The+IB+as+told+by+a+Graduate

media type="custom" key="3729115" ====My sister, Larissa, who graduated from the ISS in 2006, is now about to graduate from her University. She still remembers her experiences here at ISS, and has many amusing stories to tell about her classmates and teachers. I personally remember an enormous amount of stress and pressure exercised on the 12th grade 3 years ago. **There was always work to be done, and, funnily enough, almost always work //being done.//** I was frustrated because she never seemed to have time for anything but studying. ====  I asked her why the IB differed from finishing school at public schools or 'normal' schools as in 'non-international' schools. She said that what she thinks "sets the IB apart...is that it **prepares you very well for university and, dare [she] say, life outside of school.** The emphasis on self-directed study and being able to organize your own time efficiently is one of the most useful tools in any professional career." Because the IB requires you to study six subjects, every student can get an idea of what they may want to do for a living. This freedom of choice leaves classes with a variety of students doing very different things. In my sister's class, some student's decided to study Business and Management. As she remembers, "there's one who is doing Forensic Science and Psychology, I think...some are studying languages...I think we have quite a wide scope of subjects in our class."


 * Though the IB demands so much time and study, or maybe because of it, the class grows together into a tight class community.** To guide this development, my sister's class was sent on a fieldtrip at the beginning of their last school year 'as a bonding ecxperience'. The students liked it but, looking back, Larissa thinks that " people are always going to hang around with their friends at the end of the day and no amount of team-building exercises will change that." Because of the shared experiences and blossoming friendships, the class had a lot of fun. "[A teacher]" (who I won't name here in case he minds) "picking up [a student's] phonecall in Math class was pretty funny, especially because [his mate] was on the other end telling ['him'] that he was skipping and if he could write down the homework assignment for him... Then of course there were mind-numbing drinking games and incidents (but you're underage so I won't encourage you) and lots of other funny things. **Something at least mildly funny happened pretty much every day, which is to be expected really if you put 20 teenagers in a stuffy classroom and ask them to do work!"**

The grading during school time stays the same as in any international school. 1 is the worst grade, 7 is the best. However, **"the actual final grades on your IB certificate are comprised of a number of elements which vary from subject to subject, but as a general rule, they are made up of 2-3 exam grades rated at the different percentages, an Internal Assesment and an oral Presentation."** If you do well in all these areas, some pressure might be lifted before you take the final exams. There is another option, which are the certificates. This is not the 'real' IB. Students who "know [they're] going to get less than 24 points" in the real IB can choose to do individual IB certificates. Larissa is not sure, but she thinks "this just means you get a grade for each subject and I think you don't have to do the TOK and extended essays. **The diploma is more prestigious though, so if you think you can manage it, you should go for it!**"

What's the deal with the extended essay? "People panic when they hear 2000 word essay," Larissa says. "But really, that's a drop in the ocean. Think of how many words you've written in all your assignments and exams put together! **The important thing is to pick a topic your are really, genuinely interested in** so that writing the essay isn't too much of a 'chore' but something you don't mind learning about. [Teachers] are very supportive so really there's no need to panic." On another note, "the extended essay is good preparation for university where assignments usually average around 2500 words per paper."

Some people also panic about CAS hours, as 150 hours of Community Action Service have to be completed before the end of 12th grade. However, Larissa does not think these hours are the best of ideas. "It's a good idea but so easy to [get around] there's not real point in it unless they change the system a bit." In 6th to 8th grade, students are required to do some Community and Service hours, but **CAS goes one step further, sets a minimum number of hours (150) and requires Community Action Service**. Going on a trip like Habitat for Humanity or World Challenge gets a student around 100 hours.

=__**GENERAL ADVICE**__ =
 * "SLEEP ENOUGH
 * DO LOTS OF FUN THINGS IN BETWEEN WORKING-MR. KRUDWIG ALWAYS SAID TO REWARD YOURSELF ONCE YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING DONE AND TO SET YOURSELF DAILY AND WEEKLY GOALS UPON THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF WHICH YOU OUGHT TO REWARD YOURSELF (I.E. BY SETTING YOUR MATH BOOK ON FIRE, GOING OUT, EATING TEN CHOCOLATE CAKES IN A ROW, CONTEMPLATING THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY TO POISON YOUR TEACHER'S LUNCH WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING-THAT SORT OF THING.)
 * KEEP ON TRACK TIME MANAGE AND PRIORITIZE TASKS. THIS WILL GET YOU THROUGH TIME
 * THIS ONE IS VERY USEFUL BUT A PAIN IN THE [BODYPART]-GO OVER YOUR ENTIRE NOTES OF THE DAY AT THE END OF EACH DAY
 * START REVISING FOR THE FINAL EXAMS EARLY ON AND MAKE SOME OSRT OF A REVISION TIMETABLE
 * ASK CLASSMATES FOR HELP
 * GET A SUPPORTIVE FAMILY
 * DON'T ALIENIATE YOUR TEACHERS
 * BE CURIOUS AND CREATIVE
 * GET ON WITH IT"

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