#ib tips

[ananya98200]

IB Tutions In Dubai

Below I am going to discuss how I graduated with an IB Diploma in 2019. I am an NRI student from Dubai. How IB Tutions in Dubai helps me a lot to clear IB Diploma.

I've got a 37. The tips I'm going to share here are all on how you're going to arrange your routines when you're studying by taking IB with IB Tutions in Dubai. 

IB tutions going to be very helpful for you if you combine thease three key things I'm going to go through are sleep, procrastination, and time management.

Sleep: If you sleep more, you're going to perform better in college and have more time to learn. During my year, there was a girl who actually collapsed one day out of utter fatigue, and there's also the health advantages of not simply collapsing due to lack of sleep.

Procrastination: This one is connected to time management, and I'll explain why later. Seriously, procrastination is the killer of efficiency and can be the result of many causes, such as anxiety (the key one) and fear of failure, exhaustion, and no desire to research because of the sheer overload.

How are you going to solve this? Ok, one way is to get some sleep. Personally, I ended up being so exhausted a few days ago that I could barely compose a sentence of the English written assignment before I turned to something less successful like Youtube or Twitter. 

TIme Management:

I'm going to tell you now. I just wish I could have done better at this one. It was Terrible, my time management. I was constantly stressing and researching all over the place. Don't let this be you, and if it's you, do your hardest to fix it.

Start the timetable started. Make sure you know which subjects you will be focusing on every day of the week and assign a certain amount of time to each of them. Attach time to your IAs, Written Assignments, EE, TOK Essay / Presentation, CAS Reflections and everything else you need to do.

Trust me on this one of you. Pain, anxiety, and fear of failure would be easier to deal with if you have a system to rely on and you know you're successful.

All the very best for your preparation.

[cool-mono-ib-tips-blog]

Criterios de evaluación? No problem

“CRITERIO A”

A evalua el tema, pregunta de investigación y metodología. Para tener un buen desarrollo en este criterio tu metodología debe estar completa, el tema debe comunicarse eficazmente y debe ser preciso; la pregunta de investigación debe estar formulada claramente y debe estar centrada en el tema.

“CRITERIO B”

Para conseguir un buen puntaje en este criterio el conocimiento y la comprensión sobre tu tema debe ser excelente y la relación con el área de investigación debe ser pertinente; también el uso de la terminología y conceptos debe mostrarse coherente.

“CRITERIO C”

Para poder obtener los máximos puntos en este criterio debes mostrar habilidades para argumentar, hacer razonamientos críticos, comprobar la hipótesis y formular modelos matemáticos. Es importante que hagas operaciones matemáticas y no solo describirlas y deben de ser claras y concisas tu discusión y evaluación.

“CRITERIO D”

Para poder cumplir con todos los requisitos, es de suma importancia contemplar los factores relacionados a la escritura académica que componen la presentación de la monografía. Los aspectos a considerar constan de los siguientes elementos: * Portada: Debe incluir un título que resuma la investigación, la pregunta de investigación definitiva (según los requisitos del BI), y finalmente asegurarte de incluir la materia en que pertenece la monografía (incluyendo el grupo y categoría que se describen por cada materia). * Tabla de contenidos (índice): Debe incluir una lista secuencial donde se mencionen los temas o capítulos que se llevarán a cabo en la monografía. * Numeración de páginas: Se debe incluir una numeración secuencial en todas la paginas, no importa el formato con que se haga, solamente que se encuentre la numeración (se aconseja que se numeren en el pie de página de cada hoja) * Fuente de la escritura: El BI recomienda utilizar las fuentes de Arial, Times New Roman y Calibri, con un tamaño de fuente de 12. Es preferible utilizar “bold” para enfatizar un concepto. * Espaciado: Se debe utilizar espaciado doble en la monografía. Esto agiliza la revisión por parte de los examinadores para dicha investigación, y así mismo sea más factible hacer anotaciones. * Referencias: Es fundamental y mandatorio saber referenciar las fuentes utilizadas, pues de lo contrario se estaría plagiando, y esto lleva a una penalización en la monografía por parte de BI. Se puede referenciar en estilo de “APA” o “MLA”, pues no se describe un tipo de citatorio en específico para hacer una referencia. * Conteo de palabras: El máximo absoluto de palabras admitido es de 4,000. Después de este número, la información restante no será tomada en cuenta por los examinadores, restando puntos a la calificación final (no se cuentan datos como el índice, formulas, gráficas, nombre citado, y material adjunto en el apéndice de la monografía).

“CRITERIO E”

Este criterio es de gran importancia, pues se tomará en cuenta el desempeño en función al compromiso personal, que se verá reflejado más adelante en la monografía. Para ello, el BI ha propuesto tres secciones pequeñas donde se demostrará que tanto esfuerzo se le ha dedicado a la investigación, y es mejor conocida como “Reflexión sobre la planificación y el formulario de progreso”. Como su nombre lo insinúa, estas secciones serán un espacio personal donde se hará una reflexión con respecto a la monografía. Como mencionaba anteriormente, este criterio involucra tres secciones, y serán escritas como: * Primera reflexión: Se compartirán ideas con el tutor sobre el enfoque de investigación, la pregunta de investigación en sí, entre otras más. Esta reflexión se da en las primeras sesiones con tu supervisor, y no es obligatorio que sea en la primera. * Reflexión intermedia: Está reflexión se lleva a cabo cuando la investigación ya se encuentra a un nivel más avanzado. El supervisor espera una pregunta de investigación más concisa y mejorada, y la discusión de los contratiempos que se han tenido que sobrepasar y como fueron solucionados durante el proceso de la monografía. * Reflexión final: Para este punto, ya se habrá terminado el proceso de investigación de la monografía. Por tanto, se discutirán las expectativas que se tenían desde un comienzo, que tantas se cumplieron, cuáles fallaron y por qué. En general, contar de tu experiencia global sobre cómo se llevó a cabo una evolución desde el comienzo de la monografía hasta el término de esta. Estas secciones deben de sumar en total un máximo de 500 palabras, y éstas se llenan en un formulario de un pdf apartado de la monografía.

[wastedstudies]

how i survived ib

hello, kalice here! it’s been a really long time since i used my studyblr, and i was going to do this awhile back, but it completely slipped my mind as i was busy applying for universities and such so here it is~

i took ib from 2017 to 2018, and i sat for the 2018 november paper and got 41 points in total the subjects i took were hl language and literature (6), hl chinese b (6), sl biology (7), sl math studies (7), sl social and cultural anthropology (6) and hl theatre (6)

everyone has their own method of studying and learning, which is why my method may not necessarily be very useful to every person, but i hope it somewhat helps you guys!

