Be Prepared to Confront your IBDP
The road to IB is winding, and the last thing you want to do is get off to a shaky start. Get a head start on your studies and start using these suggestions as soon as possible; it will make things easier as you approach your IB tests, EE, IA and CAS. The EE takes a long time to complete, and getting it properly is more difficult than it appears at first. Start working on it as soon as possible—you could need more time than you think. Treat CAS as a learning opportunity.
Make revision fun and interesting:
If you want your revision to be effective, so keep it active and varied. Review your notes and handouts, and then condense them into key concepts, information, and datasheets for each topic and sub-topic. This strategy uses your brain considerably more active and, as a result, is much better at enhancing your understanding and recall of the topic. You can also use Blen as your study pal as it has got tests, quizzes and fun puzzles to keep it interesting for you.
Handwritten work helps:
Practice making essay plans and writing full handwritten answers - or typing them if you are allowed to type your answers in the exams - under timed conditions so you can get used to dissecting questions, planning your answers to a variety of questions, and then writing full answers in the time constraints you will face in May.
Concentrate on refining your technique.
To achieve the best results in May, you must devote the next several months to strengthening the areas of techniques in which you have performed poorly thus far in the course. So, if your teacher has consistently told you that your essays are too descriptive or narrative, make sure that every essay you write this year is analytical and focused on the question's wording.
Three things can help you improve your technique:
1. Routinely practice planning and responding to questions
2. Review mark schemes and examiners' reports to ensure you grasp the marking criteria
3. Review model or sample responses.
Prioritizing activities is crucial in the IB:
You must pick between refining your IA and preparing for your unit exam when you have a math IA due in five days and a unit exam the next day. Even if you manage your time efficiently, the sheer quantity of things on your plate will eventually force you to put something aside in order to focus on what is really important — and this is not a failure. Read the grading schemes and practice a lot of old papers to figure out exactly what the examiners are looking for when it comes to test preparation.
