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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

Uni application when doing IB .

60 replies

mybrainisfull · 27/11/2023 22:04

Don't know much about the IB and UCAS to be honest, but wondered if this sounded right to you?
A friends DC is very clever, predicted high marks etc etc, and is applying for medicine courses I think.
They have applied for Cambridge, Durham, and Edinburgh, and Exeter.
DC did not get an offer from Exeter, and now they're worried that it's something to do with her doing IB rather than A levels.

I was just wondering how other people have got on applying to Universities when doing IB. Did you think it was an advantage/disadvantage/no different to other A level friends?
thank you

OP posts:
tennissquare · 27/11/2023 22:51

You should probably re-post in the medicine 2024 thread as medicine applications are also driven by UCAT and BMAT scores plus GCSEs grades. Has she been advised by her UK based school because that is a tricky list of unis to select?

Octavia64 · 27/11/2023 22:56

My school did IB at sixth form.

There was no problem with offers and students regularly got into oxbridge/medicine etc.

Medicine is fiercely competitive. As a pp has said the entrance tests and predicted IB grades will have more impact.

Original poster
mybrainisfull · 27/11/2023 22:57

Yes, a UK school.
They only did 2 GCSE's in y 11. I wonder if that could be a problem?

OP posts:
Rummikub · 27/11/2023 23:03

Quite possibly. Some unis are rather strict with the GCSE requirements. Have a look at the admissions criteria on the uni website.

Mirrormeback · 27/11/2023 23:06

It shouldn't make a difference

Original poster
mybrainisfull · 27/11/2023 23:09

I just thought it seems odd that if school think they are a candidate for these top universities, but they didn't get an offer from Exeter.

OP posts:
tennissquare · 27/11/2023 23:11

What did she do instead of gcses's? Was it similar to IB? Her school should know re how to advise her and which medicine offers have been received by students with similar qualifications. Her ucat and bmat results also play a part but she would know this.

Cyclistmumgrandma · 27/11/2023 23:24

DC both did IB. They did no GCSE's in year 11. Both got offers from and went to UK Universities. The Universities insisted in a grade 4 in English at IB.

titchy · 27/11/2023 23:25

Unlikely to be IB (although AL fractionally better). Only 2 GCSEs in y11 isn't good though - did they do others in y10? Or IB mid years? What were UCAT/ BMAT scores?

Original poster
mybrainisfull · 27/11/2023 23:43

@Cyclistmumgrandma that’s good to know.
I don’t know exactly what their IB scores are, but I know they are very high apparently.
I hope they get some offers in from somewhere soon….

OP posts:
margegunderson · 28/11/2023 00:04

IB wasn't well understood by unis a decade or so ago but that's changed and if the student has the right experience, voluntary work etc for medicine it won't be a problem. Two GCSEs might well be though unless there's a good and explained reason why.

Mirrormeback · 28/11/2023 00:24

IBs are usually taken abroad in international schools where they don't teach A Levels

No idea why they've started to do them in the UK it makes absolutely no sense to me

I did my GCSEs moved abroad and had to do my IB instead of A Levels

An IB then anyway was the equivalent of 3 lowers so I presume GCSE level and 3 highers the equivalent of 3 A Levels

They were very easy

Original poster
mybrainisfull · 28/11/2023 00:26

@margegunderson well the good and explained reason they only have 2 GCSEs is because they follow the IB curriculum. On top of that, they did maths and eng GCSE.

OP posts:
Mirrormeback · 28/11/2023 00:27

So really the norm for an IB would be no GCSEs because you'd not have been taught them in an international school which is why the IB exists so you have a result recognised the world over for students from any country

This is why I think it's bizarre that schools in the UK teach it instead of our normal exams GCSE and A Level

Original poster
mybrainisfull · 28/11/2023 00:30

@Mirrormeback yes. That’s what they’re doing. Except DC did maths and eng GCSE on top on the IB.

OP posts:
Mirrormeback · 28/11/2023 00:31

If a uni has to choose candidates they're going to choose decent A Level results over an IB in the UK because it's nowhere near as challenging.