1. don’t lie to yourself

everyone at the start of ib was like “i’m going to delete all my social media! i’ll be at the library and be super productive!”, and sure, you were able to keep that up for a couple of weeks before slipping into “i’ll just download and delete afterwards- i deserve a break” and going back to square one for me, i did delete majority of my social media- i was off instagram and twitter and snapchat, but the two things i never deleted were tumblr and youtube. the reason as to why i kept it was because if i got rid of one thing, i would jump to another, and it would get worse over time, but also because i love everything on tumblr and it’s practically my life instead, i would use selfcontrol whenever i studied or went for classes (except for math studies- i won’t lie i went ham on tumblr during that class). the smart way to use selfcontrol is to set it for a couple hours and use those markers as time for studying. so let’s say i have biology class for an hour, and chinese for another hour before my lunch break, i would set two hours to selfcontrol and it wouldn’t allow me to go on tumblr or buzzfeed or anything until lunch. when i’m studying, i would set it for an hour and a half, and during that time i would study. only after that timer is up would i take a break and do whatever i want to do. so don’t completely cut off social media, but rather restrain yourself from using it during certain periods of time

2. class discussions

for classes like chinese, langlit, anthro and tok, it is super important to participate in class discussions. even if no one starts a discussion, you should start one! your teachers are willing to take on any sort of discussion with relation to the topic, and you’ll realise that you’re more likely to remember things in that class through the things that you’ve discussed in chinese, our teacher would always relate the topics back to what’s happening in our country and our society, and it was because of the heated discussions and bad jokes that we had which helped me to remember the class more

3. questions and consultations

to be very honest, i hate asking questions and emailing my teachers for consultations because i always fear that they’ll find me stupid or annoying, but once you realise that your teachers technically can’t reject your questions or need for consultations, you’ll have no worry about booking consultations even though they beg you to stop seeing them in 2018, i saw my langlit teacher a LOT, so many times that she asked me to stop booking consultations with her so that she can consult other students, but i continued to consult her anyway :^) anyway, when you go for consultations, make sure you have prepared a bunch of questions and material for your teacher so your consultations actually help you instead of just wasting both you and your teacher’s time. for langlit, i always made sure that i wrote at least my introduction and first paragraph as well as a brief outline for the rest of my essay to let my teacher review. i would also show her how i did my annotations for paper 1 and 2 so i would know what i need to look out for and how i should annotate my texts better for biology, i would do a bunch of exam papers, mark them and circle the questions that i didn’t understand what i got wrong, as well as do the essay questions!! so during our consultation sessions, i would pass her all the questions i didn’t understand and she’d explain them to me

4. don’t do notes for the aesthetic

literally don’t. i wasted a year and a half doing my biology notes and it was a complete waste of time as i barely remembered anything. in fact, i was overly reliant on my bio notes to the point where i pushed it aside and just did papers during the last few months before ib notes are good to consolidate and summarise, but don’t spend too much time making notes if it’s not going to help you better understand and memorise content. instead, keep practicing papers and questions and let your teacher look at them

5. cry

it’s okay to cry when you’re stressed- in fact, it releases a lot of the stress and tension building up in you. cry to yourself, cry to a friend, cry to a family member. usually i cry to my friends because they understand what’s up, and if everyone is crying, everyone will get better together and you guys will continue to study as if nothing happened

6. enjoy

you might be thinking “how tf do i enjoy ib” but i really enjoyed it because when i think about ib i think about staying back in school till 10.30pm and cooking food in school and going for karaoke and while it was stressful, i also played hard which made it enjoyable

so that’s all i have to say! do note that throughout my ib journey i was not as wild as my friends- i didn’t go clubbing or drinking or get a boyfriend or anything (partially because i didn’t want to get scolded by my parents for doing so) and while i have nothing against anyone who wants to have a good time, please don’t dedicate a chunk of your time on those things. some of my friends had problems with their s/o which affected their studying and i personally believe that they could’ve done so much better if it weren’t for such circumstances, and yes, i did miss out on the “youth experience”, but now i’m 19 and i’m trying new things to make up for the lack of fun in the past two years and while i do regret not being able to experience so much back then and having to cram it all in now, i also don’t regret being one step closer to my dream- besides, you can always take a gap year to do all the things you’ve always wanted to try before going to university! either way, i hope that what you do makes you happy, and you’ll have friends and classmates who are willing to support you along the way!!

[polemicandcontent]

advice for IB kids!

of course, I don’t do every subject, so the ones I did [music, spanish, lit, ess, maths studies, film] will be more in depth. i’ve asked friends to contribute on other subjects. the IB sucks at times, but it is doable!

IB HOLY GRAILS:

ibrepository.com - this has (nearly) every past paper since 1991, plus mark schemes. this is probably the best resource.

past papers: these are probably the best way to revise. you’ll learn the IB patterns, what they want, the habits they have in terms of questions.

markschemes: if you’re confused, especially with essay questions, work with the markscheme. that has helped me immeasurably (ess paper 2 essay questions got me beat, and i was getting solid 5s, until i worked with the mark scheme and got a high 7).

quizlets. they’re applicable for nearly every subject. do not underestimate how useful they are for learning anything.

oral exams can be secured - you will know the content they’ll be based on, and it is reliving to get high marks in those when exams roll around. they’re something you can plan for, so don’t underestimate their importance.

inner core: try to do well in this. it’s one component of the IB that you have a significant amount of control over, so if you’re able to wrangle 2 points, that’s fab, because you have no idea whether the exams are going to be incredibly difficult that year - or whether your IA marker will be super harsh. they’re annoying, yes, but securing 2-3 extra points will be worth it when you’re dead inside, sleep-deprived and working minimum wage in October of your graduating year.

SOME GENERAL HOUSEKEEPING:

NEVER be that person who says ‘oh that exam was easy’. there are people who are struggling - these people could even be 7 students. exams are never easy, that’s the point. there may be easy sections, but the whole thing isn’t.

there is a fair amount of elitism that arises from subjects; don’t perpetuate that. there’s enough in the professional world already. don’t alienate kids who just want to study/finish high school/live their lives. it’s selfish and immature.

if you see someone getting bullied, or you think they are, tell someone. they may need someone else to step up, or some kind of second-party evidence.

TOK:

notorious for being everyone’s least favourite subject, but it doesn’t have to be!

do your assignments early. they’re annoying as all hell, so don’t let them linger. they’re fairly easy to do, and can get done within a day or two. i wrote my TOK essay in one afternoon, sent the draft in the next day after editing, and ended up with an A.

do your presentations in pairs. historically they’ve done better.

the criteria is vague. make sure you ask for drafts from your teachers at least 2-3 times

use the TOK terminology constantly

try and relate your Real Life Situations to you - make them personal - even if they’re not, really. my RLS for my presentation was about how Japan funds North Korea’s education department, but I introduced it by saying I was interested in totalitarianism and was watching a documentary. the IB love that. same with the essay - i.e. in my music class, we were discussing…

^^ for whatever reason, people who’ve done this got better grades. don’t sleep on that. it makes the RLS look more realistic.

for the love of god please use 1.5 or 2.0 spacing in the essay. they will mark you down. same goes with fonts. don’t try and be cool by using the wrong font. it’s just dumb.

CAS:

try and get the bulk of CAS done in Year 11 - you’ll probably regret it otherwise. year 12 goes by incredibly quickly, and you’d rather spend time doing extra study or assignments then spending hours doing CAS.

