IB Students: Tip for Success with IB and College Applications
Unsure of how to effectively apply for colleges as an IB student? Down below are the tips and tricks I can offer for IB students, based on experiences that I hope will help you.
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Top 3 Tips for Surviving IB
TAKING LITTLE BREAKS
When I first started my journey as an IB student, I thought that I would have little to no breaks to do the things I love, and to my surprise, this was quite true. I got so buried in deadlines that I forgot to give time for myself and this had major effects on my mental health and studies.
You may think that because IB is a very rigorous journey, all your time must be put into just that, and that is wrongful thinking. I soon discovered the importance of breaks, and making time for the hobbies you enjoy to do.
Never tell yourself there isn't time, somewhere along the way you will find a way. The reason I say this is very important, is because it allows you to just stop and breathe, allowing your brain to rest. This will also hopefully stop you from burning out earlier in life from stress about deadlines. Even just watching 1 episode of your favorite TV show could have so many positive effects on your study life.
GET ENOUGH SLEEP
If you're like me, you probably have told yourself 4-6 hours of sleep is enough, I can function in class properly with this amount of rest. But no, I would suggest at least a minimum of 8 hours, and better if 10.
I mean don’t get me wrong, there will be days that you'll have to pull all nighters, but just do not make a habit out of it. Having no proper rest could have detrimental effect on your physical health, because even if you can keep up mentally, your body won't, and getting sick is not ideal when as an IB student.
Having enough sleep also allows you to pay attention in class better, especially now in the times of the pandemic where we take classes in the comfort of our home, the bed becomes more temping instead of actually going to class. So I advise you to try to finish your assignment earlier so that you could rest a full 8 hours.
SIGN UP FOR SUBJECTS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN
Before your journey as an IB student begins, you must first pick the 6 subjects for the next 2 years. So the best advice I could give you is to choose the subject you like and are interested in. This way even if IB makes it hard, you'll find it interesting, and not dreadful. It will make the work of IB feel lighter to you when you like what you are doing.
My second tip is not to overload yourself with hard classes. For example do not sign up for both Math AA and Physics HL, not unless you really know for yourself that you can, because trust me, I'm in Math AA HL and Physic SL, and I am already dying. Try to find a balance in your class, this should ease the stress IB will throw at you for the next two years.
Top 3 Tips on Getting your College Application Through
START EARLY
Not starting early with your college application is one of the biggest regrets I have. Even if you can only start formally, there are many things you could do before that. For example, most schools tend to recycle their personal statement, so my suggestions would be to look at it and try to answer them. This way when the time does come for you to apply, all you'll need to do is basic editing, and filling out the application itself, which is relatively easier than writing the essay.
START WITH THE COURSE NOT THE COLLEGE
When looking into college you may be blinded by applying to all the prestigious schools like Harvard or Yale. However, prestige is not the main factor to be looking at when applying. My suggestion would be to look at courses you are interested about, then look for a college or university that is well known for that.
For example, I was interested in engineering and business, hence some of the schools that I applied to were UC Berkeley, Stanford and HKUST. Berkeley recently opened a M.E.T program that offers management, entrepreneurship and technology, allowing me to earn a dual degree, which sounded very appealing to me because of the interest I wanted for my majors. Hence UC Berkeley is part of the school that I want to apply to. So my suggestion, by grade 10- 11, find out what you want, and start doing background research on what schools specialize in that field, and what they can offer you career wise.
FIND OUT ABOUT CAMPUS CULTURE
Aside from just academics, one other factor that must be considered is campus life. Finding out what the campus has to offer, beyond course work, will definitely be a plus, not just because you know what you're getting yourself into for the next 4 year of your life, but because some college essays prefer it when you mention certain details about the school or the area that interest you, which will set you apart from the other students.
