Language acquisition a second language. Individuals and societies. The Arts. The diversity of the program is either a blessing or a curse, depending on your personal taste. On the one hand, it ensures that your child remains an academic all-rounder in all the major fields, and the advantage of learning a second language can make your child a more alluring candidate in global job markets. However, this also means that your child will not be able to tailor their studies towards preferred streams of study, such as humanities or mathematics.
As part of the HSC course, students can undertake subjects which can count towards traineeships or apprenticeships. These are highlighted in the tables below. This is a question that emerges time and time again.
As an increasing number of senior students are opting for the International Baccalaureate IB over the HSC, we must ask - what is it about the IB that makes it so appealing to both students and parents alike, and could it be right for your child?
Why we love the IB. When I got my result, I was shocked and I remembered screaming and crying. It was definitely a good surprise! Equivalent to a However, the IB is also highly demanding. Even without the competition fostered in HSC schools, the IB is still a two-year course that requires students to continually build and extend on their knowledge.
It is designed for students who are willing to commit to the demands of the curriculum, and for their efforts, they are certainly rewarded. At Little Geniuses , we target this aspect by focusing on early preparation and revision through the two-year period. In the IB Diploma, subjects are not scaled. In , the IB state average among Australian students was This is equivalent to an ATAR of This final month can make a huge difference for your child, as they will have much more time to study and to finalise their knowledge.
While one month may not seem like a lot, extra study time will unquestionably improve the chance of having a better final mark. The HSC also has its challenges. Students must carefully select high-scaling subjects, such as Extension 2 Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
He also thinks it comes down to whether students want a broad educational approach in their senior school studies, or if they would prefer to hone in on a topic or vocational area. Some students are attracted to IB subjects such as psychology and global politics, which are not available in the HSC. But deterrents include the requirement to study a foreign language.
Others are driven by scaling. Students who are strong in the arts might prefer the IB because it treats those subjects the same as maths and science: a grade 7 in theatre or music is worth the same as a 7 in physics. The HSC, on the other hand, has historically tended to elevate students who perform well in extension mathematics, physics, chemistry and economics.
The IB workload can also be a source of stress for students. Teachers say it requires a different pattern of study to the HSC; students need to be prepared to commit to being organised over a two-year campaign. Then there's the fail factor: whereas all students are awarded the HSC regardless of their marks, a student can fail to receive an IB diploma. Last year's pass rate was about 92 per cent. Students must score a minimum 24 points to receive the formal qualification and an ATAR equivalent.
But they must also score at least grade 4 in each of their higher level subjects. They cannot score a single grade 1, nor the bottom mark in either the essay or theory of knowledge subject.
If they fail to meet those requirements, students can sit the IB exams up to three times and still receive a record of their results. The proportion of students taking it is growing as well," Mayrhofer says. But most IB schools are in affluent areas — just two are west of Strathfield and two are south of Maroubra — and it is still not available in NSW public schools. Mr Mayrhofer acknowledges there is a "feeling of exclusivity" around the course in NSW, although other Australian states are increasingly offering the IB in public schools.
Queensland introduced the diploma to three selective and six comprehensive public schools in An internal NSW Department of Education paper from recommended offering the IB in government schools to give students equity of access with private schools. The proposal also said it would "help attract and retain families of bright students in the public school system" by offering subjects more advanced in depth and breadth.
But the paper was never published nor acted upon. The challenges of introducing the IB included difficulty in offering it in smaller high schools, high costs and the risk it "may devalue the HSC". There were also concerns its implementation could exclude students outside metropolitan areas.
The most important news, analysis and insights delivered to your inbox at the start and end of each day. It is a very challenging programme, in my view. But it seems to be a lot easier to achieve an ATAR of at least Also, a good idea to start preparing for your IB, by yourself or with external guidance, now. The IB programme is so heavy that any head start you have will help you enormously. Some schools like Trinity Grammar start term 4 of Yr 10; which I think is a good policy.
Others start Term 1 of Yr 11 - which would put a lot of pressure on you. But opting for Maths SL instead of HL will take a lot of load off you, since, in my view, HL is so much harder and yet you get no extra credit or reward for choosing it.
And don't forget to come to me for your Maths. You can start your IB Maths now, for a start! Last edited: Jun 26, Thanks, I'll be sure to take your advice! Last edited: Aug 5, Reflecting back on high school, my economics course had a huge emphasis on the Australian economy and what was happening in our economy. This could also apply to other subjects such as: Business Studies, Legal Studies etc. Doing IB , I think you would be thinking more on a global context for particular subjects.
But I do feel that you need to be at a highly funded school to have a chance to do IB.
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