Hey, I’m just wondering:
How do you get straight A’s in an IB high school?
Do you still have a ‘social life’?
THANKS!!!
It definitely is not a myth. IB is simply just organization and work ethic. If you apply yourself and budget your time it is VERY manageable. As a senior in the IB program I suggest you look for the classes that suit you best going into your junior year. Usually SL Bio is the easiest science option and Math Studies is the easiest math option. From there determine if you want to put more emphasis on History (HL) or not.
As for your social life you’ll be fine. I’ve managed to get Straight A’s and have a steady job, play 2 varsity sports and manage to get everything done. IB is two stressful years but in the end it really pays off.
It also varies from school to school!
@floridastudent15 Your my new role model 
Hi! I’m in it right now, and I feel the need to correct you- you don’t get A’s, you get points ranging from 1 to 7, 7 being the best. Getting all 7s is very possible (someone in our school got 45 points) though it depends on the rigour of your courseload (if you take math hl forget it). Your social life may be somewhat compromised, but I didn’t see that much change and I’m getting 40+. Good luck!
@12345n What? I’m so confused! What’s this 1 through 7 thingy? What are these points? And I thought I was ready for high school next year…
haha it’s not that confusing. I was stressed through when I joined. You take 6 subjects in IB + TOK and extended essay. In each subject, you can score a highest possible 7 points. This is followed by 6, 5, 4 and so on. Each point is obtained by falling under a certain % range that is different for each subject and varies depending on the difficulty of the IB exam each year. eg. suppose the grade boundary for a 7 in Economics HL is 78% (it actually was) and a 6 is 60% and so on, and you get a 79% then you have a 7. Each subject is graded like this (harder the subject, lower the grade boundary usually). The subjects add up to a total 42 points from which you will be graded. TOK and extended essay make up the other 3 points. Depending on what grade you get in the 2 (here, A, B and all are used), you will get a certain number of bonus points (you can find the conversion table online) making the total IB score you can get out of 45. Anything above and including 38/45 is brilliant, 35/45 and on is good and then the scores average out. The mean IB score out of 45 last year was about 31. So yup, that’s how it is. Before the final exam year, your school usually sets grade boundaries (ours set pretty generic ones, it was a nightmare). You can definitely do well if you study enough though. Good luck!
Well, not entirely true 12345n 
D’s school does have grades and she has maintained straights A’s all along, yeah! The point system (at least at her school) comes into play when the exams are completed. The rest is the same as you explained, with 45 points being the maximum. I’m not too sure about a 38 = brilliant and or mean score being 31, I’ve never heard either, but I’ll take your word for it. Because scores doesn’t come out until far after college decisions are made, the counselors provide a projected score, for D it is somewhere between 41 and 43. The schools are penalized heavily if they “over-estimate” so its possible there is some deflation in the projected scores to be on the safe side.
In comparison with AP exams, I believe a 5 on the AP = 6 on the IB, at least that’s how it seems when looking at college websites to determine credits and advanced placements.
@NEPatsGirl Oh wow that is an amazing predicted score! I’m simply relaying the information we have been told at our school via powerpoints. The mean score worldwide was projected by our coordinator at a meeting after the results came out last year! I didn’t know some schools use the grade system, it’s just that the point system is more commonly used. Thanks for your input!
A 6/7 in IB equals to A, and a 7/7 in IB equals to A+.
statistics says that only 7% IB students got 7.
That looks about right. So, if you take 6 IB classes and get the top score of 7 points, there’s the 42 plus the extra three points for CAS, TOK,and EE I believe. D’s projected scores are 4x6 and 2x7 with the 3 extras. Its all very confusing to me lol but I’m pretty sure that’s how it works.
As far as I know, most schools use a letter grade and a 1-7 grade for students. Your letter grade earns you a regular HS diploma, and the 1-7 earns you your IB Diploma (or doesn’t, I guess, if you fail). The IB grading is super convoluted, but it’s the IBO, so what did you expect?
Basically, just do your best and don’t worry too much. Colleges really don’t look too closely at predicted scores because every school does it differently (if they do it at all. Mine didn’t.), they want to see the As on your transcript.
So, to answer the original question, yes, you can get all As. You can get all 7s too. Anything’s possible.
