So I've been at university for 2 months, done midterms, talked with friends, etc etc. -and now I have advice/results/reflections for you.
Background Info:
-I went to a mediocre university. My program itself is in the top 4 of the country, however its admission criteria and the university itself have a lot to be desired.
-I am taking business.
Observations:
-for business students (but many health sci/biomed students as well) uni is a LOT easier
-my avg currently is higher than my high school avg (HSavg=95.8%)
-for those with more difficult programs, they find that while many of their classmates struggle, for them its just normal stuff. things come easier.
-if it isnt easier, then it most definitely is NOT harder. of course this is general, but the consensus is that it's not harder.
Tangible pros of IB:
-much of first year courses we've already done
-you know those key words you memorized (describe, explain, compare&contrast etc) ? well they really help now :P they allow you to be precise in your answer, and actually answer the question properly
-tests (midterms) and writing assignments take you a lot less time. A LOT less time.
-studying takes you a lot less time than fellows; and the content you need to learn from midterms seems VERY SMALL - a midterm is less than an avg ib unit science test
-you have less homework. everything feels like less homework and less stressful :P
Con of IB:
-you miss statements. man do i miss statements. what am i supposed to know EXACTLY? :P
-social con: you get used to having a really tight group of friends, and most are all very academics oriented. therefore you have similar goals + values. coming to uni many of my friends and I(and like outgoing, debate captains, sports players etc) found it very hard to relate to these new kids. they all seem quite immature. it is tough to make friends.
Well that's all for now -I will update you once again after final exams. :) good luck!
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Friday, August 24, 2012
Good Textbooks + Studyguides
All the study guides by Geoffrey Neuss were very good. He does them for all three sciences, and they will probably be among the cheaper books you'll buy. These books give EVERYTHING you need to know for the exam, and then have exam questions at the end of every chapter. They are good for both HL and SL. The only thing is that they condense the information and order it very well -making what you have to learn appear very manageable and short -do not be fooled. When you read this, you need to remember EVERYTHING. The most insignificant line will turn into a question on the exam. This book wastes no space with useless information and it answers all and only the statements in your syllabus. Thus, while it may seem like there's a lot less to read and study -everything on that page matters, so remember it well.
(every person in my IB class used these -the school even bought them for later years). They also have diagrams to illustrate (and for you to memorize) along with the material. Very helpful (and light!)
example http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-IB-Diploma-Study-Guides/dp/0199151423/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
This chemistry textbook was also VERY VERY VERY good. It has statements, exam questions at the end of every chapter, practice questions, ib examiner tips, word definitions, help on writing an EE on chemistry, doing labs -anything. It was very useful, and very colourful :D . Our school again bought this as well. (It is for both higher and standard level). I also see that they make this for bio and physics -if it's anything like the chemistry one, this is WELL WORTH THE MONEY.
For history I bought this textbook -and it was a fail. While it was semi-helpful, it had many spelling mistakes and overall seemed off. I didn't use it.
We did not use books/studyguides for either english or history -so I don't really know of any.
For biology, this textbook (though a university one) was very helpful. The writing is tiny, there is a ton of information, and the language is more difficult, -however I found it to be the best teacher of all. The diagrams are great and the explanations fully developed. It was the only thing that helped me learn the krebs cycle, dark cycle, glycolysis etc.; basically cellular respiration and all that jazz. It is expensive though (and huge) -we were lucky because our school had already bought it for us :S Note -many people did not like or use this book. but those of us who did were very grateful -and I like to think did better :P)
The tiger book (for bio -you can tell by the cover) was a so-so -some people liked it, others thought it only skimmed over things.
For math we used the standard IB math book, and everyone bought the exam prep guide -very useful with lots of questions and overviews on how to solve problems.
Lastly, I bought an EE + TOK book written by an IB alumni, and through it was sometimes common sense/obvious what he said -it was still a good read and I loaned it to some of my friends. This is the book if you're interested. (It gives no samples or examples though, so beware)
And that's all I can remember for right now -happy studying.