QACI, at least in my year, do offer a lot of activities to do. take them up on the offers. they fill up your folio. it is much easier to complete an activity planned by someone else than create it, organise it, do it and reflect on it.

it may be minor, but if you fail, you fail the IB! try to put some effort in - the people who ignored it till grade 12 really regretted it.

your portfolio can reflect your personality (but make sure it’s balanced enough, but your success teachers will advise you on this)

don’t underestimate how useful volunteering/some activities are. i’ve got 2 jobs because i did certain CAS activities and they looked good on my resumé! (plus uni’s like volunteering…)

EE:

try not to take risks with your subject choice. what are the 2 subjects you get the best grades in? go with those.

your thesis/hypothesis will change. probably multiple times. don’t be afraid of this.

ask your grade 11s/12s about which subjects are better than others. for example, theatre and music tend to be no-gos; they’re difficult and tend to score badly, but don’t let this get you down if you absolutely want to do it. just talk with your supervisors. i.e., if you know you want to study music after school, have a chat about it.

get in early. start planning early. if you start writing that crappy first draft in the summer break of year 11, you’re golden.

use 2.0 or 1.5 spacing - it is no joke that examiners will mark you down. they will. adhere to the format - they’re easy marks.

EE is a long con. it requires stamina. just keep refining and editing. don’t rush it.

your first draft will likely suck and make zero sense.

research! you will not score highly if you don’t cross-reference and include articles or other people’s thoughts/theories/studies/evidence

there is an EE guide - http://www.phsibsupport.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Extended-Essay.pdf - it is useful. the criteria/some details may change year to year, so be aware of that, and ask your supervisor

you may not have the same superior the whole time. i had 3.

it’s a pretty independent subject - so be prepared to spend 4 hours at the library, on your own, writing it.

sitting down and spending chunks of time may work for you, or doing 25 minutes every day may work. just figure out what helps your productivity early; it needs to get done in chunks, rather than all at once. you can tell who crammed.

have a plan - have deadlines (i.e finish plan for paragraph 2 on December 16th). planning ahead and ensuring you’re getting stuff done bit by bit is so much better than trying to do it all at once. you will be clearer, more concise and more thoughtful as a result.

read your friends essays, and get them to read yours. they’ll spot inconsistencies.

ENGLISH LIT:

IOCs:

memorise the quotes for Poe/Macbeth/whatever text you have EARLY. Some people find it difficult, and adding quotes in the response (10 minute question time) WILL improve your grade.

approaching analysis - poetry: it’s recommend to approach it via theme - i.e. 3 themes and supporting quotes. this just appears more ‘thoughtful’ and ‘impressive’ to the IB. however, if you’re not super confident in english, going through the poem sequentially is equally fine, as long as you have supporting quotes.

approaching analysis: plays i.e. macbeth - plenty of documentaries about it. lots to know, lots of info online. if you’re struggling to read it, no fear shakespeare is an amazing option - there are plenty of similar resources online/in the library. using websites like Sparknotes are a good starting point - i wouldn’t stop there. add your own thoughts. goodreads is another good place to find quotes - and some more unusual ones.

approaching analysis: short stories i.e. edgar allen poe. if i’ll be honest, i hated poe, but they’re pretty easy in terms of analysis. be familiar with the characteristics of gothic literature - that’s key - it demonstrates your knowledge to the examiner.

if you feel confident enough, call a friend and practice the questions together. you can hear other people’s thoughts, and they can notice whether you stutter, repeat or blank - feedback is really useful here. It’s hard to give yourself feedback for this one.

practice practice practice. all the 6 & 7 students spent at least half of their easter break revising for this. it’s a notoriously difficult task, and I would recommend that kind of study time.

you have 10 minutes to analyse a poem (usually a choice of 6-7, from either philip larkin or carol ann duffy - unless they change the syllabus) - practice doing it in that time. hot tip: use different coloured highlighters for each point (i.e. Point 1: pink, Point 2: green, Point 3: orange). For me, that helped when I got the poem in the exam to recall which themes I had picked.

you will also have 10 minutes to analyse that poem verbally, to your teacher, so practice making it within that time - going over isn’t an option! aim for 9-10 minutes. if you’re over/under, just subtract/add and keep practicing it. eventually it’ll become natural.

IOPs:

the IB love ‘creative’ IOPs. my recommendation: chose your art subject. in my class, we had interpretive dances, monologues (both from the texts or made up, based on the texts). i did a musical interpretation of a text.

contrary to popular belief, your independent thought is appreciated in this task. originality will impress the examiners.

practice your IOP a lot. it’s one of your only ‘prepared’ tasks (i.e. you know it before the exam), so make it count!

Paper 1:

mansplain the meaning. you may laugh, but once that was explained to me, it was so much easier. you have to be clear, explain everything (but concisely), and support it with evidence. you have to demonstrate that you know the extract inside and out (despite having only spent 20 minutes with it)

structuring body paragraphs about prose: go from big picture to small. i.e. larger purpose/meaning within text/novel, to the smaller, minute details.

structuring body paragraphs about poetry: small picture to big. smaller details making a larger, meaningful whole: what do the words/literary devices do, mean, and for what effect?

choosing poetry/prose: if you’re less confident in english, poetry is easier. you have the whole text. even if you are confident in english, poetry is an easier, safer bet. the prose can be difficult to tackle, and you can miss the mark in terms of analysing it as its own piece of literature, rather than something in a larger work.

this exam is hard to study for; just make sure you do about 1-2 practice papers per month (especially in term 3-4).

always always always connect to universal themes at the end of each paragraph and in the conclusion.

Paper 2:

memorise your quotes early! quizlets are perfect for this.

i would recommend 1-3 quotes per paragraph. two is a happy medium.

unless they syllabus changes, you’ll be doing plays. they’re usually well-written about online, so make sure to research. (note: the syllabus changed a few weeks before my mocks, so just note that can happen at relatively any time).

my teacher recommended to learn the plays theme by theme, but pretty much no one did this and i found it to be a pretty time-wasting approach. maybe not for you, but it does take quite a while, lots of time, effort and patience. really, you just have to know enough overarching quotes that can span a few themes and you’ll be golden.

use the practice Qs! they’re available on blackboard. you’ll see patterns in terms of their phrasing and themes (they like symbolism, for example)

i would recommend writing 1 paper every 2 weeks, at least

read articles/commentaries on the plays; gives you new and potentially better ideas

re-read the plays if you’re lost (would recommend in term 4 of grade 12)

Sparknotes/other similar websites are okay to start with quotes/ideas/themes/knowledge. Litcharts is not bad. let it be a starting point, though.

universal themes again. you’re bound to touch on things like love, death, society, power, oppression etc.

GENERAL ENGLISH ADVICE

as clichéd as it is, reading does actually help. you don’t have to read only classics - some snobby people think so. read whatever you enjoy, but try and read widely too. non-fiction is really good - i recommend bell hooks.

