How are you coping with the IBDP course?
Dubai: Everyone has found it challenging to begin with, however, we have all learnt to adapt. Some of us are enjoying the DP course as we can focus on the subjects that we have an interest in, which keeps us engaged. A lot of us have found the workload challenging, but it has taught us to manage our workload well and prepare us for the real world.
London: No-one can deny that the IBDP is a broad and challenging course; however, we have all found our niche which has allowed us to truly enjoy our lessons. Before we started the IB, people would often scare us with tales of the heavy workload, but we think this is a complete misconception about the IBDP. For some of us, the fact that there is always something going on is a positive, and although there is a lot of work, you would be surprised by how easily you can adapt. I remember first getting my IB Chemistry textbook, which weighs about 6kg, and feeling really intimidated and daunted by the prospect of somehow getting it all into my head in such a short space of time, alongside 5 other subjects, CAS, EE and TOK (yup the IB loves acronyms!). We also found that the CAS element (Creativity, Activity, Service) was not as hard to fulfill as we thought - much of the activities we were doing already. So whether it be sports, volunteering or music, it isn’t too much of a burden.
Jeju: The course has pushed me out of my comfort zone, making me take risks. Although it was challenging, I could see myself develop throughout the first year.
Was it different from what you anticipated?
Dubai: Yes and no; it is very fast-paced and challenging, but some of us found it more stressful and some less stressful than anticipated. The jump from MYP to DP was definitely a shock, but the previous Grade had warned us about how difficult it would be so we were quite prepared. Additionally, we had a lot of help from our teachers last year regarding the differences and nuanced changes of the DP curriculum, which was a tremendous help!
London: I didn’t realise how strong the IB community would be, and that is something that I have really enjoyed. Since everyone has things like TOK lectures together, the IB comes together as a cohesive unit that is really fun to be a part of. Beforehand, I was worried about having a lack of study periods, but actually you don’t need them and that wasn’t an issue. The previous IB cohorts had prepared us well so we knew roughly what to expect, but it is never easy to move from one course to another.
Jeju: Yes, I didn’t expect to be so busy, but I was able to adapt to the new system pretty quickly.
What subjects are you taking? Why did you choose them?
Dubai:
Anoushka: HL Spanish, Economics and History. They’re the subjects for which I have an interest in and also meet the subject requirements I need for university.
Line: HL Arts, Physics and French. I need most of them for university and the course I want to apply for but some of them I am truly interested in and picked them to develop that interest.
Lucie: HL English LangLit, Drama and Geography. I chose English LangLit as I really enjoy analyzing advertisements and cartoons, whereas I chose Drama because despite drama being more academic than people think, it's fun and you get to create your own material. I also chose Geography because I’m interested in what's going on in the world.
Lena: HL Design, Biology and French. I really enjoy creative subjects and therefore design was the subject for me as it enabled me to create products.
Karl: HL Economics, Maths and Computer Science. I chose them because I enjoy them.
London:
Reva: HL Geography, Chemistry and Maths. I am a strong believer in intrinsic motivation stemming from enjoyment, so I chose subjects that I knew I enjoyed so that I would have the drive to work hard.
Vita: I take HL Chemistry, Biology and German. I chose the two sciences because I wanted to study medicine, and also because I enjoyed them. I chose German because I love the fact that I can go to Austria and order cake in German… yeah, that’s basically why – I also want to spend time there in the future/ maybe do a degree involving it. But essentially I chose it because of the cake, and also because German is a great language. For my SL subjects, I did Maths at SL because I didn’t love it enough to do it at HL (sorry all the people who love maths who are reading this), and English because I love books and poetry, and I loved the literature in translation element. Geography I chose because it’s so interesting and actually bridges well with the sciences, especially biology. It’s great for general knowledge as too.
Jeju:
Joohee: HL Arts, Biology and Maths. I chose Arts because I want to continue doing it in college, Biology because I have a strong academic interest in it, and Maths because I was confident in the subject. But in retrospect, I should have chosen what I liked rather than what I was good at.
What do you think is going well?
Dubai: The IB has developed us all in different ways. Some of us have learnt to keep a healthy balance between academics and extracurriculars such as Literary Society, U19 Basketball, the 6th Form play and MUN (Model United Nations). Others of us have improved our admin skills, such as handwriting, notetaking and overall organisation. Since starting the IB, many of us have also become more diligent students, and have made a consistent effort to improve.
