How does a Final Year of school feel like for an IB senior?
Isn’t it tough? It feels more like a constant juggling act. You have a lot of things to manage at the same point of time. On one hand, you need to manage the rigorous academic demands of the IB Diploma Programme– Internal Assessments (IAs), Theory of Knowledge (TOK), Extended Essay (EE), and regular coursework, and on the other hand stress of preparing for college application, asking for recommendations, writing SOPs and all to be done within strict deadlines.
But that’s the time you need to prove yourself and give it your best shot. But how?
All of these can be handled smoothly by managing your time effectively and by being aware of the deadline. You can manage your time and keep both college and academic goals on track by following a few tips:
- Make a proper plan.
- Make a note of all the work to be done.
- Then, prioritise the work according to the deadlines and the time required to complete the same.
- Make a realistic schedule and follow it with all your heart.
- Start Early and Plan Backwards
- Start completing things as early as possible.
- Do not drag things till the end of the deadlines.
- Highlight all the deadlines- IA submission, TOK essays, EE drafts, and College applications.
- Start working on them as soon as the work is assigned, and try to complete it way before the deadline, like if the deadline for any college application form is in October, fill it out as soon as you get the time in September itself.
- Use a Calendar or sticky notes to keep track of your work.
- Prioritise the Tasks
- Prioritise the task weekly, set some priorities for a week, and tick them off as they are done.
- For example: Complete the IA, write a personal SOP, and request recommendations, and mark them as done when the task is completed.
- Change the Working areas frequently
- Focus on areas alternately to avoid boredom.
- Do it by week or by day, sometimes focus more on academic demands, and sometimes on college admission procedures.
- Break Projects into Small Tasks
- Try taking small steps instead of taking long jumps, like breaking big tasks like IA into smaller tasks like research, outline, and revision, which helps you to complete the work with higher efficiency.
- Similarly, break the college admission process into manageable tasks.
- Limit Distractions and Social Media
- Try to stay productive and joyful throughout, and avoid the things that occupy time unnecessarily.
- Little social media or playing breaks are fine, but limit them and focus on your priorities.
- Take Care of Your Health
- Take care of yourself by doing regular required exercise and eating a good diet.
- Do not neglect sleep, nutrition, and other necessities.
- Leverage breaks and weekends
- Allocate days and breaks for different work.
You can work on academic-related things on weekdays after school, and on the college admission application process on weekends or during breaks.
- Avoid Perfection Early On
- Don’t aim for perfection in the very first go, make it perfect over time, and try learning things from the mistakes.
- Similarly, for college applications, avoid using fleshy vocabulary for perfection, but focus on the statement of purpose and your story.
- Communicate with Teachers and Get Help from Counsellors
- Ask for help from teachers whenever needed; they often provide flexibility if needed.
- Take help from counselors, go for counseling sessions with any good education service company like The Princeton Review.
How The Princeton Review Can Help You in Balancing IB Internal Assessments and College Applications
The Princeton Review Singapore offers professional guidance in college admissions counseling and is dedicated to helping students achieve their dream of attending the world’s best universities. As a global leader, The Princeton Review is trusted by families around the world to guide them through the competitive admission process. Our counselors are former Admissions officers from top US universities, offering valuable insights to make your application stand out.
How do College admission Counsellors help you?
- Thorough Admissions Knowledge: Our staff is familiar with all of the newest strategies and will help you carve out a niche.
- Personalized Planning For Each Student: We will create customized plans based on your strengths and demonstrate to the admissions committee what will be expected from you.
- Full Application Support: Our intentional approach will ensure your application displays your academic performance, interests, and impacts as well as your story as a person.
- Expert Coach for Interview Prep: We will provide one-on-one coaching and actual interview questions to help you show your skills and personality with confidence as you interview at colleges.
How do experienced Tutors help you?
Custom Learning: We have customized all of your lessons for you so that we can adapt to your learning styles and academic goals.
Dedicated Tutors: Our Tutors love helping students succeed, and they know how to help you with every aspect of the IBDP curriculum.
Interactive Lessons: We create a learning environment, either in-person or online, that you love to learn in.
Exam Preparation: We will offer you regular practice tests, prompts to focus your revision, and feedback so that you are ready when it comes time to take your examination.