^^ don’t think that if you read, you’ll be better at english. it’s a very specific skillset. also, don’t hold that over people. everyone reads at a different pace.

english is different for everyone. your teacher may not teach in the style that is best for you; it’s annoying, but it’s okay. try and find someone in an older year who is willing to help, or go online - there are plenty of IB literature resources online (probably Lang + Lit too)

lit isn’t about context - examiners just care about how the writer constructs meaning through literary devices/language

LANG AND LIT

(NOTE: I DIDN’T STUDY THIS, JUST COMPILED FROM FRIENDS!)

the course is 25% analysis, 25% discussion and 50% structure.

if you can build a basic skeleton/plan, then everything else (Paper 1 or 2) will slot into place easily, and you will make more sense

^^ learn a writing structure (like peel or teel) that works for you and stick to it

learn your quotes in late grade 11 or early grade 12 - then you don’t have to worry about it (use quizlet!)

find a way of reading the plays that works for you - i.e. the audiobook, watching an actual version of the plays, or a film adaptation (be careful with these, they can take artistic license)

keep all your notes in one place so you can revisit them when exams come around - don’t waste an hour looking for them!

context is incredibly important in this course - that’s what differs it from literature

ESS

Quizlets can’t be underestimated. they are probably the most useful tool for everyone. there are plenty made by teachers/examiners (i.e. https://quizlet.com/83563830/ib-ess-glossary-flash-cards/), but this one is good too: https://quizlet.com/212715828/ess-flash-cards/ (made by a past yr.12),

you can’t study the syllabus in term 4 year 12. do at least 30 minutes of study every week from year 10-12.

past papers are the best way to go.

you have to know some terms by heart, but applying the knowledge will get you high marks.

the textbook is pretty annoying and can be confusing as all hell. i would avoid it when trying to properly study or understand key concepts;

i learnt the majority of the course from Mr Green’s website (https://www.mrgscience.com/ib-environmental-systems-and-societies.html) (and so did most people in my grade) - this is ultimately better than the textbook

watching the news or reading news (i.e ABC or the guardian) for environmental news is key. IB examiners like recent environmental events, and they tend not to know australian ones. that’s an advantage.

get thinking about your IA early (i.e. term 1 year 12, or term 4 year 11). most people (me included) ended up refining and changing their topics about 3 times.

IA: chose the 3 topics you like the most. that’ll narrow down your options. research environmental science papers, and see what hasn’t been done. the IB like originality. (mine was about whether social media marketing/awareness can influence people’s attitudes toward composting/solid domestic waste disposal. it got a 7).

examples or case studies are key in Paper 2 - so make sure you know a fair few (i would recommend around 5 for different environmental issues, that are varied in their cultures/countries)

Paper 2 questions often have an EVS question - these are super easy marks so be sure to know them well.

MUSIC:

some general advice & housekeeping:

it’s hard, anyone will tell you that, but it just requires sheer determination and hard work (plus caffeine and sugar)

music, like theatre, suffers from the ‘big ego’, ’pretentious’, ‘snobbish’, ‘elitist’ syndrome. make sure you don’t contribute to that. i’ve had people laugh at kids who were confused, tell myself and others we were stupid for not knowing things, and for not wanting to study music after school. do not contribute to this culture. it is toxic and breeds terrible people. these kinds of people made the subject unbearable.

being more skilful does not make you a better music student. that kind of attitude will lose you friends, sympathy and gigs.

be supportive, be kind, be encouraging.

Composition:

get in early! you’ll want to revise and edit your works a lot so getting them up to scratch early, so that you can send them to Nicole/Freeman is really worth it

the teachers will give you feedback - you just have to ask!

ask them for past composition examples, it’ll help

the IB love pieces that were inspired by something (i.e. a poem/story, an experience) - so be sure to discuss that in your reflection

variety is key, but your teachers will tell you this extensively! using a variety of genres shows your originality and knowledge.

reflections are fairly easy marks that require a bit of effort. don’t do them the day before; you can secure a fair few marks if you are more prepared.

MLI:

start thinking about your cultures early - they can be difficult to find

make sure you can find scores + audio files for them! (they can just be live performances from youtube converted into an mp3), and the scores can just be someone who has transcribed it onto jellynote or scribd.

freeman is happy to read drafts, and this is really helpful - don’t be afraid to ask!

the word limit is low - 2000 - so be succinct and don’t be repetitive - get someone else to read it (i recommend someone who doesn’t know much about music, to see if it ‘flows’ well enough)

try and make your MLI look engaging - it’s part of the criteria! - bright colours, text boxes, pictures, funny/pun titles.

EXAM:

https://quizlet.com/330717044/ib-hl-music-set-works-dances-of-galanta-flash-cards/

https://quizlet.com/336903455/ib-music-hl-set-works-2018-mvt-iii-brandenburg-concerto-no2-in-f-major-mvt-iii-flash-cards/

https://quizlet.com/336886068/ib-music-hl-set-works-2018-mvt-ii-brandenburg-concerto-no2-in-f-major-mvt-ii-flash-cards/

https://quizlet.com/330374652/ib-music-hl-set-works-2018-brandenburg-concerto-no2-in-f-major-mvt-i-flash-cards/

THEATRE:

(NOTE: I DIDN’T STUDY THIS, JUST COMPILED FROM FRIENDS!)

some general advice & housekeeping:

your subject/art is not any more important or worthy than anyone else’s. every art has its challenges and every person have different skills and talents

don’t be snobbish or pretentious - within the subject or outside it. you give the subject a bad name by doing so.

don’t feel bad for dropping theatre. qaci overfills theatre bc they know a percentage will drop out.

this course focuses largely on theatre theatre, and not other types of acting like film acting - just be aware of that

it should not be your first priority, no matter how much you love it. whoever says this will not do well in their other subjects

don’t cram.

^ do projects over time - draft as much as you can

do a few sections per week, then it’s done

picking plays: pick early and read it in the summer break (for year 12s) - if you don’t like it, you have time to find something else. there are heaps out there! don’t choose something you don’t like. you’ll end up really hating it.

picking groups: you may think you want to do it with your friends, but be careful. they may (probably) not put the same amount of effort in, and that will feel personal. it may be better to work with someone who isn’t your best friend, or even in your friend group at all.

you’re graded individually, even in group projects

do show reviews, even if they seem useless. being able to recognise how production elements were used to create atmosphere and meaning is super important cause it makes you recognise what does and doesn’t work, which is key for CPP and director’s notebook

always practically explore. even if you’ve prepared nothing. it’s better to be working on your feet than not, and hoping research will get you into a good show

set up agreed deadlines for CPP. always have a clear, instant method of communication

DO YOUR JOURNALS. it isn’t cool to be that one person who doesn’t do them, and thinks they can get away with it. it’s lazy, and rests on your laurels. be better than that.

group stuff is hard. seperate business from pleasure.

it’s a collaborative subject - so support your ensemble, challenge each other by asking questions and challenging them (but in a friendly, constructive way) - don’t be disrespectful. be open.

it requires a lot of physical hours - so be aware of that, and ready to commit to that

BIOLOGY:

(NOTE: I DIDN’T STUDY THIS, JUST COMPILED FROM FRIENDS!)

if you’re not a very science-y, STEM-oriented person, potentially rethink this. a lot of people choose this because they need it as a pre-requisite for uni. it is hard to do well, especially at HL level.

the biology question workbook (has an owl on the front) - do this consistently throughout your studies. advice: 4-6 pages per weekend

again. past papers.

if you’re confused, use the mark scheme and work through it - don’t freak out!

again, quizlets will save you.

have chocolate/treats nearby as a reward!

