How did the IB Prepare you for University?

How did the IB prepare you?

Our Allumni (and Mr Adrian, an IB Graduate) have given us some feedback on how well the IB Prepared them for University.

Mr Adrian Harwood, Class 2014 (United World College, Maastricht)

I often tell students that the Diploma Program was more difficult than my post-secondary studies. This takes many by surprise and I am often asked - why was that the case? Well, it was not because the level of rigor in the DP was greater, but more so because I was developing the skills that would allow me to be successful during university and thereafter.

We live an age where information is readily available at our fingertips. With the tap of a screen, students are able to access the world's collective knowledge at ease. This reality necessitates being able to use and apply this information effectively to our individual and collective experiences in the broader world. In other words, to think critically.

IB taught me how to apply my knowledge of the world with intention. By engaging in discourse about core values and belief systems in the Humanities, the IB prepares you to be an active member of the international community. Through exploration of issues central to our identities while completing IAs and the EE, students are able to develop a critical eye about the manner in which they can contribute positively to our increasingly globalized society. These exercises demand that students form well-developed opinions on issues relevant to their own lives and share these during in-class discussion. More than that, the IB encourages an open-minded approach to considering ideas that may not have previously fit within our world view, ultimately increasing the potential for positive change.

I brought this invaluable lesson with me to university. My ability to speak on a number of issues with an acute awareness about how others' beliefs could enrich my own allowed me to excel in discussion-based courses. More than that, the writing skills that I developed while completing the IB provided me with a base through which I was able to express myself in a coherent and substantial manner. Nearly a decade after completing the IB, it is safe to say that its preparation has allowed me to reach my potential in ways that I never imagined possible. This is so much so the case that I felt impassioned to return as a teacher, hoping to give back to the program that shaped the aspirational global citizen I am proud to call myself today.

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Ahmed Al Mansoori, Class 2015

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The IB prepared me for the rigors of university life. I was able to lead a balanced social and academic life from the get-go. It even provided me the option to graduate early, since I was granted accelerated credit in fields like Economics and Mathematics. The IB equipped me with the necessary writing skills to excel in my studies: writing thousand-word essays got easier and easier after the Extended Essay. Thanks to ToK, I was able to critically analyze information from diverse perspectives and not take things at face value.

I still draw on these skills every day at my Master of Science program at King’s College London. This motivated me to become more inquisitive and nurtured my intellectual curiosity to this day.

The IB helped me shape a more well-rounded personality, as it inspired me to be civically engaged and volunteer in my free time (even when it was not required). I became proactive about global issues I cared about, such as the refugee and homelessness crises. At Duke University, I was able to juggle my schoolwork alongside running a refugee resettlement program. Lastly, the IB raised my global awareness and aided me in becoming a representative for international students on campus.

Carlos Gonzales, Class 2016

IB taught me to be creative.

By solving math problems with obtuse solutions or analyzing texts in-depth at a glance, the IB prepares you to stay on your toes and be flexible with your problem solving. Exam prep is great to mental agility, but assignments like the IAs and the EE are great at teaching you how to think in depth and develop larger scale work where the execution requires more time than an exam can give you. The IB trains your mind to know what it feels like to push past your comfort zone and really change how you approach your work.

In university, this meant that the shock of having to write 2 EE-length papers and present 2 final exams all around the same time didn't hit as hard as it could have. 6 years after graduating from Raha, I can confidently say that it is this ability to be nimble with thought, and consistently generative that has allowed me to quickly adapt to new work environments and maintain constant involvement in multiple projects at a time. At the end of the day, the vast majority of the facts you learn in IB are irrelevant, but it is the ability to quickly acquire new knowledge and implement it in ways that are innovative, and resourceful allow you to thrive in the fast changing world we live in.

Shriya Baweja, Class 2018

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Having recently graduated from McGill University, I have had significant time to reflect on how my time at Raha International School, and specifically engaging in the IB, equipped me for both academic and professional success at University. The most important skill I acquired from the IB that has translated to my time at University has been exceptional time management. With the novelty of moving countries, meeting new people, and adjusting to an entirely new system of academia, time management is paramount.

Throughout the IB, I was encouraged to foster the mindset of being an independent learner that had to simultaneously juggle numerous expectations (6 subjects, IA’s, TOK, CAS…you name it). Whilst this was overwhelming at times, I have gradually come to appreciate the value of the IB experience as I truly feel like it adequately prepared me to tackle any and every hurdle life at University directed my way. Constantly being motivated to expand my critical thinking and to develop a well-rounded personality through community service activities in the IB has also moulded me to be a more proactive member of my community beyond just academic involvement.

