An international career is enticing and rewarding. One of the ways to be attractive globally is pursuing International Baccalaureate. While it opens opportunities for students to study and work globally, the biggest question is whether the advantages work for everyone.
The best assessment of the value of the International Baccalaureate is to look at the pros and cons of the IB program. Get the best IB extended essay writing service to help you get the best grades and hack the IB program with ease. Here are insights to help you make a decision on the IB program.
Pros
Subject Variety
The IB program covers four main subject areas. You study math, arts, sciences, and languages. The aim is to provide a wider understanding of education and knowledge so that you can choose specializations from a point of knowledge.
The variety cannot compare to studying specific sciences at A-levels like physics, biology, chemistry or the arts of music, history, and sociology. Each of the four subject areas is covered in considerable depth. The aim is to produce an all-rounded student who will perform better when it is time to choose a specialization.
Universities and colleges around the world are interested in such brains. The fact that you can handle sciences, arts, humanities and languages indicates special skills. It, therefore, opens more opportunities for you in college.
Once you are in university, you can change your career paths easily because you already have the basics of a wider range of subjects. This would not be the case if you had specialized in sciences or arts while in high school. Such variety translates into a wider career path and more opportunities.
Broader academic and career horizons
An education system can be limiting if it is not compatible with what other countries and institutions are offering. You will miss the opportunity to study abroad or take a career path that you discover later in life after specializing in high school. The IB program is international in design. It leaves all career and education options open. That is an advantage if you ever want to be an international student or worker.
The IB program gives you a little bit of everything you will ever encounter in education. It allows you to fit into the education and career descriptions of almost all countries in the world. The IB program is a choice to be an international student and professional.
Personal development
One of the most attractive elements of the IB program is the CAS or Creative Action Service component. The segment emphasizes a lot on personal development and social grounding. Students take a lot of activities outside class for personal and social development.
On the face of it, it helps you to take a break from class. However, behind the scenes, you are developing the crucial soft skills of teamwork, organization, and empathy. The approach is unlike many other curriculums that are too heavy on academics to the point of confining you to think about professional life.
Cons
Workload
Extensive coverage of subjects like languages, arts, sciences, and mathematics will translate into an overload. The program requires you to commit more time to cover all the four subject areas. It might sound too much for a student who wants to spend some time on other activities or who is not oriented to spend too much time in the library.
A comparison shows that the level of studying you achieve is similar to six A-Levels only at A-Grade. It requires a lot of effort and commitment. Peers and friends are only expected to hit three to four A-levels at this point. 6 will demand a lot of dedication and commitment.
Minimal flexibility
While the syllabus offers flexibility upon graduation, it is rigid within. You do not have the option of choosing and dropping subjects at will. Every subject you take is mandatory, with art being the only subject you can drop.
Students who forgo arts have to double up with a science. The best writing services will help you with assignments to make the sciences easier to conquer. The program has no option of a triple dip, meaning that some students will have to bridge if they want to pursue science intensive programs in the future.
The number of subjects on offer will also depend on your school. The lack of a standardized approach means that you might be in the wrong school, denying you the chance to pursue a preferred path. For instance, students who wish to study medicine would better pursue the normal school syllabus because they can take as much math and sciences as they wish.
The International Baccalaureate is a window to international education and career. However, you must evaluate the unique advantages and disadvantages based on your chosen career path. It is a unique education path with measured rewards for those that choose to take the international career and education route.