5 Reasons the IB Diploma is the Best Preparation for University & Beyond

5 ways the IB is the Best Preparation for University & Beyond
Head of Secondary at the British International School Abu Dhabi, Chris Lowe gives a brief background on the International Baccalaureate and why he believes IB is the best preparation for students preparing for university. In this video, learn about the elements of the core of IB, where it begins, and the different subjects that students take on with this program.

In recent years, the International Baccalaureate has gone from being viewed as a niche qualification suitable for only a small group of students, to one that is now both well-understood and well-regarded. And nowhere has that transformation been more apparent than in perceptions of the IB as a route into university.

One of the main reasons for the changing view of the IB is that it is increasingly seen as a good preparation for higher education, developing the kinds of skills that students will need at university. All diploma students complete an extended essay, a 4,000-word project on a topic of their choosing. This requires independent research, as well as an ability to think widely around a subject.

Although students on an A-level programme have the option of a comparable piece of work with the Extended Project Qualification, the fact that this is compulsory with the IB is a big advantage. It is an undergraduate style research project, where the student forms their own question. 

IB students also take a course on critical thinking, called Theory of Knowledge, which nurtures the kind of open and inquiring mind that is needed at university, she says. The IB also means students do not significantly narrow down their options for higher education when they make their subject choices at 16.

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