I'm sure they'll get a place in a uni with lower expectations results wise

Mirrormeback · 28/11/2023 00:32

mybrainisfull · 28/11/2023 00:30

@Mirrormeback yes. That’s what they’re doing. Except DC did maths and eng GCSE on top on the IB.

That's because they're now compulsory to the UK so there's no getting out of that

Mirrormeback · 28/11/2023 00:36

If that DC is so bright they should not have been advised to do an IB

Such bad advice

A bit like EPQs which just bumps up a schools funding and is completely unnecessary to get into uni

Schools keep trying to push DC onto their IB courses because numbers are or were generally so small

Anyway I'm sure they'll get a place somewhere and do great things with their life regardless

Rummikub · 28/11/2023 01:28

Looking at Exeter medical school reqs .. they will accept BTEC! Or an Access course.

ApolloandDaphne · 28/11/2023 03:27

It's well known that Edinburgh does not seem to like the IB. My DDs did it and neither got an offer from Edinburgh. Some of DD2's friends who wanted to go to Edinburgh moved to the local state school to do highers and they all got offered places. I know this is just anecdotal but it was definitely a thing about 10 years ago.

backatschool · 28/11/2023 03:51

Mirrormeback · 28/11/2023 00:24

IBs are usually taken abroad in international schools where they don't teach A Levels

No idea why they've started to do them in the UK it makes absolutely no sense to me

I did my GCSEs moved abroad and had to do my IB instead of A Levels

An IB then anyway was the equivalent of 3 lowers so I presume GCSE level and 3 highers the equivalent of 3 A Levels

They were very easy

This is interesting. You will probably find the overall view has shifted significantly now. My kids go to a school with IBDP and A levels both on offer. They also do the iGCSE in Y11 (typically 10 subjects). We are abroad. Notably there are 3 routes to take with IB - normal, IBDP (6 subjects) and IBCP (more careers/vocational).

The more capable kids are encouraged towards IB (3 at higher, 3 at standard) and the less capable towards A levels. In general the A levels are seen as a much easier option, though my personal view is it really depends on the child. IB is a tough 2 years with a vast amount of coursework. A levels much harder at the end of Y13 with exams looming. Obviously also choice to be made depending on whether you have a good idea of what you want to do (A levels) or still deciding and want some breadth for a bit longer.

Anyway, that aside, lots of kids with IB seem to get into U.K. universities to do medicine, but I suspect there will be some which prefer A levels still.

FarEast · 28/11/2023 05:52

Mirrormeback · 28/11/2023 00:31

If a uni has to choose candidates they're going to choose decent A Level results over an IB in the UK because it's nowhere near as challenging.

I'm sure they'll get a place in a uni with lower expectations results wise

This is almost completely incorrect.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 28/11/2023 05:54

For medicine at Exeter specifically although the standard offer is 36 for the IB, to select for interview they primarily use predicted/actual grades. Applicants are ranked by predicted grades and ucat scores. In terms of A levels anything less than 3A⭐ substantially reduces the chance of getting an interview offer even though the standard offer is AAA. If the applicant has a low UCAT and not predicted virtually full marks they may not be selected for interview unless contextual.

Edinburgh heavily favours Scottish applicants due to the NHS funding stipulations so if not a Scottish resident that might also be a disadvantage. You need to be very strategic in applications for medicine.

Durham don't offer medicine.

ApolloandDaphne · 28/11/2023 05:59

Mirrormeback · 28/11/2023 00:31

If a uni has to choose candidates they're going to choose decent A Level results over an IB in the UK because it's nowhere near as challenging.

I'm sure they'll get a place in a uni with lower expectations results wise

This is very wrong. It's incredibly challenging. My DDs said their first year at uni was a breeze in comparison to what they needed to do for the IB. Both graduated with Firsts and said that the IB has really set them up well for uni.

disappearingfish · 28/11/2023 06:08

IB is a different qualification that will suit some kids more than others. It is well understood by university admissions teams and there is no bias against it.

Medicine is an incredibly competitive field so a lack of offers is not necessarily linked to doing IB. Exeter is not an easier option than the other universities you mentioned.