Starting the IB (International Baccalaureate) program soon? If so, you might have butterflies in your stomach due to feelings of uncertainty and anxiousness. This is common among students who are about to embark on their IB journey. As there are many rumours and perceptions surrounding the IB program, it’s not hard to see why students can get intimidated.
To get rid of this fear and guarantee success in your IB studies, here are some tips and tricks to prepare yourself for the pressure and expectations placed on IB students.
1. Choose your subjects carefully
The IB curriculum requires students to take up one subject from the six subject groups: Language and Literature, Language acquisition, Humanities, Sciences, Mathematics, and the Arts. Three of these subjects must be in Higher Level (HL), while the other three are in Standard Level (SL). The curriculum is then rounded up by three compulsory subjects, namely Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), Extended Essay, and Theory of Knowledge.
Before you start your IB program, you’re given time to select your preferred subjects. Use this time wisely and choose subjects that play to your strengths. However, if you plan on choosing a subject that is required in your desired university course, we recommend giving yourself more time to better understand the course of study, and to prepare for it by researching online or reading materials related to the subject.
2. Organise your subjects
After you have finalised your IB subjects, you can consider organising or ranking them in terms of how difficult you predict them to be, how long you should spend studying them, what are your favourite subjects, etc. By predicting the difficulty level of each subject and speculating on their specific challenges, you’ll make the transition to the IB program much more seamless as you have a clearer expectation of your overall studies.
What’s more, you can come up with various solutions and techniques in advance to lessen the workload in the future. At the end of the day, you’re striving to encounter as few obstacles as possible.
3. Don’t neglect your second language
Like the A-Levels and IGCSE, the IB program requires students to take up a second language in order to graduate. Even though most of the subjects are in English, it does not mean that your second language can be brushed aside.
There are several ways for you to get interested and improve your non-native language, such as watching foreign shows, listening to foreign songs, and learning about foreign cultures.
If it’s financially feasible, we also recommend travelling to other countries. This will provide you with the opportunity to converse with the locals and immerse in their culture, which is one of the most effective ways to brush up on language skills and fluency.
4. Take up some extra-curricular activities
One of the core elements in the IB program is CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service). This subject is what ensures students do not just excel in their academic studies, but in life as well. You won’t be graded in CAS, but you’re expected to show personal and interpersonal growth through various activities beyond the classroom.
Therefore, you can be one step ahead of your classmates by joining a club, taking part in community service, or exploring creative activities before school starts. This passion of yours can then be used for your CAS projects.
5. Don’t pay attention to the IB rumours
Many students make the mistake of believing all the assumptions about the IB program. While there’s no denying that the IB offers academically rigorous and demanding coursework, it’s not true that students are unable to maintain a social life and pursue their own interests.
As long as you take the initiative and hard work to stay organised, do all your assignments, and revise for exams and tests, you can rest assured that you’ll have a positive IB experience.
Conclusion
Aside from the above-mentioned points, you should get excited about starting your IB journey. The IB program is one of the most internationally accredited school programs, allowing you to enrol in many universities around the world. As the program focuses on preparing their students for college, it should be no surprise that the workload can be intense or even overwhelming at times.
In such cases, it would be advisable to seek assistance from a tutor. If you’re planning to get IB Math tuition in Singapore, look no further as Tutopiya will provide you with the help you need. At Tutopiya, we understand how effective a personalised education is for students to achieve their learning goals. As such, we offer 1-to-1 online tutoring services for a wide range of IB subjects, including English, Mathematics, and French or Spanish. Contact us today to learn more!
