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IBDP This Year


sselinokcu

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Hey guys, 

So my IBDP programme starts this year, after the summer break which I have 15 or so days of. My classes are Math, English, Econ HL and Bio, Turkish Lit, History SL. I'm also going to take my SAT this year. Are there any suggestions for me, just general stuff regarding next year? Because it's my first year in IB, I really don't know what to prep myself for and what to expect (except that this year is going to be hell)

Thanks

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I'm right there with you! I began this year too just two months back and the work is already piling up. Things I've learnt so far:

  1.  Keep perfectly calm - seriously though, I've had about five mini panic attacks in the past month itself, so this is crucial.
  2. I finally understood the repeated advice saying "DON'T PROCRASTINATE".what i said about work piling up?...yeah.
  3. Don;t let your social life die, unless like me you have none to begin with ><.....make friends in each class you have even if just to have someone you can take missed notes from.
  4. I'm gonna take the SAT too, and the fact that i have to juggle all this is making me doubt myself...Don't do that. Chill, it'll work out.
  5. give equal focus on your IA'S, IOP AND IOC'S..they are really important.
  6. I'm saying don't let it get to you but at the same time, don't take it TOO easy yeah?

 

........That's all i can think of for now.  I hope i was of even a little help. :D

All the best!

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Meh, it all kind of depends on how you're doing right now and how well you're able to adapt.

Just to put this into perspective, I had a level of about 60% absence in the Pre-IB due to mental health issues, and then ended up changing to a different school for a month or two, before dropping out for two months. I ended up failing all my classes except History. (I was a good student when I came to class, but I just missed a lot)

It's been three weeks and so far, I'm doing great. It's not too hard, I raise my hand in class all the time. We did a diagnostics Paper 1 in English Lang&Lit (obviously not graded, but still) a couple of weeks ago, and I ended up writing six and a half pages of analysis in an hour and twenty minutes. The thing about the IB isn't necessarily that it's difficult in terms of content (Math HL probably will though), it's the extensive amount of content you need to know. 

In other programmes, like the British A-levels or the American high school system for instance, the amount you learn over the course of a couple of years are not compressed into a two-week exam period. You have final exams, but you also have random exams and tests that make up a certain percentage of your grade. You mentioned that you'll study history, which means that you are assessed solely on your Internal Assessment and your final exams (which you are in most subjects except English). The first year is practice. Nothing you do will actually count towards your final grade (it will towards your predicted, but not the final one). You have tests and essays, but these do not actually count towards your final grade. You will need to know the details of what you learn now in two years time. It's not hard per se, but the workload is incredibly extensive.

 

Some useful tips: 

1) You need to be organized. You need to be organized. You need to be organized. Everyone has their own way of organization, but there are some general tips that typically work for everyone, like: get a binder in every subject, use a planner, structure up when and how you're going to do your homework (otherwise it'll just seem like you have a lot of work to do and you won't know where to start). And obviously, do not procrastinate unless you're into coffee and feeling dead.

2) Don't think that you can't do it, even when the teacher tells you what is needed for each course and you realize for the first time in your life how much work you're going to need to do over the next two years, or when you're looking at your math book and thinking there's no way you'll be able to get above a 4 in Math. People, thousands of people get good grades and even more get their diplomas, therefore, you can too and it is possible.

Also, these tips are great: 

 

Edited by beth-
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