Dropping out of IB

[Guest Parshant DaVinci]

Due to my rather low marks, my parents agreed that I would not be staying nay longer in the program. Which means a new high school and new people for me. Which also means that I would have to leave all my friends. :'(

This might be the hardest decision of my life, and i just wanted to know if you guys have some tips and some advice for grade 11 next year.

I had a really good time in this school. Made some REALLY nice friends.. but i guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

The main goal for me is to get into a good university. I've heard from numerous people that IB doesn't mean a whole lot when it comes to getting acecpted into University. Tell me if I'm making a good decision or not.

Any advice would do. Thank you.

It really means alot. : )

Edited May 30, 2011 by Summer Glau
no text speak

[Rigel]

I would try to stay in your IB school, and make your best effort to survive and finish it!

I can't say how is non-IB education in Canada (I'm peruvian), but here in Peru, our secondary school system is not that good.

You can ask for another oportunity!

[im number 4]

Due to my rather low marks, my parents agreed that I would not be staying nay longer in the program. Which means a new high school and new people for me. Which also means that I would have to leave all my friends. :'(

This might be the hardest decision of my life, and i just wanted to know if you guys have some tips and some advice for grade 11 next year.

I had a really good time in this school. Made some REALLY nice friends.. but i guess you gotta do what u gotta do.

The main goal for me is to get into a good university. I've heard from numerous people that IB doesn't mean a whole lot when it comes to getting acecpted into University. Tell me if I'm making a good decision or not.

Any advice would do. Thank you.

It really means alot. : )

You know what, your not the only one who's going through a hard time okay. Sure IB is hard but the rewards will travel you into the gates of Avalon. Dont give up my friend

[master135]

I see you are from Canada - are you in Ontario? If so I would not drop IB. The marking in grade 9 to 10 of "preib" is sometimes unnecessarily hard and may give you discouraging signals. If you current grades are not terrible I recommend reconsidering your decision - or even think about doing an 'IB Certificate' (ie. doing only a few IB courses such as SL Math) in subjects you are good at. The reason I am saying this is the grade you get from IB is translated to a higher percentage grade on your provincial report card.

Bottom line - don't drop IB - at least not completely - unless you really hate it.

If you are not from Ontario you can disregard what I said since I am not sure about the IB to regular grade conversion system in other provinces.

[Guest Parshant DaVinci]

I see you are from Canada - are you in Ontario? If so I would not drop IB. The marking in grade 9 to 10 of "preib" is sometimes unnecessarily hard and may give you discouraging signals. If you current grades are not terrible I recommend reconsidering your decision - or even think about doing an 'IB Certificate' (ie. doing only a few IB courses such as SL Math) in subjects you are good at. The reason I am saying this is the grade you get from IB is translated to a higher percentage grade on your provincial report card.

Bottom line - don't drop IB - at least not completely - unless you really hate it.

If you are not from Ontario you can disregard what I said since I am not sure about the IB to regular grade conversion system in other provinces.

actually i am from ontario, toronto actually.

and thanks for the info, i'll be sure to talk to my councelor about the Certificate.

[jtnt]

Don't drop out~!!

Just drop down to the certificate.

Taking the certificate route means you can still take IB classes and get credit for them in the uni level. But you don't have to take any IB classes that you don't want to/aren't good at. You can just take regular classes in their place.

Also, you don't have to worry about CAS or the TOK crap~

I strongly advise talking to your IB coordinator about your IB certificate schedule if you decide to stay in your school.

And hey! You still see all your friends :'D

In any case, most unis LOVE seeing that you took hard classes during your high school years. You don't have to tell them whether or not you got the IB diploma :'P

Edited May 30, 2011 by jtnt

[master135]

I see you are from Canada - are you in Ontario? If so I would not drop IB. The marking in grade 9 to 10 of "preib" is sometimes unnecessarily hard and may give you discouraging signals. If you current grades are not terrible I recommend reconsidering your decision - or even think about doing an 'IB Certificate' (ie. doing only a few IB courses such as SL Math) in subjects you are good at. The reason I am saying this is the grade you get from IB is translated to a higher percentage grade on your provincial report card.

Bottom line - don't drop IB - at least not completely - unless you really hate it.

