All About International Baccalaureate (IB)

[jtoh]

Anyone can qualify this.

If you do A-level , you can take ARTs course & Skip Sciences by taking contrasting subject as MAths(H1 ).

If you take IB , you have to take one subject each from Science & MAths. There is no relief like H1 for these subjects.

Really need your help

For IB, you have to select a subject each from 6 groups plus Theory of Knowledge. The Sciences and Math are in separate groups, so yes, you will have to take both Science and Math. Subjects are taken in either Higher Level or Standard Level. So you can choose to do your weaker subjects in Standard Level. In a sense that's like doing an H1 subject.

[zbear]

I have extracted certain portions of the article -

"Hwa Chong's Mr Koh said the IB requires students to have both higher order cognitive skills as well as soft skills such as communication n teamwork.

Students must learn, acquire n develop that range of skills to do well. That in itself, though challenging for students, could be engaging n motivating at the same time, he said.

IB students are also given time to work on an Extended Essay, a research thesis, and Theory of Knowledge, which covers reasoning n philosophy.

A core requirement of the IB is the Creativity, Action n Service component where students have to fulfil 150 hrs - 50 hrs for each area - beyond academic requirements.

For Creativity, some learn art or music outside of school or pick up a new language. The Action criteria require them to learn or play a sport while the Service Component may seen them joining the school's Interact club or volunteering on their own outside of school.

Also significant is the small class size - typically 15 to 25 students. This means they get closer attention from teachers.

Several students said the most compelling reason that they did much better than their PSLE scores indicated was that selected assignments done over 2 years count towards the final IB grade.

These internal assessments are checked by external examiners n normally contribute between 20 n 30% of the final grade.

SJI head of mathematics, Patrick Denousse said "The fact that we are not overly exam focused allows our students the freedom to make mistakes n learn from them. Late bloomers find their niche here."

Mr Burrough said "All students mature at different rates n finding a passion for study, along with deeper understanding of concepts n a greater capacity for learning, comes to some later than others".

The article is very long so I am just sharing those points which I think others may like to know.

From what I gather, excellent IB results came about becos there is less stress n more time allocated to academic n non-academic fields. Its good for those who are late developers n who doesn't want to go the typical route - PSLE - O levels/A levels where the one n only 'do or die' exam determines your fate.

[ngbrdad]

Which university can an IB score of 40 get one into ?

Is it enough for entry into SMU, NTU, NUS ?

What sort of courses ?

What about 41.5 ( average score for ACSI this year) ?

[zbear]

I think the best way to get answers is to approach the schools offering IB prog.

I don't think any of us know much of this course.

[Quies]

Which university can an IB score of 40 get one into ?

Is it enough for entry into SMU, NTU, NUS ?

What sort of courses ?

What about 41.5 ( average score for ACSI this year) ?

Most universities accept scores of at least 36 points and above. To get into local u's competitive courses you must get 44 to 45 points otherwise should be ok. For these courses the entry requirements are AAA for A levels.

[DadOfGirl]

Anyone can qualify this.

If you do A-level , you can take ARTs course & Skip Sciences by taking contrasting subject as MAths(H1 ).

If you take IB , you have to take one subject each from Science & MAths. There is no relief like H1 for these subjects.

Really need your help

For IB, you have to select a subject each from 6 groups plus Theory of Knowledge. The Sciences and Math are in separate groups, so yes, you will have to take both Science and Math. Subjects are taken in either Higher Level or Standard Level. So you can choose to do your weaker subjects in Standard Level. In a sense that's like doing an H1 subject.

It is answered...Thank you Jtoh.

[Dr.Daniel]

I have taught a lot of A-Level as well as IB Physics students in Singapore and I have also taught at University in the USA. If you plan to go on in science or engineering either is good preparation for University.

Comparing the two for the subject of Physics…..

The IB curriculum is broader, meaning more topics are covered. The IB sometimes asks you to link more topics together, which poses a good challenge. Some of the IB topics are at less depth than the A’Level. So the A’Level can have harder questions that require more specific knowledge, while the IB has a broader range of questions.

In the world of physics and engineering, I have met some people who are very good at what they do because they are great specialists. Then again I have met some people that are great generalists. The IB lends itself more towards generalist critical thinking, but the A’Level lends itself more in the direction of how a mathematical physicist (specialist) thinks. In your University life you will get exposure to both these lines if you go on in science or engineering.

[Lynn2010]

Which university can an IB score of 40 get one into ?

Is it enough for entry into SMU, NTU, NUS ?

