If you could turn back the hands of time would you have chosen IB

[cookie.dough.love]

If you could chose once again, would you still IB, or something else?

[Award Winning Boss]

well i'm only a month and a half in and yes i would because i love the philosophy and history class. However i'd make sure we get a different physics teacher.

[Bradley]

I would have still done IB, and would have devoted my last three years to self in-forced study, New Zealand is abhorred in pre-High school, and even up to last year before Uni it is a piss take.

Besides, IB got me to switch schools, and lord knows how bad Otago Boys High School is...

Thank you for not doing a cliche topic like "what historical event would you change..."

[Mahuta ♥]

To be honest my sister is doing AS then straight to uni and spared herself the IB torture. IB screwed me really bad, but I would definitely choose it if I went back in time. It's gave me so much.

[CkyBlue]

Hmmm that's a toughy since I don't really think about things that aren't possible...

There are some legitimate things I don't like about IB.

The sheer work load

the prevention of you joining things you'd like

their specific notations

specific attention to detail and definition

doing things their way

lack of subject choice (not just because of my school) but in general

the fact that the exam counts 50% or more of your final grade... Seriously what if you have a bad day and flunk?

But then it does give me a better quality of education. It has brought me together with good people and teachers. I develop a better sense of self identity, and have become more aware of what my priorities and interests are. It has given me enough time to figure out what I am going to be when I grow up instead of being forced to take electives.

I feel that IB was just one of the painful things I had to go through in the end. So, yes, I think I would've done it anyway.

[bigbangfan]

YES, I would have definately chosen IB. I had a great time, it really changed my way of interpreting things in general. The only thing I would change is my lazyness, I should have studied more, anyway I got my diploma! and I´m proud of my precious 34 and my wise decision of joining IB!

[Bad Boys of Boston]

I Still would have chosen IB, only different ways of handling time .

And since I was able to turn back time, I'm gonna have some fun trolling my physics teacher! >

[Amandurrs]

Well I've only done like two full months of IB so far but I think I would choose IB over AP again, mostly because I find all my classes really fascinating (apart from Math but I've never found that interesting). I love that we get to have actual discussions about literature that I actually care about in English and we really get to delve deeper in the work and everything. The English 3AP kids seem to be doing more writing than literature analysis so I'm glad I'm doing IB English. Plus, doing IB at my school means you get all the good teachers so I know my teachers are experienced and they know what they're doing. So yep, if I could turn back time I could choose IB again, despite the fact that my grades are pretty crappy right now and it's a lot of work.

[Sandwich]

I would have done A Levels, I think, and not the IB. The things I've taken away from the IB are not really worth the trade off - the positives more or less just being the bonding effect of being 25 constantly stressed people. I found it a very miserable, stressful experience, and I know I could have got similar marks for half as much effort but with a lot more enjoyment of my life and been able to do the activities I wanted etc. if I had done A Level courses instead.

I suppose in many ways it was a formative experience, however, and it's hard to say whether I'd be as able to cope with being overwhelmed, sleep deprived, miserable and exhausted now as I would be if I hadn't gone through the ring of fire the first time. Despite doing some of the most stressful exams of my life last year, I've still never been as totally panic-stricken and desperate as for my IB exams. Using the method of relativity, perhaps they did help me. Then again perhaps I just destroyed myself 1 more time than everybody else had to. Who knows

[hehe101]

My relationship with IB is so love-hate.

Things I loved about IB

-I met some of the most amazing people. If it wasn't for IB, I wouldn't have the best friends I have now.

-I became SUCH a better writer. Seriously, comparing my essays in grade 9 to now, I've seen such an amazing improvement.

-I learned to appreciate History and English. I didn't give a crap about these subjects before, but I'm so glad I'm taking them right now.

-I had some really amazing teachers

Things I hated about IB

-The unnecessary work load. Yes, some of it is needed. But there's a lot of useless crap in IB unfortunately and the work-load is torturous.

-Grade 12 has been hell for me so far. And I'm losing a lot of sleep and becoming a crankier person because of it.

-I swear, some teachers who really shouldn't be teaching IB are. There NEEDS to be some sort of curriculum for teachers or something. I've been so screwed with some teachers. I had terrible Chem and Math teachers and only because I was good at those two subjects naturally and I studied my butt off for two months did I get 7's. Hell. Hell. Hell.

-I hate TOK. Sorry, it's PURE bull****.

-I hate how limited I am with subjects.

-I had to sacrifice soccer because of IB. Something I will never forget.

