So you've finished the IB - now what?

[yii yann]

Firstly, congratulations. You have just completed an important milestone - your high school education. Many of you are getting or have gotten your results today. 

 

1) If you have scored well, made your offer, got 45, etc 

 

Very well done. You've successfully achieved the point of your high school education, and then some. Nothing for you to read here. 

 

2) If you have missed your offer by one or two points

 

You've in a tight spot. This really depends on your university, your course, the extent of your points deficiency, A level results, etc. 

 

First off - how badly did you screw up? If your offer was 38 points and 7,6,6 at HL, and you're applying for Maths, say. If you get 37 points, 7,6,6 at HL but did pretty badly on something like Spanish Ab initio, that puts you in a much better position that getting 7,5,5 at HL and one of the 5s is in Math HL. Get where I'm going with this? 

 

Obviously, things will be tougher if your offer is from LSE, say. It'll be practically impossible to get in if you miss your offer. Certain universities like Warwick MIGHT consider it, but then again, definitely not for their highly subscribed courses. 

 

It also depends on A level performance, which you'll know mid august. 

 

So, the first thing you do is call your university, and find out what's the deal. You will probably receive some non-committal reply, and that's to be expected. You can't really know anything for sure until you've got a decision in an official email or letter. However, you can gauge your chance by some of the stuff the admissions person says. Yes, it's nothing concrete, but it may help soothe you for a while. 

 

Honestly though, be prepared to enter your insurance university. Don't go there with regret and feelings of "I'm too good for this place". If you are, you wouldn't be there. Just enjoy the ride and make the most of it. 

 

3) If you have wildly underperformed, and missed both firm and insurance offers. 

 

There is something called clearing - google this. It just might help you. 

 

You can retake your exams. Work hard, get your teachers on board, anything, to get your predicted score up. Apply at the end of this year with your new predicted grade. Obviously, this time, try to make your offers. 

 

If you're feeling REALLY ambitious, and can find a centre, you can apply to do your retakes in Nov this year. Maybe international schools.. I don't know. The upside is that you'll be applying with actual scores (results day is Jan 6, I think UCAS deadline is Jan 11), and hence universities won't think that you might repeat your performance like in May 14. The downside is that you'll be unable to apply for Oxbridge, medicine, vet courses, and some more stuff I think. 

 

You'll be lagging by a year... but just think of it like this: You're doing the same length as the average US college-goer, and they seem to be doing fine!

 

 

4) Should you remark? 

 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: YOUR SCORES CAN GO UP OR DOWN. 

 

If you are unable to read large, important sounding announcements, I will repeat. If you submit your papers for a remark, you are accepting the fact that your grade can go up OR down. There'll be no "Let's just pretend that didn't happen, shall we...". 

 

Important division here: Achieved offer, DID NOT achieve offer. 

 

DID NOT ACHIEVE OFFER

 

Now, if you are missing out on your offer by one or two points, and you've got a bunch of subjects near the next grade boundary (boundaries will be out soon, sit tight), then obviously yes, please remark. It doesn't matter what subject, just do it. 

 

If you are in between boundaries... It really depends. Are you going to retake and reapply next year? Then best to leave it be. No point running the risk of a lower score this time around. You won't gain anything by getting one extra point, but you WILL lose out by going down a point, especially when your school tries to predict your grades again. 

 

Generally, you are likelier to achieve a change in grades with essay subjects like English, Economics, History, etc. I've found that English remarks have the highest chance of success. Of course, anecdotal evidence has to be taken with a fistful of salt. 

 

Math and science subjects have a harder time at remarks. You can only get so many method marks. Since the answers are generally indisputable, you can't really expect there to be a massive change. Unless they missed your last three pages or something. 

 

With the arts, I really don't know. If I'd gotten a 6 for music, I'd have kept it and never looked back. Don't need some old guy with glasses and a stupid accent to claim my compositions "lack elegance" and mark me down. 

