Don't Bother About IB If...

...you ONLY want good grades. Save yourself the time and go do other programmes that focus on grades.

I mean, I can't stress that IB is not for the faint-hearted enough. It's tough. It's challenging. It tests everything about you, your patience, your dedication, your perseverance, your teamwork, your time management. And if you ONLY care about good grades, unfortunately, you won't be able to make it...

even if you DO get good grades.

Why? Because the IB's aim is to shape you to become a better individual. It is never ONLY about academic excellence. Yes, exams still play a huge part in IB. But there are so many extra things, that if you only do them simply to get a 7, it is all pointless stress. Why torture yourself when you can get the equivalent with less work?

Time and time again I see "smart" Malaysian students running after As and A+s without actually loving the subjects they are studying, getting involved in clubs that only serve to boost their potential to get scholarships instead of being passionate about the activities. Their lives are fixed and dead. They have no choice, the path is set for them. Nothing else matters but going, no, racing against each other to get into the best universities. Taking a 2-year programme is considered stupid when you can take a 1-year one. Taking a gap year is a big no-no, it is unheard of in Malaysia, even if it is becoming a norm elsewhere.

As hard as IB sounds is, it offers me (and you, if you're considering it) a chance to get out of this fixed pathway. I don't want to compete against others to rush into a university. I do want to get into my dream university (note it might not be the best university), but I want to do so at my own time, at my own pace, when I'm ready. I didn't take a gap year for many reasons, one of them being that I need motivation and a driving force, and if I stay at home I'll only be wasting time slacking. And I believe that taking IB has allowed me to:

• Be independent. Living 364km (4 hours drive) away from home, in the urban city of Kuala Lumpur means I have to be independent and learn how to take care of myself without parents looking out for me. This ensures I'll be good to go once I'm ready to leave for UK or other countries, depending on which university I'm going later.
• Be independent again. The syllabus is designed such that students make many decisions for themselves. A lot of freedom is given to us: it starts off with picking our subjects, and then going on to forming our own IA topics and essay titles. Teachers are not allowed to guide us too much, all of it should be our own work. This is good as it stops spoon-feeding right there and prepare us for university life.
• Get used to assignments that actually count. University is not all exams. There are stuff like thesis and assignments that you have to do over the years, especially if you're going to universities in the US. So having many assignments that count toward the final grade helps prepare me for a smoother transition into university: I won't have to worry so much!
• Be an active and passionate participant in other stuff! Chances are, if you're in A-Levels and you're studying in Asian countries, you will tend to focus too much on academic stuff. You won't be bothering about other activities because they don't matter. In IB, there are compulsory hours, but it quickly becomes more fun and less work as you can do about anything you like, and you may discover something new that you really enjoy. 
• Choose the subjects that I like. If you're like me, you won't be happy with doing all sciences, or all arts. There will be that one subject that you dislike. Good news is that IB lets you choose one subject from each Group, so you can pick that subject you like best only. This is awesome especially if you have never been given a choice before.
• Be more conscious of the world. I don't know about other programmes, but IB is pretty global. For example, we can't just limit ourselves to UK and US in our Economics commentaries. For English Literature, we study works from all over the world. And where I study, I get to go on a service trip to another country. Does all of this help in opening my mind about the world? You bet. 
• Belong in a close-knit community. In many schools around the world the IB community will always be a small one (unless it is an IB-only school). Where I study, there are 600 students for A-Levels and 60 for IB. A small community means you pretty much get to know everybody, and you'll be close to many of them. 

It's annoying when students who are considering the IB keep worrying about getting horrible grades. Yes, it's tougher than A-Levels and other programmes.  Yes, it is risky that you won't be able to score as well as A-Levels. Yes, it is entirely possible to fail if you don't put in the work required. It is just like any other academic programme. There is just a lot more to it than exams. If you're not prepared, don't screw up yourself by taking IB. That is the truth.

Only take IB if you would like to accept a challenge, enjoy a great experiencce and become a much better person in the end. Don't come if you only care about grades. You'll be sorely disappointed because in IB, the more you worry about grades, the less rewards you'll be able to reap. But if you embrace it with an open heart and an open mind that a perfect 45 is not everything, then you will gain the most benefits yet. :)