London: All of us have embraced the ToK and CAS element of the course, something we had no experience in before. One thing that is really good about doing the IBDP is that you learn how to use write in a formal academic style with referencing. In the Sixth Form, I have also been able to take on positions of responsibility such as Chair of Music Soc or Secretary of North London Review of Books, and even running a German Club for younger students, which is really good fun!
Jeju: I have participated in a broader range of activities such as societies and extracurriculars, which turned out to be very successful.
What do you think is challenging?
Dubai: We have all found balancing social and academic life challenging, both physically and emotionally. Keeping up with homework and the workload has been the biggest challenge for a lot of us who want to hang on to our extracurriculars and social life too.
London: It’s sometimes difficult to maintain close friendships with people who don’t do the IBDP. It is also easy to get self-absorbed with school work and we sometimes forget to take a look at the bigger picture. Sometimes when you have lots of deadlines and extracurriculars at once it can be quite hectic. As with any subject, there are always some topics that are harder to understand and get to grips with – but that isn’t a problem unique to the IBDP!
Jeju: Managing to meet deadlines is something that I still struggle with because I tend to procrastinate a lot.
Do you see any major differences between you and your friends doing A-levels or AP’s?
Dubai: We have definitely noticed huge differences. We have a greater workload than them, and the tests seem to be harder. They also seem to get bored during the week, whereas we always have CAS to keep us busy. The IBDP is so much more well-rounded and far more useful in preparing us for university, as we have a broad variety of subjects and therefore greater depth of knowledge. The number of subjects is the biggest difference though, as A-Level students do 3 subjects, whereas we take 6 alongside ToK.
London: The IB students definitely benefit from the smaller classes compared to the A-Level classes, but the A-Level courses are definitely lighter so those students are able to participate in other aspects of academic development e.g. societies, liberal arts sessions etc. The IBDP is definitely a course that values consistent work throughout the diploma rather than the A-Level course, where there are periods of more intense work. We have started many of our IAs (coursework) early in the DP in order to spread them out more evenly, and produce high-quality coursework early on to contribute to our grade.
Jeju: I don’t know well about the AP course, but I feel like the IB course is more rigorous because it requires more work such as CAS.
Do you feel like you have a balanced personal and academic life?
Dubai: Despite the fast-paced course, most of us are able to keep a good balance. Sometimes it is difficult when you have a lot of work to do, and often it depends on the time of the year - some terms are busier than others. Regardless, most of us are able to make time for ourselves outside of academic life.
London: Of course; I think maintaining a balance of personal and academic life improves your productivity and keeps your spirits up, but this is a tricky question – I remember before I started the IBDP reading the NLCS IB website, and someone saying ‘yes there is a really good balance’. I don’t think this is always the case. It is hugely dependent on organisation; if you want to maintain your social life you have to be prepared to work diligently.
Jeju: When I started the course, a sixth-former told us to pick two: good grades, social life or enough sleep. I want to tell future students to not give up on any, because it is definitely manageable if you stay on top of everything.
What is keeping you motivated?
Dubai: My interest in the subjects I have taken as well as the support from my teachers, friends, and parents have definitely kept me motivated. The knowledge that there are only 2 years of school left is also a driver. Hopefully, universities will also see that we’ve worked harder than most other students that don’t take the IBDP, and will put us at an advantage. I think ultimately everyone wants to leave high school with a good grade that they are proud of too, whilst also making the most of our last years before university.
London: My friends! At NLCS London, only 13 people do the IBDP in Year 12 so we have all become very close and keep each other motivated. Also, the 2-year course means that the end is already in sight.
Jeju: My friends - knowing that they are just as much as stressed as I am, and that they would support me anytime.
Is it stressful? How are you coping with stress?
Dubai: To an extent, yes, but we’re all taking the time to rest and surrounding ourselves with positive and supportive people like friends and family, as well as talking regularly with our teachers to ensure they can support us as best as possible. We’ve also all developed our own techniques for combatting stress including running, allowing ourselves to cry to release stress, and playing sports. It has also helped us to grow into stronger and more resilient people.
London: Yes, but I don’t think it is any more stressful than the life of any other students our age. Taking time to do things I enjoy is really important is alleviating some stress. The coursework element definitely takes some pressure off the final exam. It is also reassuring that everyone else is also going through the same thing, and work seems less scary when you know your friends are doing it too. The teachers are also very supportive when you don’t understand something, and explain in different ways to help you reach that lightbulb moment.
Have there been any highlights of the IBDP thus far?