If you are not from Ontario you can disregard what I said since I am not sure about the IB to regular grade conversion system in other provinces.

actually i am from ontario, toronto actually.

and thanks for the info, i'll be sure to talk to my councelor about the Certificate.

Then yeah definitely consider doing a certificate. Many people in my school who did not fare too well in grade 9 and 10 still either gave IB a shot or did IB Certificate in certain courses and it helped them get a higher percentage grade to show to universities in certain courses. I know, personally, the mark I ended up getting after the IB to Ontario translation in IB Physics SL was much higher than it would have been if I did regular Physics and this was the case with many others in my school who did Math Methods SL (Math HL is a different story..). To give you a glimpse (if you didn't already know) IB is marked in levels out of 7 and the translated grade in Ontario is as follows (unless it has changed, which I don't think it has):

A level 7 gets translated to a 96 to 100%

A level 6 gets translated to a 90 to 95%

A level 5 gets translated to a 80 to 89%

A level 4 gets translated to a 70 to 79%

and so on.....

If your school knows what it is doing and you make a decent effort getting a 5 (or 6) is not difficult at all in courses you like.

Universities in Canada consider your percentage grades primarily - so in the end IB will help you out.

Edited May 30, 2011 by master135

[Mort]

Do what you want but just listen to one advice, study for yourself. Don't study for your parents, friends, or even the grades. If you study for yourself and study what you like, the marks and the praises will come with it.

What IB school are you going to in Toronto?

[Summer Glau]

Yeah I agree with master135, stay in IB if you can. You'll get the nice mark inflation which is good for university applications (it has not changed, from what master135 said) You also have a better shot at getting scholarships with this mark inflation Trust me, quite a few people in my grade didn't do that well in pre-IB and now in IB they get some of the highest marks. Even I have better marks now than I did in pre-IB. So a combination of improving and the mark inflation can boost your grades.

If you really hate IB though, it's not worth staying. The regular Ontario system is also good and believe it or not in some Ontario courses, you will actually learn more material than you will in IB. You can get into a good university doing either system.

Do what you think is right for you, not what your parents/friends/other people want you to do.

[Guest Soiboist]

Changing school like that may also affect your grades, as being socially healthy is very important for being successful generally. Remember "Balanced" from the IB learner profile? If the problem is that you're achieving low grades, why are you achieving low grades? I don't think you're not smart enough, I mean as you successfully started this thread I would say that you have to be at least around average intelligence. If you're achieving low grades because you're not working hard enough, then work harder! There is no need to complicate things. At least I would work enormously just to be able to stay in the school where my friends are.

[Peanut Butter Jelly]

Just drop IB, it really doesnt help with University admissions, unless you are among the top students.

[Guest Parshant DaVinci]

I see you are from Canada - are you in Ontario? If so I would not drop IB. The marking in grade 9 to 10 of "preib" is sometimes unnecessarily hard and may give you discouraging signals. If you current grades are not terrible I recommend reconsidering your decision - or even think about doing an 'IB Certificate' (ie. doing only a few IB courses such as SL Math) in subjects you are good at. The reason I am saying this is the grade you get from IB is translated to a higher percentage grade on your provincial report card.

Bottom line - don't drop IB - at least not completely - unless you really hate it.

If you are not from Ontario you can disregard what I said since I am not sure about the IB to regular grade conversion system in other provinces.

actually i am from ontario, toronto actually.

and thanks for the info, i'll be sure to talk to my councelor about the Certificate.

Then yeah definitely consider doing a certificate. Many people in my school who did not fare too well in grade 9 and 10 still either gave IB a shot or did IB Certificate in certain courses and it helped them get a higher percentage grade to show to universities in certain courses. I know, personally, the mark I ended up getting after the IB to Ontario translation in IB Physics SL was much higher than it would have been if I did regular Physics and this was the case with many others in my school who did Math Methods SL (Math HL is a different story..). To give you a glimpse (if you didn't already know) IB is marked in levels out of 7 and the translated grade in Ontario is as follows (unless it has changed, which I don't think it has):

A level 7 gets translated to a 96 to 100%

A level 6 gets translated to a 90 to 95%

A level 5 gets translated to a 80 to 89%

A level 4 gets translated to a 70 to 79%

and so on.....

If your school knows what it is doing and you make a decent effort getting a 5 (or 6) is not difficult at all in courses you like.