Despite my hate list being greater than my love list, I'd still do IB. I met so many great people that I know I wouldn't have met had I gone to a regular school. My home school is terrible, so IB really is my only way to escape. And I generally became a better writer, and a better person because of it.

[Sixthrain]

Yikes... tough choice

I really can't imagine myself without IBD. It's become such an integral part of my life that I simply don't exist with all the crazy assignments and orals and EE and TOK and and... all that IB stuff. But if I had the chance, I would have gone back and changed some of my courses - wish I did Economics instead of Chem (simply because it interested me more. I didn't know that it was possible to double up in the Social Sciences =_= stupid me) and probably Drama instead of Art (although I love visual art, I think drama could have brought out my more introverted personality more).

But it's interesting to think of what I would be like had I taken AP... there definitely would have been more course choices, a bonus for sure. In the end though I don't think I can give up IB

[spritez]

It is a tough decision, but I guess I would still stick with IB despite the rigorous curriculum.

In my opinion, it really depends on the subject combinations chosen. Choose the subjects you like in order to enjoy IB.

My HLs are Physics, Chemistry and Maths. These combinations have given me sleepless nights due to the deadlines.

Despite all the struggles and weariness, I still prefer IB because my teachers and peers are very supportive.

[lullabyy]

I was thinking about it a couple of days ago...

Just two months in IB and it was a proof that I really don't know anything. I wonder how it'd be in normal Polish curriculum... For sure more spare time, less pressure...

Lab reports are hell. Psychology is hell too. I really don't like a teacher... She's so boring and her tests are like crazy tough so... I think I'd pick something else than Psychology as my third SL. But I must manage it somehow.

I just hope after all it'll all be worth it. So yes, I think I'd have chosen IB again. For now.

[jonathan810]

If i could go back 2 years- Yes, my other option was NCEA (in NZ) and it's by far the worst system for high-school ever.

So yes, I would, though I would change my time management (Good bye computer games!) so that I did more work in IB 1

@ Brad, You go to Johnnies too?

[whatisreality]

Definitely not. Not only is IB more strenuous, my country (Singapore) prefers A levels to IB. I don't get it either.

I made my choice of entering my school in 2008, so at that time i wouldn't know much about A levels and IB. (My school is a 6 year school)~

[Tony Stark]

Indubitably, I am innately driven to pick the most challenging option available, and I want to go overseas. However, I would have most definitely changed schools to one that actually knows what they're doing.

[thehaikubandit]

No, because I can no longer study overseas, which is why I have wanted to do IB for 10 years. I wish I had had more freedom of choice and could have lived without the stress. But, there are good sides to it, I have great teachers, good friends and have learnt a lot.

[break&burn&end.]

I would do VCE at the drop of a hat tbqh. IB is way too stressful and I have no intention of going overseas.

[apple.toronto]

I would have done A Levels and not the IB. Even though, I have not received my results, I feel like a-levels would have been way less stressful for me! IB has emotionally scarred me, nightmares about results and not getting into my dream program at my dream uni. Its a one shot, one kill program unlike a-levels where you have resits. Also, I knew by the end of year 9, I am going down the science stream for sure. I wouldn't have had to take the bs called TOK, or the languages if I took a-levels. However, gotta keep in mind that I haven't experienced uni yet so whether IB will help me is comp an unknown concept for me.

[Summer Glau]

Yes some things in IB were a complete waste of time. TOK taught me nothing, EE ruined my Christmas break, CAS reflections didn't actually make me see all the activities I already did in a new light, group 4 was a waste of everyone's time, and some of the IAs were just s***. Also the IB can have really bad rubrics and you have no idea what it is that they want because they're so vague The "do-it-the-IB-way-or-else" way of doing things also annoyed me at times. Also there's this myth at my school that IB teachers teach better than non-IB teachers but that's simply a pile of BS, some teachers I had in IB were much worse than some I had in the years before I started IB.

The good things I got out of IB were my friends and classmates who I've become a lot closer to than I would have if I didn't do IB, a few great IB teachers, and the stuff I learned in my HL courses. Also IB teachers were more lenient with deadlines because most of us had pretty much the same workload, so it was easier to get teachers to move tests/due dates so that we wouldn't die It also helped me get into university and some of the marks I got in IB are higher than anything I could have gotten for the same non-IB course (IB course marks get converted into a percentage grade for the equivalent non-IB course).

So would I do IB again? Honestly, not sure. I'll go to uni and figure out if actually helps in uni like IB said it would...