(every person in my IB class used these -the school even bought them for later years). They also have diagrams to illustrate (and for you to memorize) along with the material. Very helpful (and light!)
example http://www.amazon.com/Chemistry-IB-Diploma-Study-Guides/dp/0199151423/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
This chemistry textbook was also VERY VERY VERY good. It has statements, exam questions at the end of every chapter, practice questions, ib examiner tips, word definitions, help on writing an EE on chemistry, doing labs -anything. It was very useful, and very colourful :D . Our school again bought this as well. (It is for both higher and standard level). I also see that they make this for bio and physics -if it's anything like the chemistry one, this is WELL WORTH THE MONEY.
For history I bought this textbook -and it was a fail. While it was semi-helpful, it had many spelling mistakes and overall seemed off. I didn't use it.
We did not use books/studyguides for either english or history -so I don't really know of any.
For biology, this textbook (though a university one) was very helpful. The writing is tiny, there is a ton of information, and the language is more difficult, -however I found it to be the best teacher of all. The diagrams are great and the explanations fully developed. It was the only thing that helped me learn the krebs cycle, dark cycle, glycolysis etc.; basically cellular respiration and all that jazz. It is expensive though (and huge) -we were lucky because our school had already bought it for us :S Note -many people did not like or use this book. but those of us who did were very grateful -and I like to think did better :P)
The tiger book (for bio -you can tell by the cover) was a so-so -some people liked it, others thought it only skimmed over things.
For math we used the standard IB math book, and everyone bought the exam prep guide -very useful with lots of questions and overviews on how to solve problems.
Lastly, I bought an EE + TOK book written by an IB alumni, and through it was sometimes common sense/obvious what he said -it was still a good read and I loaned it to some of my friends. This is the book if you're interested. (It gives no samples or examples though, so beware)
And that's all I can remember for right now -happy studying.
Useful sites
Here are some useful sites my IB wave used:
*another helpful tip is to write the statements (with answers) in a notebook everyday after class -that way you not only review, but you have everything you need to know for the exam. In that way you have everything organized and ready to go once the exam comes around.
Multipurpose:
http://www.khanacademy.org/get it - (to practice; all from previous years)
Free exam papers and Xtremepapers work for getting past years' exams.
Biology:
http://click4biology.info/index.htm
This site was INVALUABLE. Has all the statements and answers!!!! Make sure to supplement as sometimes they may be slightly vague, but otherwise it was amazing!!
Everyone I know used it for the exam.
*another helpful tip is to write the statements (with answers) in a notebook everyday after class -that way you not only review, but you have everything you need to know for the exam. In that way you have everything organized and ready to go once the exam comes around.
Chemistry:
http://ibchem.com/IB/ibsyllabus.htm
Some people used this, most didn't. i personally found it much too vague and it left out some key concepts. However as a brief overview it's okay.
English:
This site helped enormously! It's really obvious, but it gives you a reality check. Use for anything from commentaries, to the world lit, to the exam. (I did).
http://www.slideshare.net/mtalspaugh/ib-english-written-commentary
French:
This site corrects your work! grammar, conjugations - anything! It's really good, just make sure to put only about 1 paragraph at a time -otherwise it won't work.
http://bonpatron.com/
That's all I can think of for now -happy studying.
*another helpful tip is to write the statements (with answers) in a notebook everyday after class -that way you not only review, but you have everything you need to know for the exam. In that way you have everything organized and ready to go once the exam comes around.
Multipurpose:
http://www.khanacademy.org/get it - (to practice; all from previous years)
Free exam papers and Xtremepapers work for getting past years' exams.
Biology:
http://click4biology.info/index.htm
This site was INVALUABLE. Has all the statements and answers!!!! Make sure to supplement as sometimes they may be slightly vague, but otherwise it was amazing!!
Everyone I know used it for the exam.
*another helpful tip is to write the statements (with answers) in a notebook everyday after class -that way you not only review, but you have everything you need to know for the exam. In that way you have everything organized and ready to go once the exam comes around.
Chemistry:
http://ibchem.com/IB/ibsyllabus.htm
Some people used this, most didn't. i personally found it much too vague and it left out some key concepts. However as a brief overview it's okay.
English:
This site helped enormously! It's really obvious, but it gives you a reality check. Use for anything from commentaries, to the world lit, to the exam. (I did).
http://www.slideshare.net/mtalspaugh/ib-english-written-commentary
French:
This site corrects your work! grammar, conjugations - anything! It's really good, just make sure to put only about 1 paragraph at a time -otherwise it won't work.
http://bonpatron.com/
That's all I can think of for now -happy studying.