Universities in Canada consider your percentage grades primarily - so in the end IB will help you out.

yeah, i've been told by many teachers that IB DOES boost your marks up, other then bell curve....

but see, without IB, my school is terrible! literally.... and i say this from experience.

so i don't want to be taking any classes that are not IB.

but then again, i hate to take french and tok (as i see no relevance from these courses to mechatronics < my aim from univesity.

but see, i mean like, there are SOO many other people who have been in regular schools, and gotten in universities with a breeze. but i face a tough decision

ill talk to my councelor. thanks for all your help. really appreciate it

Do what you want but just listen to one advice, study for yourself. Don't study for your parents, friends, or even the grades. If you study for yourself and study what you like, the marks and the praises will come with it.

What IB school are you going to in Toronto?

Turner Fenton Secondary School

[master135]

Turner Fenton has a very well established IB program from what I have heard (me being from Glen) - so thats a plus and what your teachers said is true. What aspect of the non-ib classes is bad that is specific to Turner? And of course not doing IB/IB certificate will not deter you in any way, but doing it will help. See what your counselor has to say - but in the end the decision, like everyone has been saying, is fully yours.

[jess1ca]

It's not just about getting into university... it's about having the tools to do well in university. IB does do a pretty good job transitioning you from high school to uni, from my friends experiences. However, it's not for everyone. So many non IB students are highly successful, and the Ontario curriculum works too! Like someone mentioned, some subjects based on the Ontario curriculum may prepare you even better than IB. Take bio SL for example, if we only learned from the IB textbook we wouldn't get anywhere at all. At my school, we must combine the IB and Ontario curriculum, so I get the benefits of everything (and more work, but it means I learn more ).

TOK is a nice thing to put in your top six, I believe it's a U course, at least at my school, and it's not difficult to get a good mark in TOK. And it's also good to know French, especially considering we live in Canada. It does contribute to your well-roundedness... I think universities like to see that. Also, it's good to have aims, but don't eliminate too many possibilites just yet!

I've seriously considered dropping IB too though, so I know what you mean. I don't agree with how IB works for a lot of things. I've already completed French and I'm taking TOK now, though.

I'm not clear about uni application, but if you apply as an IB student, they don't just look at your percentages, but your IB grade.

[master135]

I'm not clear about uni application, but if you apply as an IB student, they don't just look at your percentages, but your IB grade.

When I applied, I believe the unis primarily considered my percentage grades (for admittance and scholarships) but still offered me the transfer credits from IB.

[Ice Cream is really yummy]

You need to look into the Canadian universities, each individually. I know that some universities, such as SFU, consider the IB diploma like your first year of university. Those two years could grant you minus one year in university Or they will give you the credits for your first year right off the bat Of course, you need to look into the requirements and such so that you saturate the necessary requirements for those offers

And definitely try to keep a few certificates. It will not go to waste. You would have gained more knowledge in classes that YOU decided to keep, so these classes aren't really "forced" upon you, anymore. You'll be more likely to be self-motivated

Report cards CAN be a little upsetting, seeing that we are following the IB programme. But just remember, do all you can, and you will succeed. Believe, and you will achieve. I know, that was really cheezy But that's the only way to do it. Pray to God for help, and believe in yourself. Have the confidence to reach the sky... and get 7's all over

[jess1ca]

You need to look into the Canadian universities, each individually. I know that some universities, such as SFU, consider the IB diploma like your first year of university. Those two years could grant you minus one year in university Or they will give you the credits for your first year right off the bat Of course, you need to look into the requirements and such so that you saturate the necessary requirements for those offers

And definitely try to keep a few certificates. It will not go to waste. You would have gained more knowledge in classes that YOU decided to keep, so these classes aren't really "forced" upon you, anymore. You'll be more likely to be self-motivated

Report cards CAN be a little upsetting, seeing that we are following the IB programme. But just remember, do all you can, and you will succeed. Believe, and you will achieve. I know, that was really cheezy But that's the only way to do it. Pray to God for help, and believe in yourself. Have the confidence to reach the sky... and get 7's all over

Not sure about the OP, but my school doesn't offer certificates.

Do the whole thing or get out

[Kaylie]

Due to my rather low marks, my parents agreed that I would not be staying nay longer in the program. Which means a new high school and new people for me. Which also means that I would have to leave all my friends. :'(

This might be the hardest decision of my life, and i just wanted to know if you guys have some tips and some advice for grade 11 next year.