 

IF YOU ACHIEVED YOUR OFFER 

 

If you have achieved your offer by a mile, have a subject near a boundary and want the bragging rights, sure, go for it. 

 

If you barely achieved your offer... Just go out.. Forget about IB, school, remarks, whatever. You have no business even thinking about remarks. 

 

 

5) Great words of wisdom

 

Whether you got 45 points, 8 points, 23 points or 37 points, you must remember they are just a number. An important number, but a number nonetheless. It's not even a proper one-digit or three-digit number. Nobody likes two digits. Don't let it get you down. This is just the first step in your adult life. To illustrate, I'll let you guys in on a short story:

 

My dad showed up to Singapore after having ran away from China. He thought it was a stupid place, with annoying people and ridiculous rules. He came here with almost no education and basic english skills. However, he was willing to work hard, always actively tapped into his creativity and believed that he was good enough to do whatever he wanted to do. 

 

Most importantly, he never gave up. 

 

He didn't give up when Singapore forced him to leave the country every 2 weeks, as he was unemployed, selling whatever he could find, hence having to be here on a "social visit pass". 

 

He didn't give up when his parents threatened to disown him if he didn't come back to China like, right now. 

 

He didn't give up when his first proper business was declared to be in violation of some obscure law and shut down. It was engineered by competitors but he didn't give up. 

 

He didn't give up when he became bankrupt in 1999. I remember literally living on the streets for a few weeks. 

 

He didn't give up when both his parents passed away in the space of two weeks. 

 

He didn't give up when in 2010, I was caught by the police for shoplifting. 

 

He'd always tell me, the greatest tool you ever have, is yourself. Don't compromise it, don't tell it that it's not very good, because others say so. 

 

Today, he has an estimated net worth of over 90 million dollars. We are all so much more privileged than him, to even have this education. There is nothing we can't do.

 

So maybe you partied too hard, you slacked off, you thought your teacher was stupid so actively didn't listen in class, whatever. Get your act together, and do what must be done. You should know that whatever score you get, you deserve it. 

 

6) Final remarks (hehe)

 

Probably a bit too long and I'm sure it's filled with typos and stuff, but there's some little bits of useful info in here. I hope it helps at least one of you. You are always welcome to PM me. 

 

 

 

[Amen]

Oh...hi

Great words of wisdom!!!

Not sure if it is appropriate to post this. But since you brought this up in your post anyways and I thought discussing it with a senior would help.

I am seriously considering a remark. 

 

I would like a remark for TOK essay .... I got a C ... and I somehow strongly believe its impossible considering the degree of effort I took carefully scrutinizing the criteria and poring over the checklists and samples.

The same goes for the physics extended essay for which I got a B.

 

I'd just like to know how advisable it is to ask for a remark if you have a strong intuition that you deserve better, specifically in a subject like TOK?

Yet, considering the fact that it could go down ...probably the new examiner could be harsher (and that really affects a lot in subjective assessments like TOK ), I am a little discouraged.

 

Secondly, I got a grade of 6 in economics.

But when I logged in and checked my result I found that I missed a 7 by 1%.

Would it be advisable to have a shot at reevaluating my economics papers? After all, its just 1% and I could jump one grade higher.

If it goes down, I am still probably on a 6 and lose nothing.

If am lucky, well... 38 to 39!

 

That is the way I see it.

What is your opinion?

Anyone reading... please feel free to give advice.

I really think life has been unfair to me considering how hard I worked and slogged and how close I am to achieving better scores. I just think I ought to stand up for myself and sort out my plight. 

 

P.S.: this has nothing to do with offers or universities. But getting a point or two could take me to the 40's league and save me from the embarassment I face today.

[Thrashmaster]

You were caught shoplifting? I didn't expect that one...

 

This is really good advice! I like the choose your own adventure organization to it too. Hopefully I can choose one of the happier paths next year when I take my exams

[yii yann]

Oh...hi

Great words of wisdom!!!

Not sure if it is appropriate to post this. But since you brought this up in your post anyways and I thought discussing it with a senior would help.

