Applying for Uni 2019 Part 7: IB and A Levels are but a memory, we're relaxing and let's not even think about the 15 August yet!

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Carrying on from the previous thread which filled up very quickly.

, and for everyone

[BringOnTheScience]

DC1 definitely getting them tomorrow afternoon, although the time has now been put back to later in the afternoon. Needs 34 with 6 5 5 in Highers, or 33 for insurance.

[Piggywaspushed]

How to IB points work? Excuse ignorance but want to be able to say 'wow that's amazing!' With a modicum of sincerity when results come in!

[blametheparents]

DS needs 38 points for his firm. The same course at the same university requires A*, A, A for those taking A levels.
He needs 34 points for his insurance, equivalent A level offer is A, B, B.
Not sure how scientific that is - but it’ll give you a good idea.
Max score is 45 points and that’s awarded to approx 0.8% of the students.

42 points is a very high offer - is that for Oxbridge or something very specific? No need to answer if it’s outing, but nobody at DS’s school has had 42 point offers unless it’s for Cambridge.

[FrameyMcFrame]

Apparently clearing 2019 opens tomorrow so does that mean we can see if courses are not fully subscribed?

Hmmm...

[Piggywaspushed]

Thank you for explanation!

[BringOnTheScience]

@Piggywaspushed IB has 6 subjects, 3 at Higher (like A levels) and 3 at Standard (like AS levels). Each is scored 1-7, with 7 being highest. 6 x 7 = 42. A 7 at Higher gets the same UCAS points as an A* at A level.

Then there is the Core, which comprises Theory of Knowledge lessons & essay; CAS: Creativity, Activity & Service (like doing DofE without the expedition); and the Extended Essay (like the EPQ). Core scores max 3. So the max possible total is 45 but as said above, that's

[Piggywaspushed]

It's very complicated! Probably not if you are doing it, I guess!

[BringOnTheScience]

Just think of it as 3 A levels, 3 AS levels, the EPQ and DofE gold, all rolled into one insane bundle. For those it suits, it's amazing, but it's not for everyone.

[Piggywaspushed]

I can imagine! Must be the making of some of them.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Thanks for explaining a bit more about the IB, BringOnTheScience - sounds a tough, rigorous academic call to me but very interesting. I can see why some schools favour it but can equally see why it's not very popular in state schools (probably expensive to run?).

Good luck to all those getting their IB results today/tomorrow.

DS arrived back from his holiday at some unearthly hour this morning, having got the night bus home at sunrise. He went straight to bed so I have yet to hear all about their adventures.

[LillianGish]

For those it suits, it's amazing, but it's not for everyone unlike the French Bac which is similarly gruelling and is the only option for kids in France. The stick by which they are all measured. DD gets her results this morning - fingers crossed. Marked out of 20 - she needs 12 (ABB). 13 would be AAB, 14 AAA etc

[BringOnTheScience]

@LillianGish Crossing everything for your DD right now!

@NewModelArmyMayhem18 I doubt it's any more expensive than offering a range of A level subjects. It's just so different from A levels that the majority want: I think that it'll only ever be feasible in cities with lots & lots of 6th form choices. We're near Cambridge and have two state schools offering IB.

[LillianGish]

BringontheScience thank you so much. Means a lot.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

@BringOnTheScience* lucky to be close to Cambridge with its amazing village colleges and sixth form centres.

Thanks for the reminder about Clearing being officially open today, @FrameyMcFrame.

[blametheparents]

I think IB must be more expensive to run. DS had 3 free periods a week during IB - the rest of his time was spent in class, with a teacher.
However, A level students (doing 3 A levels) get less contact time - I believe.
Since teachers are the most expensive resource a school has to provide it follows that IB must be pretty expensive.

DS’s 6th form is pretty large and most classes have decent numbers in them so I guess that’s how they afford it. (It’s a state school)

[BringOnTheScience]

I hadn't thought about the contact time aspect, just the range of subjects. Are lots of A level teachers part-time?

DC1's 6th is little - only about 70 in a year. They are part of a high school though, so most of their teachers do from y7, while some 6th form specialists in small subjects are part-time.

I have no fingernails left... waiting is awful! Thank goodness DC1 is at work. Am regretting booking a day off for me even though I have plenty of stuff I should be doing at home.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

I have just looked at Geography courses in Clearing - they have still got vacancies at Durham, Bristol, Newcastle, Durham, Warwick and Lancaster (as well as some London universities which DS is very unlikely to consider), as well as lots of the post 92 ones. So that's hopeful should results not quite be on target.

@blametheparents yes, you are spot on with your thoughts, I would have thought. DS (doing three A Levels) had quite a lot of free time in his sixth form timetable. Possibly why they all did the Pre-U in Year 12.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Sorry realise I've put Durham in there twice over! Oops .

@BringOnTheScience were the appointments at your DC1's school arranged alphabetically perchance? I have read various research articles suggesting those with surnames towards the end of the alphabet are disadvantaged in all sorts of ways - this type of scenario potentially being one of them! I have never understood why they can't alternate A-Z, Z-A when things need to be done alphabetically.

[BringOnTheScience]

They did have separate appointments that seemed to be clustered by a couple of Higher subjects. Looked liked some teachers might have been around just am or pm. Then yesterday it was suddenly emailed that appointments are off and they'll all to go at the same time later this afternoon!

Admin has not been this place's strong point! I suspect that the school was expecting to receive the redults yesterday but actually didn't get them until this morning.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

What a PITA having a scrum rather than one-on-one appointments.

[TapasForTwo]

"Are lots of A level teachers part-time?"

Not at DD's old school. The A level teachers teach the lower school as well, except for psychology as it is only taught at A level there. It is a popular subject so there are several classes. There are about 120 students in year 12, but some leave before the start of year 13.

Fingers crossed for the IB candidates.

[LillianGish]

Hurray - 14 overall for DD so she gets her place at Cardiff (including 19 in economics which is what she wants to study). Huge relief - not sure how they manage to mark everything so quickly, but glad we didn't have a long wait. Bit of a nail biting moment when she arrived at the school (not hers) to collect the results this morning and had forgotten her passport so had turn round and go home to collect it... Good luck to to everyone, fingers crossed for you all.

[Shimy]

Congratulations Lilian that is terrific news! Well done to DD. Cardiff is a great place.

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Well done to your DD, @LillianGish. Good for her to be able to start planning for Cardiff.

[LillianGish]

Thanks to everyone on here - I haven't always posted, but have continued to lurk and had some great advice. Nice to feel I'm not alone (which can sometimes be the case in RL with most DD's friends staying in France) - hope we can continue to post and support in the year ahead. to all.