BioNinja (phone app) has quizzes and lots of helpful stuff

try to chose SL, not HL, if you’re not super science-y!

you may get 7s or 6s early on, but when work amounts and you get more worn out, your marks may go down. don’t freak out, just approach it with caution and plan plan plan.

don’t start at the last minute. it’s cumulative knowledge.

SPANISH/MANDARIN/FRENCH:

languages are incredibly rewarding, but require effort.

PAST PAPERS. especially for reading (Paper 1). some of the questions are incredibly unique to the IB, so you need to be well acquainted with the style they ask.

try to read in the language (https://www.elmundo.es/ for spanish kids) - news sites are good because they use past tense a lot, common nouns and themes/topics explored in IB papers (for Paper 2). it is hard, but worth it - wouldn’t recommend in Year 10 or early 11 unless you’re fairly good at the language/semi-fluent/have studied before

harry potter in Spanish is available somewhere as a pdf online - i read it throughout grade 12 and it improved my comprehension and grammar skills immeasurably. this is probably for french/spanish more, as mandarin is really hard.

there are books available like easy spanish reader, which are for beginners like Ab Initio kids. they have texts and comprehension questions - they’re a really good $20 investment. one lasted me 2 years.

try to write a Paper 2 (writing paper) at least once a week. get your teacher to mark it, even if it isn’t homework.

practice conjugating verbs - it’ll get easier, i promise

quizlets for vocab/verbs are fantastic

https://language-gym.com/ is good!

duolingo is good for minimal practice - but don’t let this be your only revision. interacting with the language this way everyday is good, because it reminds your brain of vocab and simple phrases/sentences

it is hard, but try not to go more than 3 days without interacting with the subject - even for 10-15 minutes. the knowledge slips really quickly.

don’t underestimate the importance of connectors! words like however, in spite of, despite, really impress examiners.

idiomatic expressions. learn them. use them.

CHEMISTRY:

(NOTE: I DIDN’T STUDY THIS, JUST COMPILED FROM FRIENDS!)

don’t be afraid to ask teachers for help! the subject is hard.

focus largely on topics 8, 9 and 10

cumulative knowledge - don’t try and study in term 4 of year 12 only

FILM:

if you’re struggling with a science subject, or don’t like an arts subject, film is a great substitute. it’s not a great reputation to have, but it is a fairly easy subject which is really easy to integrate into without any prior knowledge

(i am terrible at watching movies. i’ve probably watched harry potter and legally blonde more times than is safe. you don’t have to be a movie buff to do well. trust me. i got film dux in year 11).

if you’re wanting to study film or another art, your journals can be used as part of your folio/application - put effort into them

^^ for the new course (i.e. year 10s in 2018), journals form part of your mark; they’re super easy. don’t be lazy with them, and try not to be too repetitive and only do film reviews. add stuff like representation in film, colour symbolism, trends in genre, stereotypes and archetypes etc.

it’s incredibly easy to pass, but quite difficult to get a 7. carozza will tel you that every lesson, and it’s true.

do your projects/assignments early. they seem like they can be left for later, but they really can’t. assignments that do well will always have been done at least a month in advance (aside from orals, where you only get about a month).

refine and edit. especially for your Portfolio.

Portfolio: reflect in terms of your role. i.e., as cinematographer, i was inspired by… i used this angle because… i chose this colour scheme because… i conferred with the editor to create this style…

plan your final films early, if possible - i.e. early year 12 or even late year 11. but, if you’re completely stuck, it can be done in a month (like mine was)

try to get good audio! this really makes a film feel more professional.

good editing goes miles for the professional aspect too.

orals: make a script, recite it, don’t memorise it exactly, but try and cover the key points you’ve written out. use articles and refer to them in your speech. use screenshots as prompts. eventually you will know it off by heart (it will feel freaky, i promise).

HL film is a breeze - so definitely a good choice to do this at HL, rather than Chem or Bio

VISUAL ARTS:

(NOTE: I DIDN’T STUDY THIS, JUST COMPILED FROM FRIENDS!)

your own eCRB (final exhibition folder, CS folder and PP folder). this is so you can keep track of where all your documents are

a pictures folder - you can keep your scanned pages here (for PP)

artworks - having photos of your artworks and the progression they go through is useful. you could keep files for photoshop or videos

art ‘help’ - keep the criteria and tips and tricks to use the key terms in them.

feedback - keep feedback! will help in the future.

artist investigation folder - do this for your future CS & PP!

take photos of EVERYTHING. keep it all.

make sure you take photos, bc you can make them into artworks later! even unfinished works, or works in progress.

it’s really important to keep a track of everything!

look after yourself!

remember you’re the artist, so you should be the priority.

DESIGN TECH:

(NOTE: I DIDN’T STUDY THIS, JUST COMPILED FROM FRIENDS!)

EXAM:

borrow out the DT textbook! treat it as an actual bible because it has a lot of good examples and terms that’ll help you understand things

create examples and collate definitions that you can relate to your own life, so that you can remember them easier. design is everywhere if you look!

ask your teachers questions. sometimes talking it out will help you understand terms. they’re walking textbooks!

look at past papers - the exams in year 10 + 11 are very different from 12!

paper 1 is multiple choice, paper 2 short + long answer questions (from topic 1-6) and paper 3 is short + long answers from topics 7-10

after looking at past papers, look at the markscheme. have an idea on how markers read and mark exams. it can be very specific sometimes, so prioritise their thinking!

whether it’s quizlet, anki, videos (great for topic 4), flashcards or writing by hand - figure out what works for you earlier rather than later. there are plenty of ways to study

save your notes - all of them - into one document so it’s easy to search for certain terms

use the DT glossary for terms for accurate IB definitions. don’t look up definitions on google, or assume words are the same for Chem or business!

command terms are good to be familiar with but not to memorise

you have plenty of time in the exam, so pace yourself and think about the best way to respond to the question

ASSIGNMENTS:

don’t underestimate DT! it can be easy to put it to the side, but it’s still a science/art, so if you put in effort you’ll get the mark. if you don’t try, you probably won’t do well!

take pictures of everything. images are great page fillers and can show exactly what you want without words

use a mind map to plan design solutions. include with each point the possible research you can conduct on it, and the things you could write about it. this will help you write the most and best content possible.

never stick to just one or your original (first) idea

no idea is perfect, so make a bunch of them and evaluate whether its suitable for the design problem

scaffold what points from each criterion you need to hit. you can approach it chronologically then

ask for opinions from legit everyone throughout your assignment - surveys are great!

choose a major project you won’t get sick of.

for HL kids, you have to write 50 pages - so try something you’re passionate about. you DO NOT want to change your project whilst writing it.

be creative with your major project, as markers are bored of ordinary jewellery boxes and shoe racks; spice it up with something cool. there will not be a lot to write about for ordinary products.

use resources we have at QACI. we have 3D printers and laser cutters, so please use the materials for high quality products!

use words from the DT glossary to sound fancy! the marker can identify your knowledge of the subject and tick off that criterion

NEVER GET RID OF YOUR MISTAKES! process if everything in any art form. show you’ve tried different methods.

please back up your project multiple times in multiple places. if you haven’t got a back up drive, email it to yourself. once a week is ideal.

command + S. you’ll thank me.

please keep track of your references!

get as much of your major project done in grade 11

stay on track!

