Prior Learning for the IB (2013-2014 IB1 class)

[vals]

Hi there, while browsing through a lot of pointless webpages, desperately seeking for some IB-related information, I stumbled onto this pretty table listing maths topics you should have knowledge of before starting IB.
>Here's the link to the whole .pdf doc<

The bit I'm interested to is the very first, Prior Learning.
Do you all agree with what is listed? Did you guys all know this stuff before entering the IB, and do you believe I will be tested on topics that differ from these in my entrance exam?


p.s. yup, I'm new here.

[TykeDragon]

Wow, you wanna go through with HL maths? Good luck

I didn't personally, but I can tell you that looking through that prior learning section, most of that seems to be stuff I went through in maths studies. Considering this is HL we're talking about, I think you could call it expected prior knowledge for HL maths - with all the crazy magic you'll be looking at, you have no time for learning my peasant level maths

[ctrls]

Be wary that the document you linked only shows changes of the syllabus compared to older versions. A quick search on Google gave me this document, which correctly lists the topics in pages 22-23.

www.lyska.net/src/tiedostot/IB/syllabukset/math_hl_syllabus.pdf

Out of which, the topics do look about right. I don't think you need to be perfect with all topics - I wasn't at the beginning of the year, but you probably need to be familiar with them.

As for an entrance exam, contacting your school may be your best bet since it can vary. I'd presume they aren't going to be that strict with the marking, just so you don't get disastrous results.

[vals]

@TykeDragon! Haha don't assume I'm not peasant-level in maths just because I'm taking it at HL... Unfortunately you need to have HL Maths to get into Computer Science at most universities in the UK, which is what I'm planning for my future (:

@ctrls oh, this pdf. I'd already found it and skimmed through it, but I'd completely ignored the Prior learning paragraph... silly me.

Yes, I am going to contact my school for further instructions and information on this life-sucking entrance exam of mine.

...Well, the list doesn't seem to be that tragic, after all

Thank you both!

Edited July 17, 2013 by Valeria Pezzino

[TykeDragon]

Only for the very top universities, (which may indeed be your ambition) but I know someone off to KCL to do Computer Science with Maths SL (Methods) and someone off to Kent with a 6 in maths studies. So yes it is needed for the top 5-10 or so but not outside of that is it compulsory. Is that where you're aiming?

I would suggest you start out in HL then, and if after a few months it is a true nightmare you don't think you would be able to struggle through, then don't be afraid to drop down unless you're aiming for the best universities, pretty much. Have something ready you wouldn't mind going HL on

[vals]

Truth is, I don't want to have a narrower range of universities to choose from, only because when I was in high school I was too lazy to do a little more work.

Especially when it comes to homework, I've always been absymal... I won't hide that choosing Maths HL I was in some way determined to push myself out of my comfort zone.

You know that type of people who never do their homework, yet somehow manage to pass their tests with little to no effort? I am one of those.

I am really striving to become more balanced and I know that I've made a risky choice, but well... I've always known that someday I would have had to start studying seriously...

Thank you for your advice! I'll try to do my best

[Gaby]

Truth is, I don't want to have a narrower range of universities to choose from, only because when I was in high school I was too lazy to do a little more work.

Especially when it comes to homework, I've always been absymal... I won't hide that choosing Maths HL I was in some way determined to push myself out of my comfort zone.

You know that type of people who never do their homework, yet somehow manage to pass their tests with little to no effort? I am one of those.

I am really striving to become more balanced and I know that I've made a risky choice, but well... I've always known that someday I would have had to start studying seriously...

Thank you for your advice! I'll try to do my best

I didn't do ANY prior learning before the IB, got into Oxford... I worked hard during the IB. Enjoy the summer while you can

[vals]

Oh wow, kudos for getting into Oxford!

I see you're from Poland, too (: Did you have entrance exams as well? How difficult were they? My only hope is that I'll be admitted to my school, because otherwise I will either have to attend a private school or go back to Italy, alone. Sigh. But I reckon that's an extreme possibility, isn't it? I mean, they can't refuse to enroll me just because my entrance exam was not that great.

[Gaby]

Oh wow, kudos for getting into Oxford!

I see you're from Poland, too (: Did you have entrance exams as well? How difficult were they? My only hope is that I'll be admitted to my school, because otherwise I will either have to attend a private school or go back to Italy, alone. Sigh. But I reckon that's an extreme possibility, isn't it? I mean, they can't refuse to enroll me just because my entrance exam was not that great.

If you want me to reply, quote me, otherwise I might not realise the thread was updated.

If you're asking about entrance exams to school, I had an English language exam, and it wasn't too difficult, but it varies from school to school. Which school are you trying to get into? I hope you won't have to go back to Italy.

[vals]

If you want me to reply, quote me, otherwise I might not realise the thread was updated.

If you're asking about entrance exams to school, I had an English language exam, and it wasn't too difficult, but it varies from school to school. Which school are you trying to get into? I hope you won't have to go back to Italy.