I am seriously considering a remark. 

 

I would like a remark for TOK essay .... I got a C ... and I somehow strongly believe its impossible considering the degree of effort I took carefully scrutinizing the criteria and poring over the checklists and samples.

The same goes for the physics extended essay for which I got a B.

 

I'd just like to know how advisable it is to ask for a remark if you have a strong intuition that you deserve better, specifically in a subject like TOK?

Yet, considering the fact that it could go down ...probably the new examiner could be harsher (and that really affects a lot in subjective assessments like TOK ), I am a little discouraged.

 

Secondly, I got a grade of 6 in economics.

But when I logged in and checked my result I found that I missed a 7 by 1%.

Would it be advisable to have a shot at reevaluating my economics papers? After all, its just 1% and I could jump one grade higher.

If it goes down, I am still probably on a 6 and lose nothing.

If am lucky, well... 38 to 39!

 

That is the way I see it.

What is your opinion?

Anyone reading... please feel free to give advice.

I really think life has been unfair to me considering how hard I worked and slogged and how close I am to achieving better scores. I just think I ought to stand up for myself and sort out my plight. 

 

P.S.: this has nothing to do with offers or universities. But getting a point or two could take me to the 40's league and save me from the embarassment I face today.

 

Definitely remark econs. You've already stated all the reasons yourself!

 

For ToK... I'd honestly suggest asking around before you remark. Show it to other ToK teachers, compare it model essays, etc. If you still believe your essay should've scored higher, then yes, remark. ToK really is a wild card though, so be prepared to lose a point on that one. 

 

Have you achieved your offer? Or are you applying with these scores?

[Amen]

 

Oh...hi

Great words of wisdom!!!

Not sure if it is appropriate to post this. But since you brought this up in your post anyways and I thought discussing it with a senior would help.

I am seriously considering a remark. 

 

I would like a remark for TOK essay .... I got a C ... and I somehow strongly believe its impossible considering the degree of effort I took carefully scrutinizing the criteria and poring over the checklists and samples.

The same goes for the physics extended essay for which I got a B.

 

I'd just like to know how advisable it is to ask for a remark if you have a strong intuition that you deserve better, specifically in a subject like TOK?

Yet, considering the fact that it could go down ...probably the new examiner could be harsher (and that really affects a lot in subjective assessments like TOK ), I am a little discouraged.

 

Secondly, I got a grade of 6 in economics.

But when I logged in and checked my result I found that I missed a 7 by 1%.

Would it be advisable to have a shot at reevaluating my economics papers? After all, its just 1% and I could jump one grade higher.

If it goes down, I am still probably on a 6 and lose nothing.

If am lucky, well... 38 to 39!

 

That is the way I see it.

What is your opinion?

Anyone reading... please feel free to give advice.

I really think life has been unfair to me considering how hard I worked and slogged and how close I am to achieving better scores. I just think I ought to stand up for myself and sort out my plight. 

 

P.S.: this has nothing to do with offers or universities. But getting a point or two could take me to the 40's league and save me from the embarassment I face today.

 

Definitely remark econs. You've already stated all the reasons yourself!

 

For ToK... I'd honestly suggest asking around before you remark. Show it to other ToK teachers, compare it model essays, etc. If you still believe your essay should've scored higher, then yes, remark. ToK really is a wild card though, so be prepared to lose a point on that one. 

 

Have you achieved your offer? Or are you applying with these scores?

 

 

Okay.... sure ,... if you say so... I shall remark economics ...

 

And ToK as well as EE I am going to give it to my teachers/supervisors to remark them.

Don't mean to be rude, but I think they are really inexperienced and won't give accurate advice (I mean I've known them for two years)

 

I will probably have to look for teachers from some other school. 

 

Hmmm... no not yet. I have applied to Germany last month. My IB scores were probably sent there directly from Cardiff.

Must have reached my admissions officers now  and I get my offer in August. 

 

Anyways if I reevaluate, I don't know whether I should inform the unis that I will be doing that. And I really don't know how long it takes for the new results to come.

