IB or A levels?

[AtYourCervix]

dd is agonising over what to do next year.

i think IB. and am encouraging her in that direction.

thoughts?

Universities are still finding it difficult setting the tarrif for IB with some IB candidates being asked for much higher scores than the A-level equivalent. I would still say A-levels as they are the most understood currency, combined with work experience, voluntary work, DofE etc then I still think they're a good bet.

What's her target? University? Specific course? Specific uni? If so get her to get in touch with them and find out what they prefer. It's only a year till she'll be starting to get interviews, so may well help to have been in touch in a proactive way already iyswim.

They do IB at my DDs school and although I think it has huge benefits (one of which it provides a much broader education than A levels and the other that it really prepares you for the independent study required at degree level,) it is an absolutely huge work load. DDs friends doing the IB have literally had to give up all their outside interests in order to keep up with the work load but those who are already at uni say they are finding the transition to uni much easier than those who have taken A levels on the same degree course.

I think it is becoming a far more widely accepted qualification here (and it's obviously great to have if you want to study abroad) It is highly thought of by many unis (look on the UCAS website and you will see many accept it) and unlike A levels does not have any interference from government and is not subject to grade inflation (as Alevels have been of late.)

she's looking at universities (on-line) and their requirements. not too much to phone admissions then?

lesson-wise she'd have to do something like 22 for 3 a-levels and 25 for ib so not huge difference.

it's the fuller course which appeals to me - not ditching maths, english and a language at 16 has to be a good thing.

My ds is doing the IB - he is enjoying the breadth of studying 6 subjects { plus TOK and CAS } but is under a lot of pressure to achieve the very high marks demanded by Universities.

For example the courses my ds is looking at, Oxbridge are looking for minimum marks between 38 and 40 - 38 represents AAAA and 40 AAAAA, York would want at least 36 marks which is AAAB.

It is an excellent qualification but in our experience A levels do seem to be more readily accepted by Universities as although the IB has the breadth of the 6 subjects it doesn't neccessarily have the depth of A levels. This becomes more of a problem with subjects like science so I would say only consider the IB if your dd is planning on studying one of the humanities at University.

i love IB and was gutted dd didnt choose it (would have had to move school).

Hope dd2 will choose IB but she will have to work out (in 6 years time) if it is good enough for her Uni choices (likely to do science based degree but is G&T in languages too which is why i want IB) 1st dd ended up doing a french and politics at uni and realises IB would have been an advantage!

Sorry, according to my ds I have got my A level equivalents wrong - they are even higher 38 is apparently AAAAA and 40 is 5 and a half A levels at A grade. 35 marks at IB is equivalent to 4 and a half A grade A levels.

dd wants to do geography (is obsessed with volcanoes and tectonic plates and environment stuff). also wants to do chemistry and philosophy and maybe maths AS (if doing A-levels)

if doing IB wants to do higher gography, philosophy and chemistry and standard maths, english ans french,.

If she does the IB, AtYourCervix, then unless she needs maths for her degree course then I would advise her to take Maths studies rather than at standard level. Maths studies carries the same maximum mark of 7 that standard maths does and is easier to achieve a higher mark in. My ds's school are planning to drop standard maths as a choice because if you need maths then you need it at the higher level so everyone else is better off playing the numbers game and taking maths studies.

I did the IB years ago, DSis did A-levels. The IB is definitely more work but I love the whole ethos of it - it is so much more well-rounded. Don't worry too much about university admissions - it was recognised and respected twenty years ago, and is much better known now. American universities love it too!

If the opportunity arose, I would definitely steer my dd towards the IB instead of a-levels!

I recruited graduates 20 years ago and the company I worked for recognised the IB (not sure smaller ones did) so I'm not sure why Universities are still struggling with it. It is a bit of a pain to translate what the A level equivalent is though, so may put off some smaller employers I guess.

pinkpanettone I agree I did the IB myself in 1983 and universities understood it then, so why now is there more of a problem. I would have thought (maybe wrongly) that with the introduction of the A* that results should be more comparable?

DC1 did the IB, DC2 A levels. I agree with Kritur in that Universities tariff were heavily weighted against As, and didn't give recognition to the additional benefits (and work load) of the IB inner core element - CAS, TofK and the EE.

Had she the time again my DC1 would have instead opted for traditional A's; she felt whilst there was personal benefit in the aditional requirements of the IB, the Unis she selected gave no recognition those requirements.

It depends what your child wants to do. My ds could do IB as he can manage equally well with sciences and humanities, but some children want to specialise/can't deal with sciences/humanities and want to drop them as soon as possible, so they would be A level candidates.

having gone to an open evening at a well regarded state sixth form in the UK, the Principal there said he had no intention of introducing IB as A levels worked. Looking at their results, I can't disagree.

My dd is currently doing the IB and loves it. But as I have posted on another thread, we have experienced worrying issues on a wider scale; dd is in only the second cohort to study for the IB at her sixth form college and after just one year with disappointingly low scores they have decided to drop the course altogether. If your child is interested in the IB, do consider how much experience the school has in teaching this course and look at previous years results.

Goinggetstough, you say 'I would have thought (maybe wrongly) that with the introduction of the A that results should be more comparable?'. Unfortunately I don't think this is the case; Unis asking for A grades at A level will likely also ask 7s for IB subjects. Last year, 8% of A levels were awarded at A* but only about 0.5% of IB students achieved the top marks. A bright student would therefore seem to have a comparatively much better chance of getting the grades required for Oxbridge/ Russell group universities if they take A levels.