All in all, I firmly believe the IB curriculum was a critical contributor to my accomplishments at University.

Afra Abdul Kader, Class of 2018

The main reason I chose the Diploma Programme for my high school studies is because I knew it would allow me to explore many of my interests as well as prepare for medical school. Additionally, knowing that the IB is widely recognized by many universities in the world allowed me to keep my options open regarding where I wanted to study. HL Biology, HL Physics, and SL Chemistry laid down many foundations for further medical studies with their comprehensive syllabi and meticulous lab reports we were taught to write. SL Math was extremely valuable to be in my first semester when I had a Biostatistics class. HL English Literature kept me in touch with my love for reading, and helped me develop my writing skills.

Working on the extended essay was the first stepping stone in writing research papers, which is a very necessary skill while pursuing medicine. ToK gave me the ability to look at things from multiple perspectives, which is an essential skill in problem-solving. Having 7 subjects and working on CAS, ToK and the EE, all while actively pursuing my own interests definitely helped me improve my time-management skills.

Marko Prinsloo, Class 2020

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During my high schooling years there is a lot that I was incredibly grateful for. A great school community of friends and teachers, some of which I still love and stay in contact with. The IB curriculum itself on the other hand, I had trouble loving and enjoying at the time because it is a very demanding and difficult program (especially if you’re not very proactive). However, it must be said that the values, skills and thinking patterns I learned during my time in IB, have prepared me and to an extent has set me up for the adult world.

There are obviously still many many lessons that need to be learned, but I have done a gap year program/ internship with a church where I worked with many different people of all spheres, ages and walks of life. I felt very strongly that what I had learned in IB, I was able to apply outside of an academic life, but in real life. I wasn’t just “book smart” but the way the IB curriculum trained me to be a critical thinker, principled and a risk taker (not just words I’m using, but words I have integrated in my daily living) helped me to be a more rounded and trustworthy individual.

I am currently finishing off a year of low budget travel across the world. There have been countless occasions where I have needed to be open minded and caring since we’re communicating and interacting with people of different cultures, religions and ideologies. There have also been numerous instances where we have been in sticky situations, wether that’s hitchhiking through a country with no money or where critical and balanced thinking was needed in the heat of a moment.

All in all, IB has been nothing but life changing and course altering for me. I am eternally grateful for everything that I have learned during my time in Raha International School and it’s a place that I hold very dear to my heart. IB is more than just an academically rigorous course, but it’s sample of the real world and it only gave me the confidence to step into my adult with boldness and a manner of thinking that is unparalleled by any other education system. Next year I’ll finally start my studies as BCom (Mathematics Science) in Stellenbosch University. I was accepted with a lack of required subjects because of the highly esteemed IB curriculum. I again, am incredibly grateful for everything IB has taught me and prepared me for the realness of life.

Giacomo Schott, Class 2022

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The IB has prepared me for university in multiple ways. I skipped the first two weeks of chemistry lectures with ease of mind and had a smoother transition with the first couple math classes than my peers. I immediately made fast friends with anyone who had suffered through the same curriculum; some of them could even spell my name.

But I think the interdisciplinary aspect of the IB is what has helped me most. The inquiry skills I developed through TOK allowed me to ask my Iranian roommate questions concerning the social unrest taking place in his country: How does Persian history shape the identity of its people? Why do individuals risk their lives to confront a conflict larger than themselves?

No other high school alumnus is more prepared to resolve issues of global significance than an IB graduate, and I am thankful to my teachers who have prepared me for success beyond school. But despite their best efforts to guide my first steps at this turning point in my life, the words spoken by my university president are what have inspired me most: O'zapft is!

Miranda Viera, Class 2022

It’s True. IB Does Prepare you!

Hey Raha! My name is Miranda Vieira, and I am a recent Raha Graduate from the class of 2022. This past September, I have just started my first block/semester in the International Law program at Groningen University in the Netherlands. I must admit that what everyone was saying is true. IB does prepare you for your first year of university. Let’s just say that some of the university students coming from around the world, did not even know how to cite or paraphrase. I was shocked, since this is something I learned all through MYP to prepare us for DP. When my English Law professor announced our first 1000-word argumentative essay, the other students were traumatized. I was just happy it was only 1000 words! Thanks to the IB 4000- word Extended Essay, this did not scare me. Please take the time to remember that although IB is extremely hard while you are just 16-18 years old, you will be relieved by the time you start University. You will not be scared to write your first essay, present in front of your peers or even contribute to group work. IB has for sure taken care of this for me, and that I am thankful for.

Best of luck to the upcoming class of 2023!