 

[Andy Sebastian]

I honestly couldn't care less about my IB scores; my ticket to university is not contingent on them, and none give me any important credits.  So to those who really worked hard and shot for high diploma scores, congratulations.  Whether you got what you were aiming for, you set for yourself a work ethic, passion for learning and appreciation for the great little things of the various different peoples of this Earth that very few people ever learn, let alone as teenagers, and with continued diligence that habit you will carry with you for the rest of your days.

 

that was my best attempt at something inspiring...I now see why I didn't get a 7 on my english hl...

Edited July 7, 2014 by Andy Sebastian

[Negotiation]

Now, if you are missing out on your offer by one or two points, and you've got a bunch of subjects near the next grade boundary (boundaries will be out soon, sit tight), then obviously yes, please remark. It doesn't matter what subject, just do it. 

Can you clarify what the emphasized section refers to?

[yii yann]

 

Now, if you are missing out on your offer by one or two points, and you've got a bunch of subjects near the next grade boundary (boundaries will be out soon, sit tight), then obviously yes, please remark. It doesn't matter what subject, just do it. 

Can you clarify what the emphasized section refers to?

 

 

When I got my IB scores, in a few days my IB co-ordinator showed me my overall percentage for the subject, individual unit score (IA, each exam paper), and the grade boundaries for the subject for that year. This essentially tells you how close/far you are from the next boundary!

[Negotiation]

When I got my IB scores, in a few days my IB co-ordinator showed me my overall percentage for the subject, individual unit score (IA, each exam paper), and the grade boundaries for the subject for that year. This essentially tells you how close/far you are from the next boundary!

 

Ah, right. I misunderstood. I thought you were saying that the Ib was getting rid of boundaries altogether, haha

[fufufuufufufufuuu]

Firstly, congratulations. You have just completed an important milestone - your high school education. Many of you are getting or have gotten your results today. 

 

1) If you have scored well, made your offer, got 45, etc 

 

Very well done. You've successfully achieved the point of your high school education, and then some. Nothing for you to read here. 

 

2) If you have missed your offer by one or two points

 

You've in a tight spot. This really depends on your university, your course, the extent of your points deficiency, A level results, etc. 

 

First off - how badly did you screw up? If your offer was 38 points and 7,6,6 at HL, and you're applying for Maths, say. If you get 37 points, 7,6,6 at HL but did pretty badly on something like Spanish Ab initio, that puts you in a much better position that getting 7,5,5 at HL and one of the 5s is in Math HL. Get where I'm going with this? 

 

Obviously, things will be tougher if your offer is from LSE, say. It'll be practically impossible to get in if you miss your offer. Certain universities like Warwick MIGHT consider it, but then again, definitely not for their highly subscribed courses. 

 

It also depends on A level performance, which you'll know mid august. 

 

So, the first thing you do is call your university, and find out what's the deal. You will probably receive some non-committal reply, and that's to be expected. You can't really know anything for sure until you've got a decision in an official email or letter. However, you can gauge your chance by some of the stuff the admissions person says. Yes, it's nothing concrete, but it may help soothe you for a while. 

 

Honestly though, be prepared to enter your insurance university. Don't go there with regret and feelings of "I'm too good for this place". If you are, you wouldn't be there. Just enjoy the ride and make the most of it. 

 

3) If you have wildly underperformed, and missed both firm and insurance offers. 

 

There is something called clearing - google this. It just might help you. 

 

You can retake your exams. Work hard, get your teachers on board, anything, to get your predicted score up. Apply at the end of this year with your new predicted grade. Obviously, this time, try to make your offers. 

 

If you're feeling REALLY ambitious, and can find a centre, you can apply to do your retakes in Nov this year. Maybe international schools.. I don't know. The upside is that you'll be applying with actual scores (results day is Jan 6, I think UCAS deadline is Jan 11), and hence universities won't think that you might repeat your performance like in May 14. The downside is that you'll be unable to apply for Oxbridge, medicine, vet courses, and some more stuff I think. 

