Revision course this summer?

[Alfabeta]

Hello


Are anyone of you people going to the revision course in oxford this summer?

Those of you who actually have done this already what are your thought about it?

cheers ;D

[Vvi]

My classmate went for Biology and History courses last summer. She did another one too, I forget what. She liked the History one a lot, said it helped her to structure her essays better. They did lots of timed essays. For the Biology one, they went over the syllabus. She's going again during Easter.

Only one or two people from my school go every year, since they are so expensive. Someone went for a Psychology course and passed their exam, which really surprised their teacher who had predicted a fail for her.

So I guess they are worth it, although you could probably do just as well studying hard at home or asking teachers for help (unless they are incompetent).

[Hyperbole]

My History teacher teaches at the Easter courses, and he's extremely good. If I hadn't had him four times a week for the last two years I'd probably benefit really much from going to a revision course with him...

But I haven't gone to any courses, and I'm not planning on doing it. I know a few people at school are going to, though, and in previous years some students have gone. There was one guy who came and talked to us in IB1 with advice and stuff, and he'd been the only one in that year to achieve a seven in Chemistry HL; he'd gone to the Easter revision session after being predicted a five, and it had done wonders for him. So I guess it definitely does help people!

I personally don't think it's worth it, though. It feels a bit like cheating your teachers, and wasting money.

[Capa]

My maths teacher actually reccommended us to not go because he said that they might not always be right and students tend to believe too much in them so the money might therefore not be very well spent. However, he also pointed out that it might be a good experience, as long as we are aware that this alone will not save our IB diploma.

[Vvi]

The revision courses could have a placebo effect. You go there and since you've heard that people learn a lot from the course, you think you're going to do really well in the final exams. And then you do.

Your final results have at least a small part to do with how you approach them. In the mocks, some of my classmates only wrote for about 20 mins and then sat there for 40 mins until they could leave because they were convinced they didn't know anything about the subject. Those people failed almost all their exams because they came in thinking "I won't be able to answer any questions, so what's the point in trying?"

You could save yourself money by convincing yourself at home that you know enough to earn a 7. I think the revision courses are only worth it in IB1, because at those ones they teach you how to write good EE's and TOK essays, as well as IA's in general. Those revision courses help people who have new, inexperienced teachers or incompetent ones that never have students getting 7's.

[saritaoel]

I've done Pre-IB in Stanford.

I made a lot of new friends and for once was independant. And I'm still in touch with them.

I took an SAT course which helped a LOT as it is not offered at my school..

Basically for the sciences (chemistry and biology) it didn't help much because thereweren't those "tricks" that can help you - its just syllabus, whereas in HL English I'm ahead of my class and am constantly getting the highest in my commentaries..

All in all, it' a good experience. But I would not do mid -- once is definitely enough!