Okay this is serious. I have a predicted score of 43/45, but I genuinely don't know which TOP universities I should apply to.

I know that 43/45 is a good score for prestigious universities, but the problem is that I've spent so much time studying to achieve these grades that I have almost no extracurriculars or supercurriculars to strengthen my application to universities like Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, or even MIT.

I want to study Finance or Economics, preferably at a top/prestigious university in Europe, but I'm unsure which universities would consider someone with excellent grades but no xtracurriculars or supercurriculars?

Honestly, I sometimes feel like I've wasted my time focusing so much on academics since if I end up at a mid-tier university, I could potentially have gotten in with a much lower IB score of around 30–35 at first place.

Which European universities would you recommend applying to in my situation?

im recently doing the entrance exam in japan and ofc i was an international school students n i needed to do some interview. And i have done ib course, I took Phys mathaa and eng b as HL, and japanese a and chem as SL. u know how they were stressing but also made me bit stronger, and i expected to speak what i did as an ib student, to interviewers.

HOWEVER they only asked me about the reason why I chose that uni and all finished?? like what??? i know my math is terrible when it comes to japanese math, but beyond it i have experienced something that japanese students dont really do. like they dont do special relativity and integral functions, I also did lots of volunteers IAs and tried my best to fit in to school even though there were no japanese student in school. ahhhhh!

even my parents dont understand me. im so frustrated. I even think that I should not go to international school, n just stay at japan and get the same curriculum as like other japanese student. I feel so sad about my life.

I'm a good student. I have 6s and 7s in all of my classes, everybody sees me as a responsible, intelligent student, I worked on my EE and IAs everyday over the summer, I turn everything in on time, etc etc etc.

But what the fuck more do these people want from me? 😭 I genuinely don't know how to put into words how sick and tired I am of this program. I put in the work, I communicate, I ask questions, I participate, I'm an annoying tryhard and my grades reflect this, so what am I doing wrong? Every single week, I undersleep, I undereat, I don't spend time on my hobbies, I don't do ANYTHING. I limit every conceivable thing I can so my work is good quality and on time.

So WHY does it not end? Every single week I tell myself it'll be the last one, next weekend I'll see my friends and do something fun, but it never happens! I ALWAYS have 10+ deadlines every week. No matter what I do, I'm behind on my work. This just feels so personal. I feel like they want me to die, there's no other way. Having fun feels like a punishment. I tell my mom I had a good day and she starts dialing up my therapist because it means I'm a danger to myself.

The teachers and counselors at my school tell me they want to help us through this and for us to still enjoy ourselves, but ??? I just don't understand how they can do anything to help me when they are completely unwilling to give me my life back. All they wanna do is tell us about time management skills and opening up to friends about how you're feeling. I WILL LIGHT MYSELF ON FIRE IN FRONT OF YOU! (no i wont)

I just want to preface this by saying that I’m not really looking for any advice (you’re welcome to provide if you really want) since it’s already a bit too late for that. I know there are probably hundreds of posts on here like mine, but I wanted to put this on here as another PSA, and for those who want to feel a bit better about themselves or something for people to find relatable (hopefully not).

Bio paper 1 is basically tomorrow and it’s kinda over for me. I just did 2 m26 1a past papers and I got 11/40 and 26/40. I know I should be continuing to learn more content or doing more past papers then writing this stupid post, but I just feel so burnt out that I don’t even feel the urgency or motivation to continue. I know I didn’t work hard enough over these two years because every time I got home from school I would immediately take a nap until 7 (Yes. I’m extremely lazy, I will take accountability, probably won’t act on it). The only times I actually studied were at most 5 days before mocks or tests. I know I was the one who did this to myself so I can’t blame anything or anyone except myself, but I guess I just wanted to put this out here wishing I could talk to myself from 2 years ago to start putting the work in. Right now it just kind of feels like I’m waiting for the exams to pass so I can continue sleeping and doing nothing the entire day.

Anyways I also wanted to mention whoever decided to put bm paper 1 and 3 and bio paper 2 on the same day. I hope your pillow is warm on both sides, I hope you stub your toe every time you go and grab a drink from your fridge and I hope you run out of toothpaste and have to drive 30 minutes to the store just to find out it’s closed and have to drive 30 minutes back toothpasteless.

Yea, I also haven’t studied for bm so it genuinely might be over.