I had a really good time in this school. Made some REALLY nice friends.. but i guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

The main goal for me is to get into a good university. I've heard from numerous people that IB doesn't mean a whole lot when it comes to getting acecpted into University. Tell me if I'm making a good decision or not.

Any advice would do. Thank you.

It really means alot. : )

If you were looking to apply to a university in Canada (especially BC), then I would highly recommend that you stay in the program. Although you may not think this is the best choice, anybody is able to do the program if they are motivated enough

Also, UBC accepts the most IB students in the world.

Good luck!

[Guest Parshant DaVinci]

You need to look into the Canadian universities, each individually. I know that some universities, such as SFU, consider the IB diploma like your first year of university. Those two years could grant you minus one year in university Or they will give you the credits for your first year right off the bat Of course, you need to look into the requirements and such so that you saturate the necessary requirements for those offers

And definitely try to keep a few certificates. It will not go to waste. You would have gained more knowledge in classes that YOU decided to keep, so these classes aren't really "forced" upon you, anymore. You'll be more likely to be self-motivated

Report cards CAN be a little upsetting, seeing that we are following the IB programme. But just remember, do all you can, and you will succeed. Believe, and you will achieve. I know, that was really cheezy But that's the only way to do it. Pray to God for help, and believe in yourself. Have the confidence to reach the sky... and get 7's all over

Not sure about the OP, but my school doesn't offer certificates.

Do the whole thing or get out

thanks for all your help guys!

i had a talk with my IB coordinator

To my surprise, she told me many things.

She told me to believe in myself and pursue my dreams.

Also that, not all IB students do well in university. it's just an Internation Program aimed at people who wanna usually go to universities around the world.

She also told me that alot of what academic courses teach you is more then what IB teaches you.

So, what I've come up from MY opinion is that it's a 50-50 chance.

The same goal (to get to university) but 2 pathways.

one pathway is a fresh start, better school, better course selections, better damn teachers

but on the other hand, IB has all my friends I made, memories I've cherished, and expectations I've been gathering for 2 years now.

But nothing comes without a sacrifice. So, i've decided to go to a regular school.

I know i'll miss my friends, guess i'll see them in University

P.S. thanks for all your tremendous help guys! without your comments, i wouldn't have been able to say a word to my coordinator.

Also, I wanna share this quote with you.

"To Travel is better than to Arrive" < powerful quote!

at first i didn't quite understand...

but if you relate it to highschool, you get that it's not all about getting to your destination, in which my case is University.

It's about travelling, making memories that you'll cherish lifelong, making friends that you'll never forget, having a good time, but also learning for YOUR self, not the sake of your parents, or your friends

Edited June 12, 2011 by Summer Glau
no text speak!

[master135]

thanks for all uor help guys!

i had a talk with my IB coordinator

To my surprise, she told me many things.

She told me to believe in myself and pursue my dreams.

Also that, not all IB students do well in university. it's just an Internation Program aimed at people who wanna usually go to universities around the world.

She also told me that alot of what academic courses teach you is more then what IB teaches you.

So, what I've come up from MY opinion is that it's a 50-50 chance.

The same goal (to get to university) but 2 pathways.

one pathway is a fresh start, better school, better course selections, better damn teachers

but on the other hand, IB has all my friends I made, memories I've cherished, and expectations I've been gathering for 2 years now.

But nothing comes without a sacrifice. So, i've decided to go to a regular school.

I know i'll miss my friends, guess i'll see them in University

P.S. thanks for all your tremendous help guys! without your comments, i wouldn't have been able to say a word to my coordinator.

Also, I wanna share this quote with you.

"To Travel is better than to Arrive" < powerful quote!

at first i didn't quite understand...

but if u relate it to highschool, u get that it's not all about getting to your destination, in which my case is University.

It's about travelling, making memories that you'll cherish lifelong, making friends that you'll never forget, having a good time, but also learning for YOUR self, not the sake of your parents, or your friends

I'm glad we were of some help. Good luck in your new school. From your posts you seem to be a smart person and one who takes an educated decision - I'm sure you'll get where you want to no matter what path you choose .

Edited June 1, 2011 by master135