MATHS STUDIES/SL:

PAST PAPERS WILL HELP. there are patterns and formulas to their questions. they tend to ask the same types of questions for the same topics (i.e. trig questions will look eerily similar year to year), so they can’t spring something too crazy (sometimes they do, but it’s the IB, so you’ll come to expect that)

your maths teachers know this is a creative school and maths likely isn’t your thing - they will help. specific advice for you and your learning style, collated practice questions and targeted areas are beyond useful when your mark has dropped from a 7 to a 5.

learn to laugh at yourself - this seems dumb, but being able to laugh at myself for getting 70+15 wrong (i know) really helped. you’ll slowly feel less anxious and worried about doing well all the time, and probably connect with your teacher and friends better as a result

don’t just say ‘i suck at maths’. likelihood is that you just haven’t fully grasped a topic, you’re doing IB; it’s not hard to forego your least favourite subject - but don’t ignore it!

math is fairy easy to study for in that it’s exact, and you can just do past papers a thousand times - so setting tasks for yourself is easy

you will likely rent a book from the library which has practice questions for each topic - do them. it is IB certified and, if you’re struggling with a particular topic, are fantastic.

if you’re really struggling, the school have alumni who got 6s or 7s who are tutoring. they’re a good investment if you can hire them.

GENERAL ADVICE:

i can’t stress enough you will not get along with every teacher. qaci is sometimes advertised to look like a utopia, and it’s not. most people i know, including myself, have had to move classes because they couldn’t deal with their teachers. that’s an option, but you have to have reason. this is normal, but don’t be excessive about it. talking smack isn’t cool, but expressing your concerns is fair enough. know the difference.

if you’re struggling, don’t be afraid to contact your counsellors! - they’re completely non-judgmental and here to help - that’s their job! they’re even willing to help you with uni applications and helping choose your course (well, not choosing per se, but helping you towards a decision)

if your friend looks like their struggling, contact guidance councillors. it won’t be awkward.

PLAN. use a diary, planner, calender… whatever works for you. you will barely scrape by if you are not organised. IB is hard, and it is really a test for who has the most stamina and organisational skills.

in Year 10 + 11, try to have your sunday or saturday free. for me, i allocated saturdays to work, and sundays to rest. this ensures you have time to relax, whilst not avoiding work or leaving things behind.

remember to have rewards - for me, on fridays, as i finished school early, i would go into the city to get a boba tea. that kind of thing keeps you going.

as recycled as this is, having some semblance of an exercise routine is actually important. it does help you feel better, sleep better and feel more motivated. running may not work for you, but pilates does. just figure it out.

you probably won’t stay friends with the same people for 3 years. you’ll be lucky if you keep every single friend you made on camp. that’s a good thing - you’ve all grown.

everyone is going through their own thing and trying to figure out who they are. they may act pretentious, try and impress people and act really dumb, but they’re just figuring themselves out. let them. everyone’s gotta do it. (hopefully) they’ll grow out of it.

don’t try and aim for a specific IB score. you have no idea what will happen between here and that fateful january day. try and make goals subject to subject rather than generally

be realistic - this is cliché, but if you have been getting 4s consistently in chemistry, don’t hope you’ll get a 7 by exam block. just try and get into the next grade boundary, do what you can, and you may get there. ask your teachers for help!

productivity tips:

try not to watch to many IB reaction videos during exam block???

one thing that helped some people during exam block: delete all social media apps from your phone. i know they’re still on your computer, but phones are more accessible. this did actually reduce my time wasting, so it’s worth a try.

FOREST WILL SAVE YOUR LIFE. it counts the amount of time you spent working as well as blocking apps (side note: even shopping websites. you’ll be surprised how far you will go to avoid studying)

[stuhde]

hello! i’m a rising junior and i’m taking IB next year. what would you recommend i do this summer to prepare myself?

hi there! this is a fantastic question and i’m glad to answer it

Look at the syllabus of your classes if possible - see what readings you could do to get a little ahead 

If you’re taking psychology, read some psych magazines or articles online to get a background on BLOA, CLOA and/or SCLOA in the news

If you’re taking economic/business, make sure you’re on top of current events - read the econ/business sections of the CNN, BBC, the NYT, Wall Street Journal, etc.

For the sciences, look at some past paper questions (there are A LOT on reddit) - practice a few questions, see what you can and cannot do 

Also for the sciences, practice the basics so you can be ahead of your classmates

For English I had an assignment so that was already preparing for the class - but I say do some reading, but also practice analyzing and thinking critically when doing so

For languages, duolingo is your friend! or BrainPop as some languages aren’t offered on duolingo - you can practice vocab and grammar :D

For CAS think about what activities you could do or the clubs you can sign up for to get your hours done (finish CAS in junior year, you won’t have time in senior year!)

TOK at every school is different so that will just be a surprise for you then haha

Think about your EE topic and who you want your mentor to be during December/Winter break - write a draft over the summer so you can have more time to focus on your college applications when you come back!

Let me know if you have any specific subject questions, good luck! you’re already one step ahead than most students, good on you!

[ibhelping]

Welcome

Hello there, fellow IB students. I created this blog to be able to help other people in the program, give some tips, make and share flashcards for the subjects I do and just create a community on this blog that consists of IB students sticking together, helping each other. Don’t be afraid to ask any questions, whether that be related to the program or not. In the first few posts I will share some tips I can think of that will make your life easier in this two-year hustle as well as some quizlet flashcards for Chemistry HL and History SL. If you have any suggestions or requests on where I should take this blog, let me know. For some background, I am currently in my second year of IB, taking the May 2018 exams in Europe. I take Chemistry HL, English Lit HL, French B HL, Math SL, Hungarian Lit SL and History SL.

