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Future IB student


zzooee

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Hello everyone!

I am beginning the IB next year and need the opinions of current/past graduates of the programme!

Many people have told me that the IB programme is not so much more difficult in terms of content, but a heavier work load. I was wondering that in order to gain a 45 do you have to be exceptionally smart or put in the work?

For example, I am not the smartest in the year, maintaining an average of an A  across all my subjects, but I really want a high score and am willing to put in the work.

Bottom line, is the 45 only for the exceptionally smart students or can an average student who work's hard gain 45 points also?

Thank you in advance !

Edited by zzooee
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Yes, anyone who works hard can get a 45.

No, getting a 45 should not be your goal. It is frankly pointless and places unnecessary stress on you. 

I know of people who got 45, and they are all very laid back people who work hard but set their expectations to be realistic. When they got 45 it was for them a happy surprise. If your aim, to start with, is a 45, you will be too stressed out to actually achieve your potential.

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I 100% agree with @Empiral. Getting all 45 points should not be your ultimate goal. You should aim somewhat high, true, but it doesn't necessarily have to be full points.

What I can say about the workload though is that it really depends on your subject choices. Most of my friends have had laid back periods of time, and they're currently quite stressed as a lot of work is given around this time of the second IB year. My choices however are not particularly difficult, so I'm not as stressed as many of my peers are, apart from uni apps. 

Sure, you do have to be smart to get 45, but it's mostly to do with the effort and time you put into your assessments and studies. The thing about the IB is that is goes by super quickly. Surprisingly quickly even, because of the constant work being given. One day it's September and before you know it, it's nearly December. Our teachers, at the start of our IB, told us it would go by extremely fast and of course, we just thought it was the generic saying and it wasn't true. Yet, here we are, asking ourselves how time flew. That's the factor I feel is the most significant in being effective in the IB. Procrastination is already a weakness, but procrastination in the IB is a nightmare. From now, please know that if you keep pushing assignments back, saying you'll do them later, before you know it, there will be no later and you'll just become super stressed as the due assignments keep piling up. Catching up in the IB is super tough, so just keep up with the course work and you'll be absolutely fine.

I don't know why I keep going on off-topic... 45 is for the people who are willing to put in the effort, the time, and yes, for the most part, the brains into their work constantly during the 2 years. Although it's a high goal, if you feel you can do it so long as you work at a steady and efficient pace, go for it.

Good luck in the IB. It's really not as bad as people say it is, or at least I'm not finding it that way :P

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