Dubai: Starting new subjects like Psychology, which we have really enjoyed, as well as being able to get a more in-depth look into the subjects that we’re passionate about. Some of us have found new happiness in subjects we previously didn’t enjoy, like English Language and Literature. We have been surprised by the Theory of Knowledge course that we were sceptical about before starting, and it has definitely created some interesting debates our grade won’t forget!
London: Meeting new people! I have definitely made friends for life through the classes I have chosen for the IB. The sense of community between IBDP students has been a big highlight. Also, there is something so satisfying about submitting a 2,500 word IA that you are really proud of, and realising that you can actually do it! But our favourite thing about the IBDP is that you get such a broad variety of subjects. It is so much fun to jump from learning about protein pumps to analysing poetry to learning about Quangos to finding hidden knowledge in millenia old artefacts – you get that subject depth in HL, but also get to keep subjects you love for SL. It is the best of both worlds.
What are your future goals? Will the IBDP help you accomplish these?
Dubai: We have a diverse array of ambitions within the IB: From International Relations to history, entrepreneurs to linguistics, we have it all. The IBDP is so spread out so it makes sure that you are still doing at least one science and one art and makes the future much more flexible. The IBDP gives us leadership and teamwork skills through the CAS project and the Group 4 Science project. The IBDP also helps us prepare for the real world by balancing extracurriculars that we love through CAS and our academic work, which is extremely reassuring.
London: I think the IBDP will help me become a more rounded person. I want to be able to understand all sides of an argument, as well as to be able to express my own opinions and thoughts articulately and persuasively, and I think the IBDP will help me do this. Although not all of us know what we want to do in the future, the IB means we have obtained a broad range of academic and wider life skills.
Top 10 Do’s and Don'ts from our 6th formers:
Stay organized! - Keep on top of your work, stick to deadlines and manage your time. Organization is the key to success.
Choose subjects you truly love and are passionate about - You’re spending a lot of time and effort on them so make sure you at least enjoy them.
Stay focused and listen in class - you don’t want to be making extra work for yourself.
Don’t be scared to reject things or say no - you’re the only one that knows what’s right for you.
Prepare to be able to explain what the IBDP is to everyone you meet (London)
Start thinking about potential EE topics early
Ask your teachers when you’re confused - they’re there to help!
Do the bulk of your CAS in the first year
Be resilient and don’t give up when things get hard.
Remember, even if it’s hard, it’s going to be worth it!
My Personal Thoughts:
Although the IBDP has been a roller coaster ride for me, it’s been one that will forever change the way I view the world. As a student that has been studying in the IB continuum programmes since the age of 6, and my PYP and MYP experiences have brought me to this milestone. I have always known that the IBDP was a rigorous course that would need my undivided attention and time, but as I adapt more and more to the course, I am confidently able to say that I’m enjoying it.
As someone with ambitious career goals, I knew this would help my future. I want to go to a top university to study law, and for that, I would need essay-based HL subjects. I took HL History, English LangLit and Economics. Although I was quite scared, my HL subjects have become the subjects I enjoy the most, delving into a more in-depth analysis of all the themes we study. The workload, albeit time-consuming and difficult, has made me enjoy writing essays and has taught me how to analyze with greater detail, bringing my standards of writing and reading beyond the MYP/GCSE level. I chose subjects that I enjoy the most, which also happen to fit into my university requirements and the subjects in which I am the strongest at.
The IBDP, although it has its advantages, it also has a few disadvantages. The workload was a huge shock to my classmates and I, especially considering that we take fewer subjects than we did at the MYP/GCSE level. Managing my time fairly across all my subjects, avoiding stress and also maintaining a social life alongside adequate sleep has been very stressful. I think having to organize myself has been essential in my success throughout the course, but having an organization system has helped me manage my time and stress, which is imperative for being able to go through the IBDP.
All in all, it does get stressful and it does get tiring. The extra hours always get to you, and late-night CAS reflections or quick fixes to essays get to even the best of us, but it’s all worth it in the end. We have an advantage in that not only are we able to experience a holistic range of subjects throughout high school, but we have so many opportunities to delve into the things that interest us the most. Without a doubt, I wouldn’t be happier taking any other course than what I’m doing now with the IBDP.
Alhena Alibhai - Dubai
6th Form IB Students:
Dubai: Abdul Anwar, Lucie Benn, Line Bouziri, Alexia Embedoklis, Karl Hajj, Maryam Khan, Shalini Kumar, Seungheun (Sam) Lee, Mahnoor Raja, Anoushka Ranjit, Tanya Shaikh, Sakina Virani
London: Reva Croft, Vita Rottenberg, Lily Ella Stevens
Jeju: Joohee Kim
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