[lems-desk]

EE is over, Here comes TOK.

so im back with term 2 of my final year as an IBDP Grade 12 student! ((6 weeks until winter break, tbh the only thing im looking forward to right now))

and im technically not done with Extended Essay yet because theres the panel presentation a.k.a the Viva Voce... but i would like to think im over with it??

in this post, i wanted to share how it feels to actually work on the Theory of Knowledge assignment. as much as i hate to say it, i didn’t have a clue what i was doing in TOK until this year. 

i think at one point, most of the ib students will question; why am i in tok? what am i doing right now? is this philosophy? is this even necessary for my education?

and the answer to all those questions, i don’t know. i am still very lost in the process with tok even though this is my second year! (i should be mastering with how to link real life situations and all but nope) i do have to admit, theory of knowledge is the most confusing part in ib.

it must vary in the ways each of ib students are taught how to do tok but the general idea of it is that every real life situation you choose, it will in some form end up being philosophical with at least a little of psychology involved.

it does sound kind of horrible to those of us who don’t really enjoy philosophy and would love to explore things in the way it is without questioning it from a whole another universe. (okay im exaggerating a little here but trust me this is how i feel right now)

so, when you get to the “it’s almost time for the final presentation! pick your topic!” part, here are some tips you maybe want to remind yourself:

choose a simple topic!

okay, if you want to do a topic related to politics, law etc. and if you really really love the situation/case you picked, i won’t stop you. BUT i will make this clear; the simpler the topic, the more you can explore.

you will be likely to regret that you should have picked a little simpler one than what you chose, if you begin the whole process with a huge topic.

relate your claims/perspectives to the Ways of Knowing and to the Areas of Knowledge!

again, tok is all about how much you can question the situation and explore different perspectives based on your knowledge question.

if you cannot find some good tok behind the topic you chose, think of your knowledge question simply, and come back to the ways of knowing later.

i recommend you to really be flexible with what and why you are questioning your real life situation. don’t get caught in the idea of thinking only from the tok perspective. go simple!

significance is one of the important sections!

i feel like people mistreat the last “significance” section, which is actually one of the most important part to impress your tok teachers and examiners.

ib examiners want you to show how impactful your conclusion is. it doesn’t matter if you exaggerate it, think of your significance section in terms of both your topic (local level) and the world (global level). ib will surely like it, if you evaluate the impacts from a global point of view!

another long one as always. i hope this helps fellow ib students who are struggling or confused in the tok classes! ask me questions if you have any, i am here to help ib students get through the hard life~

[sapientstudy]

Hiya everyone! Sorry I haven’t been around lately. I decided to travel for a couple of weeks after the semester ended. As my first year of university is wrapped up I decided to look back on my IB years and these are a couple of tips.

-Don't get on the procrastination trend just because those around you are. Many IB students think the less you sleep the better you're doing which is not true. Do your work when it has to be done, and you'll have time for sleep/hobbies/socializing.

-Take subjects you enjoy. Don't create a subject package simply because it will look good for university. You'll end up not even interested in doing the work half way through.

-Your teachers are there to help you but don't rely 100% on them. I had many great teachers while others were not very good. Make sure you look at IB rubrics, samples and other official material to make sure you're on the right track.

-Create a study schedule for finals ahead of time. I didn’t and honestly, I could have done way better if I had planned properly. 

-For the Art kids: Look at Art Workbook examples and other sources for guidance but do your own thing. The number of pieces that I’ve seen that are pictures off Tumblr is quite a few. 

I think that’s it for now! Hope this helped. 

[busybby]

ib things i’ve learned so far

*** these are mostly for the full diploma program but they apply to any class i think, even if it’s not ib. but, if you’re not in the full DP program there will be a few irrelevant things

do your heckin’ homework

there will be times when you have massive amounts of homework and other times when you have very little work, but the bottom line is that either way you have to get it done. learn to prioritize your work and talk to your teachers about due dates. 

also do your heckin’ readings and ANNOTATE THEM!!!

i know reading can get tedious as f*** but one way to make them more interesting is to annotate. i expand on this more later but even if your teacher doesn’t tell you to, you should annotate the readings whether its english or science. interacting w/ the text is incredibly important. it helps you obtain more info and it’s also really helpful when you’re going back later on trying to remember why you highlighted or underlined something.

be open to discussion

i have not had one ib class where discussion isn’t a major part of the class. it’s not always a class grade, but i can guarantee you that discussion will help you with essays, worksheets, and pretty much everything else in ib. your own ideas will evolve as will your understanding of other perspectives, something that ib LOVES to see.

consider as many different perspectives as possible (within reason)

like i just said above, perspective in general is really important to all aspects of ib. try to consider cultural perspective as well as econocmic/class, location (rural/urban), anything else that isn’t your own perspective.

side note: i’m constantly worrying about being incorrect when considering other perspectives, but ib doesn’t care. all ib wants is to see that you’re able attempt to put aside your own biases and privileges to a certain extent and empathize with others. 

use some kind planning system

i know everyone says this but there are still a ridiculous number of people that i know that have no planning/organizational system. there are plenty of apps and different methods you can use to keep track of everything, which is especially important with ib. ib has tons of long term deadlines and projects and it’s really likely that that is how a lot of teachers will lay out their assignments. its crucial to have all of these dates SOMEWHERE. i don’t care if it’s in your bullet journal or the notes app in your phone, but just keep track of them. you also don’t want to be that person constantly asking everyone what’s due today

create your own deadlines

if you have an ia due in 2 weeks, give yourself mini goals and deadlines to keep yourself on track. a lot of ib is independent and self-guided, which means you have to be motivated. reward yourself when you accomplish your little goals and give yourself breaks, but also stay accountable.

*some extra little things that i’ve found helpful*

keep a list somewhere of basic reminders. with ib if there are nights where no work is assigned (for me at least), i can guarantee that there is a list of at least 5 things that i should be working on. i tend to remember these things at the most inconvenient times so it’s best if this is kept somewhere that can be easily accessible.

experiment!! ib is incredibly individualized compared to other high school classes, so take advantage of it!! in tok ias, math ias, the ee, and other things i can’t think of at the moment you basically get to choose your focus and that can be pretty much anything. take the opportunity to look into something you’re curious about, really interested in, or are considering studying in college.

don’t put cas on the back burner. just don’t. make some sort of schedule where you update it every other wednesday or every time you have a softball game. whatever it is, make it a priority. and, anything you can think of will probably work as a cas activity as long as you’re reflecting consistently and meaningfully.

create study groups with people in your classes. i genuinely have a groupchat for every ib class that i’m in.

that’s all i have for now, but i’ll keep compiling things like this if you’d guys like!! i’m going to try to be a lot more active and i can make posts/elaborate on any of the things i’ve mentioned above, please just shoot me a message!

xox annie

[wannabeproductive]

Any tips to achieve 45 in the ib program? Also any organization tips?

Getting a 45 requires an insane amount of luck. But I’m a big believer that luck favours the prepared  - so work consistently and effectively! Looking back, I can’t believe how much work I put in - I did almost every past paper for all of my subjects, and I made at least two sets of notes for each subject. I think the most valuable thing for me was the way I spread this out over the whole IB program. I made notes as each topic was covered in class, so I didn’t have to cram that much learning into the last year of the IB. 

Also, treat every test like it’s the final exam. I studied hella hard for exams even in the first two years, and also for the mock exams, so finals didn’t feel that scary to me. This meant that I always had a good sense of how well I would do on the finals. Since I knew what it took to get a 7 on a semester or mock exam, I was motivated to keep up my level of study all the way through to finals. 