All A’s is completely possible in a full course IBDP program. It is all based on how much you are willing to put into it. Especially if you prioritize grades. I’m a junior at one of the most successful IB high schools in the country and another student and I still have a 4.0, with the addition of social lives, clubs, volunteer work, and varsity sports. You can do it! IB definitely gives more to you than it takes away, even if one killer class ruins the 4.0. Also, when choosing your classes, take higher levels in YOUR strong subjects. Not what you want colleges to be impressed by. You don’t have to take HL Bio, Chem, Physics, and Calc. Take the classes you love. I’m taking HL English, Social Anthropology, and Biology and the work doesn’t feel like work. With that said, I would stay away from math analysis or too many photo/art classes. Good luck!
@fflzataraa Thanks How much sleep do you get? How important is volunteer work? And how many clubs are you (or should you be in)? If I play violin and I’m in my school’s orchestra should I continue? Does sports take a lot of time in your life? What do you (should you) do in your free time (JA, extra courses, AP, etc.)? Do you know how I can take two types of science courses ( i love science & hate math)?
THANKS!! (Sorry, for a boatload of question, I just got accepted into the IB high school† i applied for & yeah… 
)
@12345n Umm… Do you know where I can find the online conversion table you mention? Thanks 
@what2dowithlife Yup I’m linking it to you- this was for May 2014 http://www.dpcdsb.org/NR/rdonlyres/257D5ECC-B156-4400-B0C7-D765BB3D4855/140115/201405_Grade_Boundaries.pdf
@12345n Thanks! 
It has Arabic classes on it… Are you in an Arabic speaking country?
@what2dowithlife No haha I think that’d be cool though. It just has all the subjects that IB offers in one report 
OP, of course you can have a social life while doing an IB program. It depends on your time management skills, as would be the same thing if you were taking 6 AP classes. My daughter did IB and had an outside the school club sport that was 20 plus hours a week, not including travel to and from daily. It just depends on your work ethic and time management.
Not a problem! Ill go through each question. 1) Sleep varies haha. Freshman year was by far the least amount of sleep but that was because I was learning how to manage time and I was on two varsity sports (and freshman had to stay late for extra training). But even then I would get at least 6 hours on most nights, 4 if I had a couple huge tests the next day but that was rare. Maybe only 4 all nighters. Sophomore and Junior year I get 7 hours or more every night. Don’t be afraid to go out and have fun weekend nights as long as you plan time on sunday to rest and study. 2) Volunteer work is usually considered at most schools but not as heavily as grades or testing. It is important to have at least 100 transcript hours, even if volunteering is not your main EC. Whatever volunteering you do, show commitment to it. I am in 5 clubs, one of which I started. Again, some clubs are good and its best if you show commitment in a leadership role and they relate to one of your passions. 3) If you love playing the violin, definitely continue. However, if you don’t enjoy it, then you shouldn’t pursue it. Might as well pad that WGPA with another AP class instead.4) Sports take a ton of time. Probably not worth the time investment but I love it. At least 4 hours a day at the height of season. 5) Free time should be a mix of: sports, clubs, volunteering, internships/work, general cool things to put on an application, but like, also enjoy yourself. I never took extra courses but you can if you would like. Just don’t take too many because colleges see when you’re simply trying to boost your rank. 6) I think every IB school has different rules but I suppose you could take Standard Level Calc (2 years) and take Higher Level Bio or Chem or any other science and also take one for your 6th area. Talk to your guidance counselor, I’m sure you can.
My daughter is a senior in the full diploma programme, and you ABSOLUTELY can be balanced and do very well in IB. She was tapped to be the ambassador to the local feeder schools about the program, and mentors freshman and sophomores, and like someone posted above, she is emphatic that it is all about time management and organization (also the Sunday rest and study, like mentioned above). She has been a varsity swimmer all four years (team captain), as well as year round swimming. She also coaches developmental swimmers (volunteer). Still has plenty of time to putz around with the boyfriend, LOL. I will say that she has always been a bit of a natural when it comes to finding balance in her life, and is also extremely independent. Some of her fellow IB students do seem to be experiencing the oft bemoaned no sleep, soul crushing IB life, and she has seen plenty drop out before junior year. Every once in a while, my DD will seem to go on a 4-5 hour marathon session about something, but it she’s never been overly nervous or stressed out about it. Although she is coming up on all of the exams, so that may change
IB is a great program. Go for it!