As someone who frequents Quora to help students with IB related topics, I often come across this question and thought it will be good to provide an answer to it. So, is there really a pot of gold at the end of the IB journey?

I imagine many are asking this question because the IB is still a rather new program, especially in countries such as Singapore. When I tell people that I run an IB tuition service, I hear a similar array of questions like “What is IB?” or “Isn’t that only for international students?” Therefore, it is understandable that many would question whether the program is “worth it”, especially because many don’t know what are the benefits or even the implications of pursuing this program. 

What is the IB even? 

For the benefit of those who don’t know what the IB is, I will provide a brief description. This is not the actual definition of the IB but how I as an IB graduate would explain it: The IB is a pre-university diploma program that in Singapore is a substitute for the A levels. It focuses on cultivating curiosity in the subjects provided through its assignments. The program explores the subjects on a more global level rather than a local one. 

Worth it?

Let’s qualify what the phrase “worth it” here implies. I believe when students ask the questions, they are asking about a few things.

• Is the diploma valuable? Will it help me get in to good universities? Will it help me land a job/internship?

• Is the hard work you put in to the IB program going to reap benefits? Should I study hard? 

• Is IB better or are other programs such as A levels or IGCSE better?

I will be answering these questions below but if you had any other interpretation of “worth it”, please feel free to post a comment or email me at ibloungesg@gmail.com and I will write a response to your interpretation.

1. Is the diploma valuable? 

Universities

It definitely is! The IB program is an internationally-recognised program that you can use to apply for many universities. In Singapore, it is said to be the direct alternative to A levels and IGCSE. 

I personally managed to apply for SMU, NTU and NUS using my IB diploma. In fact, most universities even show the admission criteria for students doing the IB, further proving that they recognise the diploma. 

That being said, the entry requirements usually differ slightly between students taking A levels and the IB. This is because of the difference in grading systems (An A in A levels may not equate to a 7 in the IB program).

I would even go on to say that in some cases, the IB diploma may even be more valuable than other alternative programs. Before I get flake for this, let me explain that this is just something I observed and not necessarily indicative of the general consensus or may not even be true. So why do I say this? 

Internships

When applying for internships, the interviewer would often ask about the IB program. Here I got to share with them about the various assignments that I had done during the program such as the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge which seemed to really pique their interest. Since these are assignments that they had never heard about before, they probably saw it as something unique and different. Moreover, these assignments generally are seen to develop students’ creativity and accountability, which are plus points for any candidate. I suppose coming from a program that is different from the majority also provides that uniqueness in a candidate. 

2. Is the hard work you put in to the IB program going to reap benefits?

I believe like any educational program, you should work hard to aim to score well. The IB, after all, is a pre-university program and therefore, doing well would help increase your chances to get in to the university course that you desire. 

I would go on to say that besides the practical benefits that working hard in the IB program can reap, there are also many intangible ones that may arise from putting in your best. First of all, working hard in any task you are given will no doubt train your tenacity and develop a greater sense of responsibility. But specific to the IB program, you will develop many traits that you will find are valuable to you. For example: 

• Being more creative 

• Developing the skills to write professional papers (with the skills of citations)

• Project management (Especially from the Extended Essay) 

• Critical thinking skills

• Being able to look at the big picture

So, don’t just see the process of going through the IB program as a means to enter university but a place where you can really develop yourself as a person. These skills will be valuable to you not only from a practical standpoint but also for self-development. 

3. Is IB better or are other programs such as A levels or IGCSE better? 

This is one of the most common arguments that IB students have with A level students: About whether the IB is easier. Let’s debunk that. 

I believe I provided some insight to this above and also in another article but let me briefly run through some of my opinions here. 

I don’t believe that there is a “better” program but I do believe that you should choose a program that better suits your learning style and what you want to get out from the 2 years. 

I can only provide a basis of comparison between A levels and IB as I have no reference points for the IGCSE. Even for the comparison with the A levels, the information I have is based on what my friends have told me about it. 

Differences in examination and grading criteria

The IB aims to foster a sense of curiosity and appreciation through providing students with the opportunity to design experiments or conducting researches based on topics they are interested in. These are known in the IB as Internal Assessments. Each subject has a form of Internal Assessments and they are graded at roughly 20% (with some subjects having more weightages and some less). 

From what I know, the bulk of the A level grades are from the final examination. Of course, this means that the pressure on students to score in the final examination is much higher. 

Therefore, if you are someone who likes to put in consistent hard work rather than just one short burst of intense revision, then the IB may be more suitable for you. 

I have some friends that prefer to procrastinate till the last minute before really sitting down to prepare for the examination. In this case, the A levels may be more suitable for them. 

Is it really easier to get in to a university course using your IB grades? 

The general consensus in Singapore is yes. But I personally feel it’s hard to say because of the difference in grading criterion. This is also because the IB program is not widely adopted by most students in Singapore and therefore, the competition may be “higher” for A level students as they are competing among a larger pool of students. 

The average IB score globally is also around 30 points while some local IB schools boast averages of 40 points and above. Perhaps that might be the reason why it seems “easier” to enter universities using the IB score. 

Does this mean that the IB is an easier program? 

No, it definitely does not mean that.

IB students still need to put in high amounts of effort in to ensuring that they do well. The daunting part of the IB program is that you have to do consistently well for the assignments, not only for the final examination. If you do badly in any assignment, your total grade may be adversely affected. These assignments are also not easy to score in and thus an IB student is often on his/her toes. Not to mention that an IB student usually has to take up multiple Co-curricular activities, known as CAS which can take up a substantial amount of time. During certain periods, IB students can be extremely busy with lessons, assignment submissions and CASes all going on at the same time. 

Don’t enter the IB program thinking that it is easier or you might severely regret it. 

Concluding words

The IB is definitely a very unique and interesting program. As someone who is curious, I enjoyed it very much as it gave me the freedom to explore the individual subjects. Because I was passionate in what I was learning, I was able to score a pretty decent score and this helped me gain entry in to the university course of my choice. I don’t regret choosing the IB program at all and hope that if it suits you, you will have an enjoyable time as well. 

If you found this article useful, please share it with your friends who may be considering taking up the IB program! Also check out our other articles for more IB articles!

More about the writer:

Markus attained a score of 41/45 in the International Baccalaureate examinations. He is currently studying in the National University of Singapore and is pursuing a degree in Accountancy.

Markus started the IB Lounge in order to provide quality IB tuition outside of school. Noticing that many IB tutors in Singapore haven’t been through the IB, and thus may not be suitable for teaching it, he decided to attempt to fill that gap. Having been inspired by various teachers throughout his education journey, he wants to pass this on to his students. Together with his team of passionate tutors, he aims to inspire students to understand, appreciate and enjoy learning.