There is an increasing focus on collaboration across traditional discipline boundaries so having at least A level knowledge of all the sciences is going to be helpful in the future. Most Universities will be looking for A level maths for science degrees. For biology it is very helpful to have taken stats modules.
There are advantages to IB of course in different circumstances.
willowsticks
Posts: 52
Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2009 9:01 pm

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by willowsticks »

Looking for help wrote:Hello willowsticks, my son is taking the IB in 2017. He has started working on his extended essay, but that will take a lot of work I think.CAS activities are being ticked off, that part is going well. My son also enjoys to work with music blaring, I don't understand it. He has done GCSEs and also AS levels as we moved abroad at the end of his year 12 and he wasn't able to continue his A Level choices so changed to IB instead, and is finding it totally different, but he is quite happy with his subject choices. He is doing 4 HL subjects, I have been trying to encourage him to drop one, but he is unsure which one to drop down.
This was all Greek to me when we came here, the one thing I would say is that the second year seems to be a lot of hard work!
Looking for help. How is your son getting on? My DS starts mocks (for UCAS predictions) next week. He said that he has never felt so much pressure for an exam before. He needs to get the required score for the main uni that he would like to go to.
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: IB exams 2017

Post by Looking for help »

Sorry, willowsticks, I don't check this forum very much any longer. Help being looked for was brilliantly given and thankfully received many years ago now :D

My son is doing ok. The start of the term has been very stressful. He had worked on his EE during the summer, then thought it was just about done. Then the teacher wasn't happy with it as it was too much of another subject rather than the one it is in.
The we had test after test after test, and IAs to plan and blah blah blah.It seemed very very stressful. Then there were the prediction sagas for UCAS.

I feel a bit like a duck out of water as far as being any help is concerned as my only experience is in A Levels.

But all things being considered we have come to a bit of a calm place now, which is good news. He has submitted his UCAS form, and just fingers crossed for some offers that are not too ridiculous.

Good luck to your son, it seems there is a never ending amount of work to do. I believe, that after Christmas things should improve as we are just really working for the exams then. Fingers crossed.
Post Reply