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Posting Comments/Questions
So I just realised that previously, people could not post comments unless they had an account.
I've therefore modified the settings to allow anyone to post.
How To Post Comments/Questions:
1. Go to the bottom of the post or section that your question pertains to
2. Click on "Comments" in the orange at the bottom
3. Scroll to the bottom of the post to where a white box will have appeared (where you write the comment)
4.In the "comment as" section click and scroll to the bottom where it says "Anonymous"
5.Post! :)
I look forward to (finally) hearing your guys' questions :P
I've therefore modified the settings to allow anyone to post.
How To Post Comments/Questions:
1. Go to the bottom of the post or section that your question pertains to
2. Click on "Comments" in the orange at the bottom
3. Scroll to the bottom of the post to where a white box will have appeared (where you write the comment)
4.In the "comment as" section click and scroll to the bottom where it says "Anonymous"
5.Post! :)
I look forward to (finally) hearing your guys' questions :P
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Will I Do Well in IB?
Often asked is the question of whether you will do better in regular or IB courses. IB has conversions, however the material is harder. So how to choose? Well firstly, I've established some criteria for a good (not ideal) IB student (this is to get GOOD results (6s):
Qualities:
-efficient
-hard worker/willing to put in the effort
-can procrastinate, however only as long as he/she knows they still have enough time to get the work done (as in never procrastinates so long they cannot finish by the deadline. big nono)
-is a good memorizor/understands concepts (either or. both=maximum potential)
-can BS well, but makes it sound intelligent
How to know if IB will actually give you higher marks.
If you are a person who can memorize/understand concepts well, then IB will allow you to get higher marks. This is because it should not matter what you have to memorize or how much (usually).
For these good memorizers/understanders in a regular stream, though the material is easier, memorizing ability is still at the same effectiveness. However to get that 98% they can only get 1 wrong; doing IB however, though there is more content, memorization still remains the same and so on the test they will have memorized the content just as effectively but this time they can get 5 or 6 wrong and still achieve that 98%.
In this way, if you are a good student, IB helps you. If you are a brilliant student, IB rockets you to stardom (because you don't get that many wrong, and combined with IB conversions gives you those consistent 98/99%s). If you are a bad student/have trouble memorizing/understanding concepts -then the harder material will just add to the content you cannot memorize and the concepts you cannot understand. In this way, IB screws over those whose learning styles and abilities do not fit the memorization/concept route, and so regular stream with its lighter educational load, will favor them more.
Qualities:
-efficient
-hard worker/willing to put in the effort
-can procrastinate, however only as long as he/she knows they still have enough time to get the work done (as in never procrastinates so long they cannot finish by the deadline. big nono)
-is a good memorizor/understands concepts (either or. both=maximum potential)
-can BS well, but makes it sound intelligent
How to know if IB will actually give you higher marks.
If you are a person who can memorize/understand concepts well, then IB will allow you to get higher marks. This is because it should not matter what you have to memorize or how much (usually).
For these good memorizers/understanders in a regular stream, though the material is easier, memorizing ability is still at the same effectiveness. However to get that 98% they can only get 1 wrong; doing IB however, though there is more content, memorization still remains the same and so on the test they will have memorized the content just as effectively but this time they can get 5 or 6 wrong and still achieve that 98%.
In this way, if you are a good student, IB helps you. If you are a brilliant student, IB rockets you to stardom (because you don't get that many wrong, and combined with IB conversions gives you those consistent 98/99%s). If you are a bad student/have trouble memorizing/understanding concepts -then the harder material will just add to the content you cannot memorize and the concepts you cannot understand. In this way, IB screws over those whose learning styles and abilities do not fit the memorization/concept route, and so regular stream with its lighter educational load, will favor them more.
Should I Do IB?
Should you do IB? Ultimate question :P
Well to answer it, I think it's pertinent to go over how IB helps you, and how it doesn't.
Pros:
-huge lesson in time management. Xinfinity. You don't know how much you learn, and how much it will help you in university
-teaches students to truly be independent and independent learners
-pushes you
-competition is stronger -some people thrive on that (such as myself. I used to be an ~85% student in grade 10, I now have over 95% average (end of grade 12).