 

You'll be lagging by a year... but just think of it like this: You're doing the same length as the average US college-goer, and they seem to be doing fine!

 

 

4) Should you remark? 

 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: YOUR SCORES CAN GO UP OR DOWN. 

 

If you are unable to read large, important sounding announcements, I will repeat. If you submit your papers for a remark, you are accepting the fact that your grade can go up OR down. There'll be no "Let's just pretend that didn't happen, shall we...". 

 

Important division here: Achieved offer, DID NOT achieve offer. 

 

DID NOT ACHIEVE OFFER

 

Now, if you are missing out on your offer by one or two points, and you've got a bunch of subjects near the next grade boundary (boundaries will be out soon, sit tight), then obviously yes, please remark. It doesn't matter what subject, just do it. 

 

If you are in between boundaries... It really depends. Are you going to retake and reapply next year? Then best to leave it be. No point running the risk of a lower score this time around. You won't gain anything by getting one extra point, but you WILL lose out by going down a point, especially when your school tries to predict your grades again. 

 

Generally, you are likelier to achieve a change in grades with essay subjects like English, Economics, History, etc. I've found that English remarks have the highest chance of success. Of course, anecdotal evidence has to be taken with a fistful of salt. 

 

Math and science subjects have a harder time at remarks. You can only get so many method marks. Since the answers are generally indisputable, you can't really expect there to be a massive change. Unless they missed your last three pages or something. 

 

With the arts, I really don't know. If I'd gotten a 6 for music, I'd have kept it and never looked back. Don't need some old guy with glasses and a stupid accent to claim my compositions "lack elegance" and mark me down. 

 

IF YOU ACHIEVED YOUR OFFER 

 

If you have achieved your offer by a mile, have a subject near a boundary and want the bragging rights, sure, go for it. 

 

If you barely achieved your offer... Just go out.. Forget about IB, school, remarks, whatever. You have no business even thinking about remarks. 

 

 

5) Great words of wisdom

 

Whether you got 45 points, 8 points, 23 points or 37 points, you must remember they are just a number. An important number, but a number nonetheless. It's not even a proper one-digit or three-digit number. Nobody likes two digits. Don't let it get you down. This is just the first step in your adult life. To illustrate, I'll let you guys in on a short story:

 

My dad showed up to Singapore after having ran away from China. He thought it was a stupid place, with annoying people and ridiculous rules. He came here with almost no education and basic english skills. However, he was willing to work hard, always actively tapped into his creativity and believed that he was good enough to do whatever he wanted to do. 

 

Most importantly, he never gave up. 

 

He didn't give up when Singapore forced him to leave the country every 2 weeks, as he was unemployed, selling whatever he could find, hence having to be here on a "social visit pass". 

 

He didn't give up when his parents threatened to disown him if he didn't come back to China like, right now. 

 

He didn't give up when his first proper business was declared to be in violation of some obscure law and shut down. It was engineered by competitors but he didn't give up. 

 

He didn't give up when he became bankrupt in 1999. I remember literally living on the streets for a few weeks. 

 

He didn't give up when both his parents passed away in the space of two weeks. 

 

He didn't give up when in 2010, I was caught by the police for shoplifting. 

 

He'd always tell me, the greatest tool you ever have, is yourself. Don't compromise it, don't tell it that it's not very good, because others say so. 

 

Today, he has an estimated net worth of over 90 million dollars. We are all so much more privileged than him, to even have this education. There is nothing we can't do.

 

So maybe you partied too hard, you slacked off, you thought your teacher was stupid so actively didn't listen in class, whatever. Get your act together, and do what must be done. You should know that whatever score you get, you deserve it. 

 

6) Final remarks (hehe)

 

Probably a bit too long and I'm sure it's filled with typos and stuff, but there's some little bits of useful info in here. I hope it helps at least one of you. You are always welcome to PM me. 