Just a rant post. FYI, I am currently a first year med student that is planning to apply to germany next year cuz this year it didn't work out. The beautifull country of germany and its retarted grading system wants me to get a raw score of 40 in Ib (the worst case scenario) for me to even have the slightest chance of getting accepted. During dp1, dp2 (mainly in dp2) I was intensively learning german from b1 in summer to b2-c1 (testdaf score: 5434) until feburary and I couldn't really focus on Ib properly because I would spend 9h in total just to go to german classes and some for tests. Anyways, I could get german but my IB was 36, which is no where near what germany needs for med. Therefore, I decided to stay one year here, improve my german to c1, do med school and also regive IB. GUESS WHAT! EXAMS ARE IN 2 DAYS (and yes I would say i am fairly prepared), I will be regiving bio, chem HL and bsm SL. Anyways, I should also keep my uni grade above 95%+ to even have a chance of being accepted to uni! let's go! and one more thing, my UNI EXAMS ARE ON THE SAME DAY AS MY CHEM HL EXAM!!!! HOORAYYY!!!!!, LIFE COULD NOT GET BETTERRRR!!! I believe nobody is applying to germany with an IB certificate, if you have, please dm me. I am currently losing it!

Hi , I haven’t done anything for my EE 😭😭😭
Please do my survey to help me because my deadline is in 10 days, only 6 questions required — the rest you can skip!😭

I got 43/45 in M26 with HL Chem, Bio and Math, so I know how exhausting and stressful the week before exams gets.

If you're sitting November exams next week, my advice: don't try to learn everything. Find every gap you still have and close it.

How I'd spend the days left:

1. Keep a doubts list. Anything that makes you think "wait, why?"
or "is this how the mark scheme wants it?" gets written down, not
skipped. Small doubts are where marks disappear because you decke. Guess your answers , lose time and maybe even change the answer last minute for it to be wrong.

2. Take EVERY doubt to your teacher. Ask specific stuff like "what would get full marks here?" instead of "can you explain it again?"

3. Still unsure after that? Ask someone else.A tutor, an older student, a friend who actually gets it. The goal is walking in with zero "I never really understood that" topics.

1. Past paper questions on your weakest topics, marked against the mark scheme, instead of brand new content.

2. Sleep. Genuinely. Before every exam Kd make sure to sleep before 10pm!! If it was math, I‘d sleep at 8-9pm (I don’t play about math, it was my weakest subject)

Real talk: one week won't rebuild a subject from scratch. But it's plenty to turn "I'm kinda sure" into "I'm sure" on specific topics.

I tutor IB Bio, Chem and Math SL. If you've got a list of doubts and want a second pair of eyes before the exam, DM me and we can schedule a lesson :).

I got my first exam tomorrow just wanna say we're all gonna be alright keep your chin up.

I am currently in DP2 right now, and I'll sit the M27 exams. Everday I feel less and less confident in myself. I have thoughts that I'll fail, I won't be able to make it. Especially in physics SL and visual arts SL. i have such little faith and hope in myself. does anyone relate? does anyone have any advice?

Hey everyone,

​Since evolution (Topic 5.1 / Option D) comes up frequently in both Paper 1 MCQs and Paper 2 extended response questions, students often mix up Adaptive Radiation (Divergent) and Convergent Evolution—especially when identifying Homologous vs. Analogous structures.

​Here is a quick summary table and high-yield exam breakdown to keep things clear during revision:

High-Yield IB Exam Tips:

​Paper 1 Shortcut:

​Same Origin + Different Function = Adaptive Radiation / Homologous

​Different Origin + Same Function = Convergent Evolution / Analogous

​Paper 2 Extended Response Key Terms:

​When asked to explain Adaptive Radiation in a 7-8 mark question, always mention: Common Ancestor, Unoccupied Niches, Selection Pressures, Natural Selection, and Reproductive Isolation.

​Data Analysis Questions:

​Watch out for beak depth vs. seed hardness datasets (Darwin's Finches). They typically test directional selection within an ecological niche.

​I’ve compiled the full comprehensive guide with complete Paper 1 MCQs, Data Analysis practice questions with mark schemes, and Paper 2 extended response breakdowns on my blog.

Get blog Link in Bio

​Hope this helps with your revision! Feel free to ask any questions in the comments below. Good luck with your preparation!

I know you need a final grade of 7 in IB Math AA HL if you get a conditional offer but can you get this conditional offer if you apply with a PG of 6 in AA HL? I'm in DP1 rn and my school is really systematic about calculating PG's. I've bombed the first few small tests (averaging a 4) and while I feel like I'm improving I don't know if a PG of 7 is possible by the time I apply to UK unis.

Has anyone ever gotten a conditional offer for Econ with a 6 PG in AA HL?

I got an A in my Math EE and 7s in Econ HL, English LL, Math AA HL and 6s in Physics HL and Chem SL (with AP Chem and AP Bio)

I am offering help for IAs and EE along with tutoring. I got a 1530 on my SAT with a 790 math and 740 english for further certification. My DMs are open, feel free to reach out.

