IP, IB vs A Levels

[xxjustakidxx]

JonC:

@James Ang


You are talking about the entire Uni years?

I am talking about this ordinary person who Pri, Sec and JC just kind of scrap through to reach Uni and first year in Uni (under old system, not the current flexi system), out of the only few modules in first year, 3 distinctions (grades better than A) and the rest A.

Here I am talking about the really late developers who only bloom in the Uni and not earlier, because they find those subject before Uni boring, this group may not make it to Uni under current system, and parents may have to send them overseas Uni.

If you are all the way from Pri, Sec and JC getting distinctions, than Uni getting distinction is not so eyebrow raising anymore.

LOL, thats why I said, IP provides advantage

[Serafiel]

lol, I got 7A1s and 3A2s and just managed to squeeze in HC lor.

It’s really very hard to get in here.
She should have just taken CLEP.
Because 3pters are a lot…

[corneyAmber]

Serafiel:

lol, I got 7A1s and 3A2s and just managed to squeeze in HC lor.

It's really very hard to get in here.
She should have just taken CLEP.
Because 3pters are a lot...

The lady who wrote to ST forum should have read this.

[xxjustakidxx]

ks2me:

Serafiel:

lol, I got 7A1s and 3A2s and just managed to squeeze in HC lor.

It's really very hard to get in here.
She should have just taken CLEP.
Because 3pters are a lot...

The lady who wrote to ST forum should have read this.

The CLEP is it the sec 1 one, cause I inside leh @.@

[Heartlander]

My son is applying for DSA. Mots of the 6 years IP course leads to A Levels. Only the ACS(I) course leads to IB.


Question 1. Which is a better course?

Majority of international schools offer IB. My expat friends who send their kids to Internationsl schools keep singing the praises of the IB program. But I grew up with A Levels and there is always the comfort zone of what we are familiar with.

Question 2. Is the ACS(I) IB a good program?

I went for the ACS(I) open house. The principal was selling IB as a superior program. And the ACS family of schools, though not known to be tops academically (better known for CCA achievements) emerged as top 3 IB school in the whole world. That must be no small feat for a school that had just a started the program a few short years.

Some critics said that it shows that IB is not a great course if it is so easy to be top 3. Could it be that ACS(I) really did a good job? Anyone with kids in ACS(I) to share some views?

Thanks

[csc]

hi


There's already a thread here.

http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8100

[jtoh]

First off, you have to realize that ACS(I) takes the top students into its IB programme. At Yr 1, only those who score an aggregate of more than 255 are accepted into IB (except DSA students of course). More students are admitted into IB at Yr 3 and Yr 5, again all top students. So it is not surprising that ACS(I) does very well at the international level. Another thing to note is that ACS(I) will ask students who aren’t performing that well in IB to consider leaving the programme, again boosting its overall performance.

[verykiasu2010]

IB means the students need to be "all rounder" in all subjects


while "A" level allows students to go more in depth at individual subjects by offering H3 level

as a pre-uni course, especially if intending to specialise in uni courses that rely on pre-u foundation, it might be more appropriate to have a stronger foundation via A level to minimise struggle in uni

[xxjustakidxx]

jtoh:

First off, you have to realize that ACS(I) takes the top students into its IB programme. At Yr 1, only those who score an aggregate of more than 255 are accepted into IB (except DSA students of course). More students are admitted into IB at Yr 3 and Yr 5, again all top students. So it is not surprising that ACS(I) does very well at the international level. Another thing to note is that ACS(I) will ask students who aren't performing that well in IB to consider leaving the programme, again boosting its overall performance.

257 last year.

[Faun]

jtoh:

First off, you have to realize that ACS(I) takes the top students into its IB programme. At Yr 1, only those who score an aggregate of more than 255 are accepted into IB (except DSA students of course). More students are admitted into IB at Yr 3 and Yr 5, again all top students. So it is not surprising that ACS(I) does very well at the international level. Another thing to note is that ACS(I) will ask students who aren't performing that well in IB to consider leaving the programme, again boosting its overall performance.

So for those who have to leave the program because they cannot potentially keep the school IB standard up high, what happen to them? Do they stay in ACSI and do 'O' level and then go to JC? Do they offer IGCSE like some International schools do if the student is not competent to do the IB diploma?

It's sad that ACSI is so elitist. Actually the IB program is meant for all, not just the cream of the crop, otherwise how do the International schools run their business. It is therefore not fair or wise to judge the IB program base on ACSI results. I think ACSI is doing IB Diploma to differentiate itself to compete with schools like RI and HCI for the high achiever students. They also sell the program as more superior to A level to attract these bright students over. Apparently, that works. If not for the IB prog. it would not be one of the top schools so quickly. I think ACSI is very very clever and I congratulate them for their success but I don't agree with their style.