The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) is a secondary educational course that students can pursue during Years 11 and 12.
In Australia, each state has their own curriculum (HSC, VCE, QCE, etc). Completion of these curriculums results in students receiving an Australian Tertiary Admission Rank better known as ATAR. But that isn't the only curriculum available to students. Many high schools in Australia also offer the IB, International Baccalaureate, an international secondary school credential.
The IB is a highly regarded course by tertiary institutes and is taught globally. During the two years of the IB curriculum, students will complete 6 subjects, with at least 3 subjects taken at a Higher Level (HL), and 3 Standard Level (SL) subjects. You will get a grade between 1 to 7 for your respective subjects after completing all the required exams and coursework.
Besides completing your six core subjects, you also need to complete an Extended Essay (EE) and Theory of Knowledge (ToK) to achieve your IB diploma.
For a more in-depth explanation and breakdown of the International Baccalaureate check out the article below.
KIS Academics
So what’s the reason for choosing the IB? What are some advantages of choosing IB over ATAR?
As a recent IB graduate, I’ll share why I think students should choose to complete the IB Diploma over the ATAR.
1) It is a holistic and comprehensive program
The IB focuses on students’ academic development in different disciplines, encompassing languages, humanities, natural science and mathematics. It is mandatory for students to do two languages in the program, a minimum of one humanities, science and one mathematics subject. This trains students to be knowledgeable in different aspects and offers the opportunity to explore possible interests in other disciplines.
Besides the normal subject streams, students also have the opportunity to choose a field that they are interested in and write an essay about it. Personally, this is my favourite part of the programme as not many high school diplomas offer this kind of opportunity to conduct independent research on one's passion. Although the research and the write-up of the extended essay took up a lot of hard work, the outcome of the essay was undoubtedly worth it and allowed me to deepen my understanding of my own topic of choice.
2) The Creativity, Service, Activity (CAS) component
Alongside the 6 required subject streams, an extended essay and theory of knowledge assessment, the IB also encourages students to pursue extra-curricular activities as part of their academic journey.
Students must complete the required hours of CAS in order to pass the IB. CAS allowed me to challenge myself outside of academics and encouraged me to explore different hobbies. I actively engaged in volunteering experiences that made my schooling experience more fulfilling and left me a more well-rounded individual.
3) You learn valuable skills not taught in other curriculums
The IB program not only focuses on students’ academic skills but it also fosters character. The IB learner profile is a list of character traits that the IB wants students to achieve once they graduate from the programme. During the programme, students are taught to be risk-takers, effective communicators and open-minded thinkers. These traits not only benefit students throughout the programme but also aid towards long-term success.
4) The IB program is highly reputed by Universities globally
While the ATAR the ranking system Australian universities use for admission, it is not well recognised internationally. If you are thinking about attending university overseas, it might be worthwhile pursuing the IB because it is a curriculum internationally recognised and accepted by more than 2000 universities around the world. This will make your application or transfer process much easier.
Here is a list of countries and universities that accept IB marks as a form of admission.
5) IB students are better prepared for University
The structure and teaching style of the IB program is highly similar to university-level courses. This means that students coming out of the IB are generally better prepared for tertiary studies and as a result have seen to receive higher acceptance rates at reputable universities.
The IB is a challenging programme and it takes a lot of hard work to achieve good results. However, it’s an extremely rewarding program that also focuses on personal growth and success. The program can also open doors to many excellent and high-ranking universities around the world. If you are someone who wants to challenge yourself academically or is considering applying to an overseas University, it is well worth choosing the IB as your high school diploma.
KIS Academics
Want more personalized study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor can make the biggest difference!
Written by KIS Academics Tutor for IB Maths AA SL, Chemistry HL and SL, Economics SL, Lai Yin Yip. Lai Yin is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Biomedicine at the University of Melbourne. You can view Lai Yin’s profile here and request him as a tutor.