What sort of courses ?

What about 41.5 ( average score for ACSI this year) ?

I heard of someone scored 44pts doing medicine in NUS.

I understand scoring a 38pt qualifies University of Cambridge (dont know what course though). Someone sent an article to me some time ago (if you can read Chinese), apparently was in Chinese newspapers

454考生平均分高达41.36 英华中学（自主）IB成绩再创佳绩
（2012-01-08）

● 林诗慧
　　国际中心会考课程成绩前天放榜，英华中学（自主）去年底参加这项会考的454名考生中，多达29人获得45分满分，考生平均成绩高达41.36分，皆创下历来新高。
　　国际中心会考课程（International Baccalaureate，简称IB）考得38分或以上，就符合进入英国牛津大学等顶尖大学的标准。英华中学（自主）的考生有92.7％达标，比一年前的87.8％还要高。
　　这个本地第一所提供高中IB课程的主流学校，去年的毕业生已是第五届，也是学校连续第四年取得进步。这届考生中，满分状元较一年前多出一人，考生平均分数也较之前的40.8分高。
　　考获40分或以上的学生，更从一年前的71.4％跃升至78.2％。
　　英华中学（自主）上个月新上任的校长温斯敦·赫哲（Winston Hodge）说：“学校成功的关键在于一至四年级课程给予学生的稳定基础，鼓励他们不耻下问、发挥创意和勇于创新。”
林勇胜果然是状元
　　课业表现一向来名列前茅的林勇胜（18岁），不出所料成为满分状元之一。他在课外活动少年旅（Boys’Brigade）担任首领，领导200名学生，每周花上20到30个小时策划和参与活动。
　　问及如何兼顾学业和课外活动，他说：“只要有热忱，不论什么都能做得好。少年旅和我在学校读的科目，尤其是生物，我都非常热爱。”
　　他计划在服完兵役后进大学修读博雅课程，已向海外学府提出申请，并将在耶鲁—新加坡国大学院（Yale-NUS College）下个月开始招生时报名。
林勇胜说：“博雅课程就像IB课程，采取的是跨学科教育，例如把生物与历史和经济融会贯通，能够扩大我学习各个科目的视角。”
考获满分　程慧伶很意外
　　另一状元是程慧伶（18岁），获得满分对她来说完全出乎预料。
　　她说，在英文试卷的其中一道长篇问答题作答时离题，让她考完后崩溃大哭，没想到总体表想竟然还能获得满分。
　　程慧伶说：“我O水准会考时考获8个A1，本来打算报读靠近住家的莱佛士书院（高中部），最后选择英华中学（自主）是因为我被IB课程的全方位教育吸引，每班的学生人数也较小，大概27人。”
　　IB课程要求学生全面发展，学生要从六组不同领域的课程中分别选择一科，再加上核心课程，必修的科目有9个。相比之下，A水准课程只需主修四科，
苦学张景雄考获43分佳绩
　　英华中学（自主）另一考生张景雄（18岁），虽然患有阅读障碍，但还是成功考获43分的佳绩。
　　他说，自己从小就被诊断患阅读障碍，很多华文字常常忘记怎么写，英文的拼写也有困难。由于记忆非常差，因此学习新知识时必须下更多功夫，努力总算看到成果。
圣若瑟国际书院（SJI International）去年的87个考生中，每五人中就有一人考获40分或以上。
　　华中国际学校（Hwa Chong International）第二届考生的表现较第一届来得出色。43名考生中，五分之一考获40分以上，最高分是42分。第一届的考生只有18名，最高分是39分。
　　也提供IB课程的是英华国际学校（ACS International）。它去年的120名考生中，13％考获40分或以上的佳绩，较一年前的11％高，最高分也从43分提升至44分。

[guaigirl24]

Are the syllabuses for the various IB subjects available online? I've been sieving through the IBO website and doing many google searches, but I can't seem to find anything...

For example, you can find the detailed O-Level and A-Level syllabuses from SEAB website, with information on the assessments, subject content etc. However for IB, I can only seem to find general overviews of the 6 Groups.

Your help is greatly appreciated! (:

[guaigirl24]

also,
does anyone know if the IB schools (ACSI, SJI - not the international ones) use textbooks? I know this is a weird question to ask, but after seeing how most of my seniors who did A-Levels mostly used photocopies or school-printed notes, I can't help but wonder how the IB schools do it...

...and especially since the IB textbooks at Popular (went there to recee ) are pretty expensive.. about ~$50 for one.