-certain amount of prestige/bragging rights :P
-transfer credits to university
-international university applications are much easier to do (and get accepted) with an IB diploma
-if a university has an IB student with an 85% average on one hand and an 86% average regular -I think 10/10 times they will pick the IB-er. Because these students have roughed it, have not quit, and so are also a safer bet for the university (less likely to drop out)
-often find university easier. If going into medicine or engineering, find it the same or slightly harder (depending on the program. the same/slightly harder refers to the competitive programs)
Cons:
-lots of emphasis on essay style projects
-lots of memorization
-labs for the sciences are intense. they are long (20+ pages) and apparently in university you do nothing like them. I have seen and heard however that they prep you very well if you go into the sciences
-EE
-less time to be a teenager. You can still be one, (those who say you have no life are wrong -If you had to forget all your hobbies in order to do IB, I don't think IB was for you.) however you have less free time to do so.
-homework: depends on the person/how much you study/how efficiently you study. On average about 2 hours a night (but I was one of those who studied a lot less)
-some people become really stuck up
-if it's not a completely IB-ified school, the regular stream kids may start to marginalize/resent IB kids (if IB kids are stuck up)(and if you start from grade 9 to be separated from regulars in classes this is much more prominent and true). However, I for example have friends in both regular and IB. Best friends in both, and we have a group of about 30 kids all mixed, and we all get along extremely well -so it just depends on the group.
-if you don't leave your country for studies, some say it is useless, because you do a lot of extra work, in return for nothing, since both the regular kids and IB kids end up going to the same universities/programs.
THEREFORE
IB is not a tangible results program (in my opinion), but a developmental one. It develops you as an individual and as a student. You learn to prioritize, become more efficient, write the tedious and memorize the complex, and time manage.
If you think you can learn all this in university -then don't do IB because there is no point. If you would like a headstart -go for it :p
Well to answer it, I think it's pertinent to go over how IB helps you, and how it doesn't.
Pros:
-huge lesson in time management. Xinfinity. You don't know how much you learn, and how much it will help you in university
-teaches students to truly be independent and independent learners
-pushes you
-competition is stronger -some people thrive on that (such as myself. I used to be an ~85% student in grade 10, I now have over 95% average (end of grade 12).
-certain amount of prestige/bragging rights :P
-transfer credits to university
-international university applications are much easier to do (and get accepted) with an IB diploma
-if a university has an IB student with an 85% average on one hand and an 86% average regular -I think 10/10 times they will pick the IB-er. Because these students have roughed it, have not quit, and so are also a safer bet for the university (less likely to drop out)
-often find university easier. If going into medicine or engineering, find it the same or slightly harder (depending on the program. the same/slightly harder refers to the competitive programs)
Cons:
-lots of emphasis on essay style projects
-lots of memorization
-labs for the sciences are intense. they are long (20+ pages) and apparently in university you do nothing like them. I have seen and heard however that they prep you very well if you go into the sciences
-EE
-less time to be a teenager. You can still be one, (those who say you have no life are wrong -If you had to forget all your hobbies in order to do IB, I don't think IB was for you.) however you have less free time to do so.
-homework: depends on the person/how much you study/how efficiently you study. On average about 2 hours a night (but I was one of those who studied a lot less)
-some people become really stuck up
-if it's not a completely IB-ified school, the regular stream kids may start to marginalize/resent IB kids (if IB kids are stuck up)(and if you start from grade 9 to be separated from regulars in classes this is much more prominent and true). However, I for example have friends in both regular and IB. Best friends in both, and we have a group of about 30 kids all mixed, and we all get along extremely well -so it just depends on the group.
-if you don't leave your country for studies, some say it is useless, because you do a lot of extra work, in return for nothing, since both the regular kids and IB kids end up going to the same universities/programs.
THEREFORE
IB is not a tangible results program (in my opinion), but a developmental one. It develops you as an individual and as a student. You learn to prioritize, become more efficient, write the tedious and memorize the complex, and time manage.
If you think you can learn all this in university -then don't do IB because there is no point. If you would like a headstart -go for it :p
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