 

I missed one point from my offer. My offer is 38 with 5 in maths hl, I got 37 with 5 in maths HL. I guess it's not a very big deal, cause instead of meeting the overall requred pts, i met the subject requirement. Unlike my friends who exceeeded the overall points, but didnt meet the subject requirement (which is bad in my opinion cause youre supposed to be good at what youre majoring in). Plus, my maths is close to a 6, which (er i think is amazing, for a non maths course to do pfft, most engineering students in my school barely got a 4 or a 5).

The course that i wanted was BSc Accounting and Finance, and they keep saying my course is oversubscribed and competitive. I really wanna go to the uni and do the course, but so afraid they might just reject me because i missed one point. So I heard remark takes about a week. I plan to remark either my EE (1 mark away to a B), or english b sl (2% to a 7), or maths hl (3% to a 6)..

What do you guys think?

Edited July 9, 2014 by fufufuufufufufuuu

[yii yann]

 

x

 

I missed one point from my offer. My offer is 38 with 5 in maths hl, I got 37 with 5 in maths HL. I guess it's not a very big deal, cause instead of meeting the overall requred pts, i met the subject requirement. Unlike my friends who exceeeded the overall points, but didnt meet the subject requirement (which is bad in my opinion cause youre supposed to be good at what youre majoring in). Plus, my maths is close to a 6, which (er i think is amazing, for a non maths course to do pfft, most engineering students in my school barely got a 4 or a 5).

The course that i wanted was BSc Accounting and Finance, and they keep saying my course is oversubscribed and competitive. I really wanna go to the uni and do the course, but so afraid they might just reject me because i missed one point. So I heard remark takes about a week. I plan to remark either my EE (1 mark away to a B), or english b sl (2% to a 7), or maths hl (3% to a 6)..

What do you guys think?

 

 

It's really up to you, but if I had a bunch of spare cash, I'd remark EE and English. Kinda hard to get your maths up by 3% tbh

[polopipo]

 

When I got my IB scores, in a few days my IB co-ordinator showed me my overall percentage for the subject, individual unit score (IA, each exam paper), and the grade boundaries for the subject for that year. This essentially tells you how close/far you are from the next boundary!

 

Ah, right. I misunderstood. I thought you were saying that the Ib was getting rid of boundaries altogether, haha

Hey, I'm a spanish student who is starting IB next year, and I was wondering what are you doing right now, with such perfect IB results? What college are you in? What are you studying?

Thank you and congratulations!

[yii yann]

 

Hey, I'm a spanish student who is starting IB next year, and I was wondering what are you doing right now, with such perfect IB results? What college are you in? What are you studying?

Thank you and congratulations!

 

 

Check out my signature. Press the little button that says "show" next to the word "spoiler". 

[Negotiation]

 

 

When I got my IB scores, in a few days my IB co-ordinator showed me my overall percentage for the subject, individual unit score (IA, each exam paper), and the grade boundaries for the subject for that year. This essentially tells you how close/far you are from the next boundary!

 

Ah, right. I misunderstood. I thought you were saying that the Ib was getting rid of boundaries altogether, haha

Hey, I'm a spanish student who is starting IB next year, and I was wondering what are you doing right now, with such perfect IB results? What college are you in? What are you studying?

Thank you and congratulations!

 

If that is directed at me: I will be studying engineering at Cambridge this fall

[polopipo]

 

 

 

When I got my IB scores, in a few days my IB co-ordinator showed me my overall percentage for the subject, individual unit score (IA, each exam paper), and the grade boundaries for the subject for that year. This essentially tells you how close/far you are from the next boundary!

 

Ah, right. I misunderstood. I thought you were saying that the Ib was getting rid of boundaries altogether, haha

Hey, I'm a spanish student who is starting IB next year, and I was wondering what are you doing right now, with such perfect IB results? What college are you in? What are you studying?

Thank you and congratulations!

 

If that is directed at me: I will be studying engineering at Cambridge this fall

 

Yes, it was directed at you. Once again congratulations and I wish you good luck in college!