The IB Diploma Programme is an international pre-university training programme valued by universities around the world. Many universities are happy to admit graduates with good results without the need for taking any additional entrance exams.
If you wish to go to a top international university, the best option would be an International Baccalaureate Diploma. This article explains how to prepare for the IB DP and what to expect from the programme.
Preparing for IB DP in Primary and Secondary School
IB or International Baccalaureate is a cycle of programmes covering all levels of study:
- Primary Years Programme (PYP) for children from 3 to 12 years old,
- Middle Years Programme (MYP) for children 11–16 years old,
- Diploma Programme (DP) for students from 16 to 19 years old.
Since the creators of the concept adhere to the principle of continuity, PYP and MYP are the best stages to prepare for studying the IB DP. They are designed to educate young researchers; curious children who are confident in themselves and their knowledge.
During this education period much attention is paid to the development of independence. Children are taught to be as independent and responsible in their learning as possible for their age. This provides an important foundation for the Diploma programme because following it, high school students will have to show a large amount of self-motivation and self-organisation.
Nevertheless, the experience of the British International School suggests that it is not necessary to study at all levels of the International Baccalaureate in order to successfully complete the Diploma programme. At BISM, pupils study according to the authentic English national curriculum which also fosters responsibility from an early age, develops independence and instills a love of learning. Therefore, our students do not have any difficulties in the transition to the IB Diploma after the English programme.
How to Get the Diploma
The programme is based upon 3 components:
- Theory of Knowledge is a 100-hour course designed to develop critical thinking and show how the learning process works. Assessments: project and essay.
- CAS (Creativity, action, service) is a subject that involves the preparation of portfolios where students should tell about what creative, active and publicly significant things they have done during 2 years of study.
- The Extended Essay is a 4,000 word research paper, similar to a university dissertation. The theme is chosen by the students themselves.
In addition to the core components, at the beginning of the IB study, pupils choose 6 courses, one from each subject area: languages and literature, individuals and societies, sciences, mathematics and art. They can be studied both at the standard level (SL) and at the high level (HL).
Students can achieve a maximum of 7 points for each of their academic subjects. In addition, 3 extra points are available from the completion of the assessment in TOK and the Extended Essay. Students who fail to complete these components to the required standard may fail their diploma. Students who successfully complete all aspects of the programme and meet minimum achievement level requirements are awarded the International Baccalaureate Diploma.
How to Enter an IB School
The British International School was first accredited for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in 2002. Since then, we have developed an effective teaching system that helps our students to achieve excellent results. For example, the world average IB Score for May 2021 was 33 and our school’s average score was 34. Thanks to such excellent results, our graduates enter prestigious universities around the world.