Students who want to push their studies have many options, such as the International Baccalaureate or IB program. If you want your child to go to a world-leading university, picking the right curriculum is key. For many universities, getting a good IB score is crucial if you want your child to get admission. But what is this International Baccalaureate academic program? Why does it matter, and what scores should your child have to get into university?
What is the International Baccalaureate (IB)
The IB is a global, non-profit educational program run by the International Baccalaureate organization based in Switzerland. This rigorous 2-year program was founded to give students the chance to get an education fit for a globalizing world.
There are four IB programs, all aimed at boosting a student’s intellectual, emotional, social, and personal skills. These programs are tailor-made for students aged 3 to 19, but the IB diploma program is the most popular one. High school students take this course in their second to last year. The IB diploma program can be considered an alternative for a high school qualification such as the GCSE, AP, NCEA, etc.
There are numerous benefits of the IB program, such as children getting an all-rounded education, rather than specializing. IB highly emphasizes critical thinking as it allows students to be more independent in their thinking.
Students of this program also learn the value of time management. Unlike other education programs, the IB program had a larger workload. So, learners need to be able to handle multiple pieces of work simultaneously. It also increases your child’s chances of getting admission to a top-ranked university anywhere in the world.
Tips to help your child get high IB scores
To take the IB diploma program, your child must attend an IB accredited institution, meaning the faculty are specifically trained to deliver the program. To pass, your child needs a score in the 40s, with at least a score of 6 or 7 in specific higher-level subjects. Given the rigorous nature of IB programs, getting a high score can be tough. So here are a few tips to help your child get the best score possible.
1. Be consistent
Success, as in all things, comes down to two factors – hard work and consistency. IB programs focus on developing all-rounded students; and as such, they have an increased workload compared to other high school programs. For your child to attain high IB scores, they have to sacrifice their time and energy every day for the duration of the IB program to obtain good scores. This means consistently studying hard and revising using notes and past IB papers.
2. Manage your time well
IB diploma programs have a huge workload, and despite what you may think, time management, in the long run, can be hard. How do you create time to get all the work you need to do? Creating a schedule is key to getting all your work done, and since students get to know the criteria they are assessed on in advance, it can help them execute their coursework systematically. IB is a long course, and there’s a lot of information that your child needs to learn. Managing their time well ensures that they have enough time to cover everything they need to without letting anything slip.
3. Stop cramming
The IB diploma course is like a marathon; you cannot prepare at the last minute and expect to pass, unless you want to get a cramp and burn out. The course work includes writing a 4000-word essay, oral presentations, community service, projects, papers, mock and final exams. It is impossible to procrastinate and get good grades. Rather than cramming, help your child create a study schedule that spaces out study sessions with breaks in between to help them learn and remember new material.
4. Don’t forget about community and service (CAS)
As part of completing their IB programs, students must complete about 150 hours of community and service. It allows students to shift their focus to non-academic issues such as social responsibility. How your child chooses to fill those hours is totally up to them; however, they must journal about what they have learned and achieved from their CAS projects. The beauty of IB programs is that non-academic qualifications can boost your scores. This is why taking part in CAS projects is crucial. Other than that, they allow your child to pursue their extracurricular interests.
The International Baccalaureate program is an excellent way for your child to develop both academically and personally. After completing the 2-year program, your child receives a globally recognized diploma, which can help them gain admission to high ranking universities. With the tips outlined here, you can help your child learn how to get better IB scores.
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