The Cons of the IB Program
1. Length of Study
The IB is not a walk in the park. It’s actually not a walk. It’s more like a race, but not a sprint.
To be successful in the IB, you must be a “long-distance learner”. You must be consistent in your work and perform well over a period of two years. You have to be there for the second year while everyone else is “on” for one.
The exams are not spread out. This means that you will be tested on two years at the end of your final academic year. You’ll need to have a solid understanding of the material from the beginning and the end.
It is important to understand what you are getting into when you join the IB. This two-year commitment can seem like a lifetime if you’re young & IB Academies also provides Ib tutors online in Canada or in many different countries all over the world.
2. Heavy Workload
The IB offers all the coursework and assignments for six subjects. You also get the essays, presentations, and projects you need for the core components: EE and TOK.
It is a more challenging and content-intensive course. This is why it’s more important to be organized and diligent than to be smart. To fit in all of the activities and maintain your grades with the various assessments, you must be able to manage your time well.
This isn’t always possible, and it can cause severe sleep disruptions or even a loss of your sanity. You can see my point by searching #IBproblems on Instagram and Twitter.
Even if the subject matter is as broad as it should be, you need to take into account the amount of work required and the effort involved.
Quick comparisons will reveal that 45 points are the maximum you can earn with an IB Diploma.
UCAS indicates that this is equivalent in 6 A-Levels at A Grade. You’re likely to know from your siblings and friends how much effort, time and dedication it takes to achieve 3-4 A-Levels at A Grade, and not just 6.
3. Less Flexibility
Despite having so many subject options, the IB requires more study.
The IB Diploma has a rigid curriculum. It allows for six subjects per category. If you skip the arts category, it will give you five.
You can double-dip in another subject if you don’t choose an arts topic, but you cannot triple-dip. This means that you can take two sciences at once, which might be sufficient for most people.
If you are determined to study medicine at university, however, the standard curriculum of your school will be more helpful. You can learn as much science as you like.
This is not all. The number of subjects you can choose from depends on the school you attend. The illusion of choice may be just that, an illusion.
Crimson is part of the Admissions Support Program and can help you manage your time if IBs are part of your university application. Despite having so many subject options, the IB requires more study.
The IB Diploma has a rigid curriculum. It allows for six subjects per category. If you skip the arts category, it will give you five.
You can double-dip in another subject if you don’t choose an arts topic, but you cannot triple-dip. This means that you can take two sciences at once, which might be sufficient for most people.
If you are determined to study Medicine at university, however, it is best to follow the school’s standard curriculum where you can take as many science and math’s classes as you wish.
This is not all. The number of subjects you have depends on the school offering them. There might not be many options.
Although an IB Diploma may not be for everyone, it can provide great opportunities for career advancement and university graduation & it also provides Ib internal assessment to the students also.