Some Questions

[Jeez]

So, I am entering grade 11 IB in the peel district school board and I am wondering are the senior years extremely challenging like some people suggest, or is it just very exaggerated. Will it be that I will just be doing school work for 8 hours a day? Would like to hear some replies back. 

[Martijn.S]

The stereotype of the senior year may be slightly overused and hence slightly exaggerated but there is still a certain truth behind it. The second year is especially challenging because of the amount of IA and other assignments you have to do, as well as the exams that are approaching. So you'll have the regular classes + all the assignments due at some point or another.

The best way to decrease the workload in the second year is by doing the maximum in your first year: finish your CAS and do as much as you can of your extended essay. Unless the rules have changed (which I don't believe they have), you're not allowed to start your IAs in the first year (because of the requirements that can change). However, this doesn't prevent you from doing a bit of personal research and having an open mind to at least try entering IB2 with a research question for each subject.

Furthermore, once you enter the senior year, try doing your IAs and TOK as soon as possible. Everything you can do in the beginning will spare you the effort when you'll want to revise for exams.

In the second year, the workload will increase abruptly (because of the tasks mentioned above), and the best way to handle this is by starting to work as soon as possible as well as working consistently and regularly (try spreading out the tasks and being organised). You're going to have to work much more at home than in the first year, especially if you haven't done a lot then.

You can still get away with a healthy dose of procrastination in your first year, but it will have an impact on your score if you continue at the same rate in the future.

Best of luck.