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Any regrets about doing the IB?


Summer Glau

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Hey everyone,

I'm deciding this year if I want to do the full IB program for my last 2 years of high school. I've heard a lot of good things about it, but does anyone here regret doing the IB? If you regret it, what in particular do you regret about it (like subject choices, not studying enough, etc.)? Any advice would be appreciated!

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Ummm, I think my biggest regret was probably leaving my cas to the last minute. It added a lot more stress at a really bad time (I had lots of other things due). If you enjoy school and love learning, and are willing to put in two years of hard work, then go for the IB, because it's very challenging and rewarding. However, if you don't think you could cope with it, maybe don't do the IB because you might do better in another program. It's really up to you and how you feel about school and how you cope with time management and stress :P

Also, another regret was the subjects I chose. We had a very limited choice at school and that somewhat restricted me and my learning. If I hadn't done IB I would have had heaps more subjects to choose from.

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well my exams are in nov (2009) and so far my biggest regret is being a complete slackass up till now

i've always struggled to motivate myself as somehow i pull it off without having to hc study but at the same time its because of my halfassed attitude to study that has resulted in me not meeting the requirements of my dream course (aka Med at UQ)

IB does makes you go through a lot of stress but after a bit you learn to cope which is always good :) i mean i would rather be freaking out now about workload than at uni tbh :P

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Not at all.

I'm actually really grateful for IB, not just because of the marks it gave me at the end of exams, but for my social life as well, as contradictory as that seems lol.

If you're in Ontario then you'll be very happy with the translated marks :P..I ended up with 100%, 99%, 98% etc on my report card and that would NEVER have been possible if I was in the regular academic program. Plus you end up making a really tight group of IB friends, who are still my best friends right now even though we're all in second year university and all go to different unis.

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despite all the stress I haven't for one moment regretted the IB. I've never wished I was doing the other (easier) program, because I love the IB so much. The only things that aren't too great is how my school scheduled IB, and that you don't get to see other friends as much. But i've become close with other people now and I can still see my other friends out of school and at breaks so it's not too bad.

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I don't regret anything but I have been quite shocked at the sudden amount of workload. I wasn't used to getting that much, so I felt wary at first of continuing. But if you can manage your time effectively, then you'll be fine!

Also, why not check out the standard of IB in your school and see if it is up to par? Also check if they offer the subjects you want to study. Not all schools do...

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Thanks for all the advice! It's great to hear from people who are in the IB/did the IB as well, not just my IB coordinator and teachers and such.

__inthemaking: How does translating marks work in Ontario? Do they translate them into grades for OSSD courses?

Edited by fire.realm
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Yeah they do. Each school does it differently but generally it does pay off as long as you do well on the IB exam. So if you get a 7 in a subject, your grade will be translated into 96-100%, a 6 will be 90-95%, 5 will be 80-89% etc on your OSSD report card. For our final report card in June, lots of people in my year ended up with 95+% averages because of translated marks :D.

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Just to add my two cents in, I think it's easier to say that IB was worth it [if you feel it was indeed worth it] after you're finished. Right now, I'm sleep deprived [like everyone else] and I might seem bipolar haha and it feels like I can't ever do everything I want, but I believe it's worth it. You don't have to be in love with IB throughout the program. You just have to muster enough determination to overcome your lowest lows and help your friends do the same. =)

I regret taking History for granted last year. I should have paid more attention in that class, but I guess I'm lucky because it doesn't feel like any of my actions til this point will have serious repercussions [unless I was holding out for a 45, in which case I'd be majorly disappointed because that's impossible at this stage in the game haha].

I feel like if I didn't do IB, I'd still manage to accrue the time management [or lack thereof at this point], work ethic, etc, but I wouldn't have that close family-like bond with my peers, which I'm so grateful for.

A lot of what I've said is specific to me. My advice is to look at why you want to do IB. I'm sure you've heard how hard it is. Is there something more important that you're not willing to sacrifice? Maybe playing 3 sports while participating in the drama productions while composing a masterpiece on your oboe? I say that because there are people who do amazing, time consuming things outside of school and still manage to do IB. Look at what you want to get out of your years and what you're willing to give up. Make sure you have that will to stick it out [in the US, it doesn't matter if you don't finish the program if you switch to another advanced class, but I assume there are more serious consequences for you--I don't know.] & Good luck.

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__inthemaking: Really? That's awesome! It would be hard to get a 95% average in regular courses, especially grades 11 and 12.

sweetnsimple786: Hmm...I'm not sure if I can drop out without getting penalized for grades in any way. Thanks for bringing it up though...I should go ask my IB coordinator :)

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__inthemaking: Really? That's awesome! It would be hard to get a 95% average in regular courses, especially grades 11 and 12.

sweetnsimple786: Hmm...I'm not sure if I can drop out without getting penalized for grades in any way. Thanks for bringing it up though...I should go ask my IB coordinator smile.gif

Yeah the marks translation is the best part of IB in Ontario.

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  • 4 weeks later...

There is nothing actually wrong with the IB, like i guess i learnt a few things. But I definitely regret burning out right before the exams. You know that period before september where everything's due, I put in such a massive effort to get that done on top of all this other outside stuff that by the time I get to Nov (now) I couldn't be screwed to put any effort in, I was just totally exhausted.

So tip 1: PACE YOURSELF

Also try not to do it in a school that requires you pass the local system as well!

It sucks and you don't end up very prepared for things, ie we only got one go at the maths portfolio when other schools do at least 2 of each type and choose the best on to send off.

I should be getting a better mark on IB than on the normal system, but I still dunno if it was worth it.

I met heaps of nice people, united in our hatred of the way our school does the IB, and im hoping to study in the UK next year which makes the whole thing worth it :P

Try it out, its no harder than anything else if you're doing it by itself.

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Right now, I regret the unhappiness I've had to stand for these two years. The work load feels humongous on many occasions and there are several crash-and-burn-situations, believe me. There are so many stressful moments and times when you don't have an ounce of strength in you but you still have to go on. I rarely see my friends anymore and I had to give up my extra-curriculars. My advice to you is to do the IB only if a) you're very good academically b) you are extremely motivated and have dreams that the IB helps make possible c) you want to get a good education but don't really care for the grades. It'll be hard in any case. But I guess it's also worth it.

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i so so agree with avident...do it only because....I have regretted it. I realized the college I wanted to get into I could have done doing A levels but...Now nothing I have to give my exams..the social suicide; the mental pressure. No activity; I gave up on music, painting, reading all because of IB. Always a regret But I also cant' deny the fact that I had learnt of lot of lessons of life through IB.

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In general I have been managing my time very good so I dont have big stress problems or wathever, but I do feel the difference between this year and last and I think I might regret no putting any effort into my CAS.

I do see the difference between when starting IB and now, I manage much more work load at one time and have much better time management, although my social life has decreased significantly...

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I do regret doing the IB in the first place. I feel I could have achieved the same in terms of getting into university for far less stress (ohhh there was so much stress!), effort and also appear to superficially have better grades! Simultaneously I would've had a better and freer social life and probably enjoyed my life a lot more during those two years, and they do say there's little better than being happy - which in all honesty I wasn't for 2 years :)

Assuming I had to regret something within IB, I regret not trying harder in my science coursework as it seriously got dragged down from what my teachers predicted. Also not going to a better school, but that's kinda beside the point :P

IB is one of those things I'd never recommend on to anybody. Along with such things as hitting yourself on the hand with a hammer and walking into glass walls.

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