How to Ace IB Exams

The International Baccalaureate exams are very challenging for most people, and studying can tax even the brightest and most dedicated students. But following the study tips below can help you get the perfect 7s (and IB Diploma) you've been dreaming about!

Things You'll Need

• Notes from your IB classes
• A study space

Instructions

1. Make sure you do the best you can on all the work that counts towards your IB score other than the exam. Most IB subjects are graded using many components; for example, in many of the sciences, lab reports are a major component; for languages, an oral exam is required; for Theatre Arts, an essay, or "Research Commission," is needed. Do your best on these components, as well as on your Extended Essay and your Theory of Knowledge essay. Even if you ace the exams themselves, you need to do well on these other components in order to get an excellent final score.

2. Most IB schools either offer or mandate mock IB exams, or "trials." These practice exams usually help your teachers to accurately assess your preparedness for the exams, and can help you target your weak spots. Study for your trials as though you were studying for the actual exams, and treat them as though they were the real tests. Then observe where you performed less well, or not as well as you expected. Clear strengths and weaknesses will emerge, and these can help you plan what you need to work on when studying for the real tests.

3. Once you know where to concentrate in your studies, set aside some time every day for studying, starting about a month before the tests. Many IB schools ease up on class requirements for the month before the tests, or even cancel formal classes in favor of personal study time, but even if your school doesn't do this, make sure to study every day. Draw up a study schedule, focusing most on those areas in which you need the most improvement.

4. Some subjects will require you to write essays or answer questions on a subject or subjects of your choosing. For example, in History, Higher Level, you are given several essay topic choices. In these cases, choose topics to study that may be useful in a variety of questions. In the History example, choose several wars or events that may used for many different topics, such as the Russian Revolution or World War I.

5. Check out some past IB exam papers on the internet. Test yourself against these papers, and make sure you know the general topics covered. See the links below to get started.

6. Don't study too hard the night before the test! Take a break and relax instead. You'll need to give your brain a little time to prepare itself for all the strain it's going to experience during the exams. Make sure to get plenty of sleep, and to have a good breakfast before you go to the test. Get up several hours before the test, so that your brain has time to wake up before you get started.

Tips & Warnings

• If your school allows you to log your hours for CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) any time you want and in any distribution you'd like, try to get them done in your first year. Some schools require that you divide your CAS hours between the two years, but if your school doesn't have this rule, try to finish as much as possible before your second year. Then you'll have more time to concentrate on your exams.

• Don't leave studying until the last minute. The IBs are fairly comprehensive, and don't really accommodate last-minute study.

Resources

• IB revision notes
• Sample examination papers
• More past papers