How much should I study in first year of IB?

[heintze]

Now I know that it depeds on how much work you get done but assuming that you are very efficient, what would be the ideal time spent on studying?

Right now I have been spending 1-2 hours a day studying and sometimes 5-6 hours on weekends. I have finished one topic in chemistry,  one topic in physics and one topic in maths all by my own so I'm far ahead the rest of the class. I'm not sure how to proceed though, am I wasting my time? I feel like I could do much more and that I have too much free time. Is there anything you wish you would have done in your first year?

[kw0573]

So chemistry, math and physics are only 3 out of 6 subjects. How are you doing in your other classes? I wish in Year 1 I had read ahead my Group 1 books and practiced more in Group 2 /3 subjects. I think if other classes are going well, continue reading ahead. 

You may want to take time to know 1) all the course weighings and style of internal/external assessments 2) finding/buying all the IB resources available, including past papers/QuestionBanks, markschemes (answer keys), subject reports (which include examiner's commetns): you'll need this much more in Year 2 3) search for post-secondary options/entrance requirements and scholarship opportunities. You may also like to pursue more extracurriculars or sports teams if that's something you may be interested in. 

[ibpotterhead]

Hi

To be honest, I think you're doing well. Try to finish as many topics as you can when you're taught them and give time to every subject. Year 1 grades matter for predictives, and a bad score is a big morale-dampener. I wish I had worked on physics and math in my junior year. I was (still am) such a procrastinator that I started studying math HL a week before the exams and scraped with 3's and 4's. I had to shift to SL later, but it'll always be a regret that I didn't study from the start of the year. 

Very important - work on CAS and co-curriculars in Year 1. Do all the internships, courses or sports you have to do. You'll have IA's, EE and TOK essay to worry about in Year 2, not to mention, uni applications. It wouldn't be a bad idea to get a headstart on your TOK presentation and EE.

Good luck!  

[Amina13]

A lot  

[mac117]

I personally spend about 2-ish hours studying every day. During the weekends it goes up to about 5-ish hours, depending on how much work I have to finish and how motivated I am. 

 

The time doesn't really matter, what matters is that you study efficiently and actually learn. Avoid all distractions and you will be on your way to success. 

[IB`NOT`ez]

wow this thread... Having only studied for 1-2 hours on weekdays and less than an hour on weekends during IB1 and seeing how much people are actually studying is depressing...

[AndreaM]

I'm taking my exams now. I changed to Math SL in my second year (because I thought I could do more than Math Studies). I never studied Biology in my life bc I always used to do other things in class like not paying attention or talking with other friends. My P2 was yesterday and P3 is going to be on Monday. Believe me, I just started reading a few days ago. Like, two years (well, ofc it was not like all topics because I hated Genetics so I decided to just don't study that and other few things) in less than a week. I've done nothing but sleeping, going to the cinema, do picnics and listen to music in my first year and almost all my second year too. The only course I really dislike and think I'm going to have a 4 is Biology for obvious reasons... 

With this, I'm not trying to convince you to do the same things as me. Maybe you're taking "harder courses" or trying to get a 45 (because not even my friend who got a 43 last year studied as much as you do) but--- everyone has his own way of studying and different goals too. I'm expecting a 35 tbh, and I swear that I've done nothing these two years. Like, absolutely nothing. For my internal assessments, I chose topics I like so I got almost the "complete mark" in most of them. Maybe that's why I'm not giving a f in these exams (?). However, once again, everyone has a different style or way of learning. I also met a girl who studied all her second year and she got a 23 (so... no diploma). It all depends on you. If you like studying and you're feeling insecure about what you're learning now, then continue studying and finish your two years now if you can (ok no)!! Good luck

[heintze]

1 hour ago, AndreaM said:

I'm taking my exams now. I changed to Math SL in my second year (because I thought I could do more than Math Studies). I never studied Biology in my life bc I always used to do other things in class like not paying attention or talking with other friends. My P2 was yesterday and P3 is going to be on Monday. Believe me, I just started reading a few days ago. Like, two years (well, ofc it was not like all topics because I hated Genetics so I decided to just don't study that and other few things) in less than a week. I've done nothing but sleeping, going to the cinema, do picnics and listen to music in my first year and almost all my second year too. The only course I really dislike and think I'm going to have a 4 is Biology for obvious reasons... 

With this, I'm not trying to convince you to do the same things as me. Maybe you're taking "harder courses" or trying to get a 45 (because not even my friend who got a 43 last year studied as much as you do) but--- everyone has his own way of studying and different goals too. I'm expecting a 35 tbh, and I swear that I've done nothing these two years. Like, absolutely nothing. For my internal assessments, I chose topics I like so I got almost the "complete mark" in most of them. Maybe that's why I'm not giving a f in these exams (?). However, once again, everyone has a different style or way of learning. I also met a girl who studied all her second year and she got a 23 (so... no diploma). It all depends on you. If you like studying and you're feeling insecure about what you're learning now, then continue studying and finish your two years now if you can (ok no)!! Good luck

Andrea, I appreciate your answer. The problem is that my school has really bad teachers. We have been complaining and the principal said that there is a lack of IB teachers in Sweden so we have to have these teachers or just change to the normal Swedish programme. So it is almost like I am doing chemistry and physics self-taught because the teachers really don't explain. Sometimes I know the right amswer and still ask the teachers just to test them, and they have given a wrong answer many times. 95% of the time I spend on studying is in either in chemistry or physics. We did a test in chemistry on topic 2 and 19 out of 21 students failed that's like 90%. Luckily I wasn't one of them, but that makes sense considering the amount of time I have spent on chemistry. I wish I could have time for other subjects.  

[AndreaM]

12 hours ago, heintze said:

Andrea, I appreciate your answer. The problem is that my school has really bad teachers. We have been complaining and the principal said that there is a lack of IB teachers in Sweden so we have to have these teachers or just change to the normal Swedish programme. So it is almost like I am doing chemistry and physics self-taught because the teachers really don't explain. Sometimes I know the right amswer and still ask the teachers just to test them, and they have given a wrong answer many times. 95% of the time I spend on studying is in either in chemistry or physics. We did a test in chemistry on topic 2 and 19 out of 21 students failed that's like 90%. Luckily I wasn't one of them, but that makes sense considering the amount of time I have spent on chemistry. I wish I could have time for other subjects.  

 

Well... I also have really bad teachers. Except the ones from Math SL and Spanish, they are great. But, for example, my friends from Math Studies have a horrible teacher, so I've been their teacher for a couple of months and I noticed how stressed and afraid they were. Apart from that, they also had different goals, some of them wanted to study abroad, some of them not. You're taking Chemistry and Physics and that's pretty admirable having those kind of teachers... I would like to help you more but I didn't take those courses and neither my friends (We are just 3 doing the IB so I can't even ask other people). However, I hope everything goes more than great in your IB. Fortunately, you're in the first year so you have time for searching things on the internet and get some extra info. Once again, good luck!