Finally, focus on learning the content as well as you can, rather than focusing on results. If you make it about the learning and education, you’ll find it easier to master a subject.

As for organisation - use a planner!! Write down all deadlines as soon as you hear them, and do your homework on the day you get it. I also had a pretty strict study timetable in the last half of Year 12, which helped me make the most of my time. 

Good luck for the rest of the IB <3 

P.S. @studytillblurrr (WHO GOT A 43!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and I are probably going to do a more comprehensive list of tips for achieving an IB 40+! 

[firstsuccess-thensleep-blog]

AHHHH GOOD LICK ON YOUR IB FINALS!!! I'm going to start IB next year and I'm super nervous! Do you have any advice for incoming kids? 😬thanks! (@studyingingmajor)

Thank you! Less than three weeks to go for me ahhh

@studyingingmajorBased on personal experiences, some things I would make sure you do:

1. WRITE YOUR NOTES TO THE SYLLABUS!! Do not follow your textbook structure, use syllabus subsections as separate pages in your notes and each point as a subheading (do this from day 1) 2. IAs are very important

At first, I didn’t put as much work into them as I should have because I didn’t realise how much each and every percent would matter when it came to finals

3. Term grades don’t matter

I got a 5 in HL maths for a solid year, but finally I’ve improved- always think in the long run, nobody will care what your IBDP1 Term 4 grade was, only the end result

Don’t stress! IB is painful and difficult and stressful but it doesn’t get super hard super straight away. Work consistently and try not to fall behind and you’ll be okay!

good luck!

[stuhde]

hi!! i'm selecting my courses for IB at the moment. i was wondering if u had any course suggestions/warnings or general ib tips for me or anyone like me for next yr!! thanks so much!!

hey there!

i’ve gotten quite a few asks about general ib tips which you can check out here: x / x / x

it terms of course suggestions i can give you an overall outlook of what i think! of course, every school does ib very differently, so i am only going to give you a general outcome of what it is like to do ib at my school

hardest courses overall are higher level math, chemistry and physics

easiest (based on year’s school grades) are probably geography (hl and sl), math studies and maybe environmental systems and societies (as a science)

i recommend taking courses that you enjoy and a mix of both difficult and easy subjects. universities are looking for rigorous coursework and your ability to challenge yourself. that being said, you don’t have to take all the super hard courses.

most students who are interested in science tend to take two subjects in the science department at a higher level, while students who go towards liberal arts choose a combination of both science and humanities with a subject in the arts maybe, and students (like me) who are interested in social sciences/humanities take two subjects in humanities at a higher level. my ib regret was probably higher level psychology, which i am performing quite well, but it is just a lot of content memorization which is unenjoyable - the content is just super interesting tho haha

but overall, have fun with your courses! challenge yourself, be a risk-taker, if the stress load or content is too much you can always change. good luck and let me know if you need anything!

[commonstudies-blog]

couple things i've learnt in the first few weeks of IB

(that is not necessarily about the ib itself) ~ some teachers are straight up assholes, some of them are actually pretty cool despite your first impression of them and some of them have the full on potential to change your life. ~ having a good teacher is truly a blessing. but it shouldn’t at all be the deciding factor for the subject you are studying. sometimes you have to mentally distance yourself from the teacher in order to not hate the subject all together. you are there to learn. just take in everything they teach, and leave. you don’t have to tolerate every teacher but it shouldn’t put a barrier between you and the subject. ~ it becomes clear in a few weeks that your crushing need to strive perfection can be both a blessing and a curse. try to find a healthy balance that will provide you to present stuff you’re proud of, without unnecessarily burning yourself out. ~ surprisingly enough, not everyone in your class will be suited for ib, you might even find yourself dragged down without realizing it. while most of the time that’s not the case, it is your job to pick yourself up and keep going if you sense that something’s wrong. ~ friends are super cool and all that, but you shouldn’t draw out your future according to them. ~ PLEASE READ THE NECESSARY BOOKS EARLIER ~ keeping a healthy self-care routine will most likely be very rewarding. give yourself time out if you need to. just don’t lose the track of time. ~ you have a full two-year period ahead of you. getting a head start in some stuff will make stuff WAY easier for you, that’s for sure. but worrying about the next two years will do you no good. relax, and do what you have to do now. it’ll all be fine. (hopefully)

[askacambridgestudent]

Hi Scarlett! Do you have any tips for English lit hl or History hl (of course if you had any of the two)

This is probably the most comprehensive guide for English Lit that I’ve come across. This post has some links to History stuff and this and this have some more specific exam advice. Hope that helps, let me know if you’ve got any specific q’s!

[lems-desk]

Updates. & CAS

hello! i dont think i have updated for about 2, 3 weeks now?? (im sorry if its longer than that)

just a quick update; my october break begins next week saturday so i am now trying to wrap up all the things such as extended essay, unit exams and tok.

i think a lot of ib students struggle with the three above the most but actually CAS is pretty painful... so i wanted to write a side note about CAS!

When you join/start new experiences (activities) for CAS, record them into your documentation location (for me its Managebac) even before you begin the actual process!

Once the term/semester begins, you will be participating in the activity but forget to record things or gather evidence pieces, so earlier the better.

The first thing you do when you choose an experience/activity for CAS, get the supervisor’s contact and let the supervisor know you are doing the activity for CAS.

(if you are doing something outside of school, make sure to explain what your main goal is and what they need to provide/do for you)

Evidence is actually, for real, important!

Your teachers, CAS advisers, DP coordinators... I think all of IB students have been told to not forget the evidence pieces when it comes to CAS.

I have to tell you that you will, at one point, get bored of CAS (unless you really love recording, writing about things you do after school??) so get evidence in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd week of the activities, the sooner the better~

Evidence can be literally anything to prove your participation; pictures of you physically doing the activity, videos (especially for Action), screenshots of contacts with the supervisor, screenshots of documents you have created/modified etc.

Reflections, try to not be lazy!

I know it feels very very time-consuming and bothering to write a whole bunch of reflections just on the things you did... There are few tips I learned in the 1.5 years of DP;

When you write reflections, quality > quantity. Honestly, you don’t have to write a huge paragraph every single time, it’s more about how frequent you update your CAS! Record as many as possible, rather than few & too long.

In the end of each reflection, write about how you met the outcomes! It makes it easier for the CAS advisers, DP coordinators and final examiners, to check whether your CAS is corresponding to the requirements.

Show reflections to your activity supervisor(s)! If you want a well written comment from your supervisor, show them what you did (if they do not understand English, explain briefly what you did instead)

...I hope these help :)

and finally, check whether you have chosen the right activity for the right outcomes. The 7 strands of outcomes are somewhat difficult to achieve so ask your CAS adviser whether your activity meets more than one of them!

It came out really long again but to fellow IB students, future IB students, ask me anything! Especially about Managebac and IB Tips, the things teachers don’t often tell you :)