Oops, sorry! I still have to get used to the forum ways

Now that I've seen how beautiful schools are in Poland (seriously, schools in Italy are falling apart!) I just don't want to go back. And... I don't have the guts to live on my own.

The school I've chosen - not that I had many to choose from, acutally... It was either this or another one - is L.O. Dwujezyczne im. M. Kopernika in Warsaw. They've been teaching the IB since '97, and it was the first World School in Poland. It's also ranked as 10th best liceum in Poland for 2012 on perspektywy.pl. Other than this, it looks like a pretty normal school and I like it a lot.

Apparently, my exam will last for 5 hours (!!) and I'm going to be tested in Maths, History and Physics, let alone English, which is obviously essential. I won't have to take a Polish exam because I'm not a native speaker. The day after the written part I'll have an oral interview.

Thinking it over, maybe they just wrote it will be a 5-hour exam to scare people off, lol.

[Gaby]

If you want me to reply, quote me, otherwise I might not realise the thread was updated.

If you're asking about entrance exams to school, I had an English language exam, and it wasn't too difficult, but it varies from school to school. Which school are you trying to get into? I hope you won't have to go back to Italy.

Oops, sorry! I still have to get used to the forum ways

Now that I've seen how beautiful schools are in Poland (seriously, schools in Italy are falling apart!) I just don't want to go back. And... I don't have the guts to live on my own.

The school I've chosen - not that I had many to choose from, acutally... It was either this or another one - is L.O. Dwujezyczne im. M. Kopernika in Warsaw. They've been teaching the IB since '97, and it was the first World School in Poland. It's also ranked as 10th best liceum in Poland for 2012 on perspektywy.pl. Other than this, it looks like a pretty normal school and I like it a lot.

Apparently, my exam will last for 5 hours (!!) and I'm going to be tested in Maths, History and Physics, let alone English, which is obviously essential. I won't have to take a Polish exam because I'm not a native speaker. The day after the written part I'll have an oral interview.

Thinking it over, maybe they just wrote it will be a 5-hour exam to scare people off, lol.

I have a few friends in this school, I can ask them if they had to take such a test as well, if you want.

From what I gathered, it's a really good school, with people getting into amazing unis.

[vals]

If it's not too much hassle, would you be kind enough to ask your friends? That'd help me a lot. I honestly have no clue of what to expect.

On a brighter note, I can't wait to find out wheter schools in Poland have coffee vending machines or not

[Gaby]

If it's not too much hassle, would you be kind enough to ask your friends? That'd help me a lot. I honestly have no clue of what to expect.

On a brighter note, I can't wait to find out wheter schools in Poland have coffee vending machines or not

Sadly, my friends all did pre-IB, so they don't know about the IB level entry exam. Sorry I couldn't help more.

All of my schools had coffee machines, so I'd assume Kopernik will as well. If not, there should be a little shop at school.

[vals]

If it's not too much hassle, would you be kind enough to ask your friends? That'd help me a lot. I honestly have no clue of what to expect.

On a brighter note, I can't wait to find out wheter schools in Poland have coffee vending machines or not

Sadly, my friends all did pre-IB, so they don't know about the IB level entry exam. Sorry I couldn't help more.

All of my schools had coffee machines, so I'd assume Kopernik will as well. If not, there should be a little shop at school.

Never mind then, thank you for interest anyway

I was shocked to know that polish schools have parquet floors, like, really? At my old school you were lucky if the floor your class was on didn't have buckets to collect water due to roof leaks haha

[Gaby]

If it's not too much hassle, would you be kind enough to ask your friends? That'd help me a lot. I honestly have no clue of what to expect.

On a brighter note, I can't wait to find out wheter schools in Poland have coffee vending machines or not

Sadly, my friends all did pre-IB, so they don't know about the IB level entry exam. Sorry I couldn't help more.

All of my schools had coffee machines, so I'd assume Kopernik will as well. If not, there should be a little shop at school.

Never mind then, thank you for interest anyway

I was shocked to know that polish schools have parquet floors, like, really? At my old school you were lucky if the floor your class was on didn't have buckets to collect water due to roof leaks haha

Depends on the school, my two most recent ones had tiles on the floor.

[vals]

If it's not too much hassle, would you be kind enough to ask your friends? That'd help me a lot. I honestly have no clue of what to expect.

On a brighter note, I can't wait to find out wheter schools in Poland have coffee vending machines or not

Sadly, my friends all did pre-IB, so they don't know about the IB level entry exam. Sorry I couldn't help more.

All of my schools had coffee machines, so I'd assume Kopernik will as well. If not, there should be a little shop at school.

Never mind then, thank you for interest anyway

I was shocked to know that polish schools have parquet floors, like, really? At my old school you were lucky if the floor your class was on didn't have buckets to collect water due to roof leaks haha

Depends on the school, my two most recent ones had tiles on the floor.

Still I bet they were far more decent than my ex-school, under every aspect. One never knows, but I have this vague feeling that people here don't jump on toilets and break them "just for fun" (happened once at my school) lol