A word from a tutoring expert
Name: Jerome Barty
Company: BartyED (Barty Education and Development)
Role: Managing Director
The IB is renowned as a difficult programme. What does it take to achieve the highest possible score like Traven did?
Any student who scores above 40 will be welcomed by a top university; a score of 45 will often open the door to scholarships as well as extra college credit in North America. A perfect score in the IB Diploma is quite a feat. It requires a high degree of academic commitment as well as diligence in working consistently throughout the two-year programme.
Interestingly, with the exception of the assigned grades in 2020, the percentage of perfect scores has remained the same since the IBDP was first introduced in the 1960s. Consequently, there’s no question of grade inflation as has been the case with A levels in recent years.
What are the keys to success in the IB?
Developing key academic skills in advance of starting the IB Diploma is perhaps the largest determiner of success. Too often, I meet students in their first year of the Diploma who struggle to produce a five-paragraph essay, or don’t know how to keep organised notes. Students who have completed GCSEs or have gone through a more rigorous secondary programme often find the transition into IBDP easier.
What’s more, learning to find pleasure in academic study can help students find that extra bit of motivation needed to achieve highly in the IB. Students who read for pleasure often out-perform their peers who don’t, and this applies across all subjects, not just English! It helps develop their attention span, imagination and curiosity – all key features of a successful IB student.
What kind of specialised training do you provide for IB students?
The specifics of the training is dependent on the needs of the student. One student may need more help with structuring responses, whereas another might need assistance with the content of their course. We support all major IB subjects including TOK and particularly enjoy supporting students’ Extended Essays. Whatever the case may be, BartyED tutors are highly qualified to guide any student through the trials and tribulations of the IB.
Our primary focus is on the development of students’ skills and academic independence so that they may thrive beyond the IB programme. For instance, the recognition of keywords is an essential skill for any IB candidate. Knowing the difference between a “To what extent” and an “Explore” question can be what distinguishes a student that gets 38 from one who gets 40 or above, and this applies in many subjects. When you’re applying to the top universities in the world, it’s that degree of precision in your understanding and analysis that can make all the difference.