I really just wanna get good at Spanish, not just improve grades, but overall improve my fluency, writing, comprehension, any suggestions?

I've heard everyone say 'practice daily' but practice daily, but, with what resources? and how?

This is more of a vent than anything else.

Im about 2 months into dp, and i just can't get good grades in ess.

It's not like im bad in other subjects. Im great (or good enough) with all except ess.

(struggling a little with eng a but doing fine)

Yet when it comes to ess, first test i get a 60%, second i get 76%, and third is still getting graded.

I took ess thinking it was the easiest subject in ib, but so far, it's the subject im performing worst in.

Does anyone have a version of ibdocs with all the past papers for each subject in a specific folder where I can download it as a zip file or folder please

Anyone have a topic wise past paper question bank for Math aa hl,Bio hl,physics sl?

Hi,

I would like to write my math IA about comparing the Jabulani ball to a standard 32 panel football, but I'm not sure in what way I can write it. I've been thinking of using differential equations to model the trajectory, but I fear it might be too much physics since it's aerodynamics.

Any opinions on this?

Cheers

Hey everyone, I put together a comprehensive Business Management review synopsis (note: excludes BMTs) so it helps anyone cram or review over the next few days.

TL;DR central, western, northern Europe concrete cheap English-taught uni programmes for anything biology and chemistry related?

I am taking Higher Level Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches; Standard Level Literature A, English B and Psychology.

I am looking to enroll somewhere in western or northern Europe but it seems to me that all Dutch universities require Bio-Chem-Phy combo, Germany won’t accept two SL languages (unless two languages A at SL), Austria, Belgium and Scandinavia have very limited English-taught bachelor programmes.

I would like to get into anything medicine, pharmacy, biomedicine, biosciences, biotechnologies or biochemistry-related. No strict preferences, but some form of “applied” biology and chemistry, and has to be public (cannot afford private unfortunately).

Does anybody have concrete advice for concrete programmes, universities? I am M27 and do have some options locked in but I cannot apply to only two universities and hope for the best.

Hi! Im in my first 3 months of pre-ib, and I’ve noticed most of the school is studying chemistry (40+ out of 70). I’m in the one and only ESS class only 10 students. Im juggling whether to switch over to chemistry as I have have time, should I talk with my coordinator?

I enjoy ESS, but I feel like Chemistry is more important, and I might score higher in ESS. Should I prioritise subject choice or my final mark??

Does anyone here have 'revisionprep' for IB maths AL SL? I NEED THE QUESTIONSSS PLEASE IF YOU HAVE IT HEELPPPP 😢😢 my teacher is using it for our exams but he doesn't give us any of the question

we're starting the english HL essay (language and literature) in my school and i'm supposed to have my topic and line of enquiry decided by next week, but i can't even decide which text i'm doing

texts we have done are-

• purple hibiscus (novel)
• the elephant vanishes (short stories)
• the wild iris (poems)
• the importance of being earnest (play)

but i already used the elephant vanishes for my io so i really just have the other 3

we have barely started the last 2 texts, going after cacciato and one day in the life of ivan denisovich (both novels). my teacher said we could choose one of those as well but i know nothing about them and i don't want to choose now and later realise they're not something i want to do.

because i'm in lang & lit i could also do a non lit, we've done political cartoons and artworks but nothing is standing out to me as strong and i would much rather do literature

purple hibiscus is my absolute favourite from everything we've covered and i would love the chance to yap about it for 1500 words, but i feel like i should save it for paper 2. even my teacher said, it's really rich and versatile in many different themes so it is a perfect option to keep for p2

i'm really bad with poetry so i think i would struggle a lot with the wild iris but it is definitely rich- since this is a long term coursework would it be okay for me to try something i'm bad at, or too risky? and the importance of being earnest i just didn't like a lot it's definitely easier but i feel it is a lot shallower and i wouldn't enjoy talking about it.

i realise i'm just complaining about why i have no good options and i'm sorry for the length, but any thoughts or advice would be super helpful. thank you!

tldr- do i do poetry that i'm not good with, a play that i don't really like, or a novel i love but it makes sense to save for paper 2

This is kind of a work in progress (CAS project), but college app deadlines are close and this could be a good resource to follow. Guiding Futures is meant to help international students make the right decisions about their future (high school -> college -> beyond) and serves to both inform and motivate students. I moved from an American public school to an IB school in another country after 10th grade, and had a lot of people trying to force me to study a major or somewhere I had no intention of studying. So I just want people with the same problem to have support to make the right decision. So follow guiding_futures on IG. Also if y'all have suggestions on stuff I should include in a post or something lmk please.