A Decisive Dilemma: IBDP or A-Level?

Both the A-level and the International Baccalaureate are provided as programs for higher secondary education, and they share a number of characteristics, including a common instructional medium, assessment methods, and independent topic choice.

So, often this matter leads students in a dilemma to think "Is IB better or A- level?"

Just don’t worry; we are here to solve this riddle for you so that you can make a better decision. Let's first clarify the major difference between them.

Difference between IB and A Level

  • In IB 6 subjects are included in the curriculum with 3 core subjects while in A-levels only 3 subjects are included in the curriculum. 
  • The grading pattern for A level is in letters with the highest grade of A* and lowest grade E while IB the point grading system is used and 45 points are the highest score. To earn an IB diploma, students should have at least 24 score points overall.
  • The IB Assessment exams are conducted in May while in A level you can choose to appear in the exams from the two windows one is May/June and the other is October/November.
  • In A level extracurricular activities are not allotted mandatory even students can choose to take part in these activities if they want to while for IB, a student must expose their non-academic abilities through participation in non-academic activities.

Which program has a higher acceptance rate in the Universities?

According to the HESA 2016 statistics, the percentage of IB students who got accepted in the universities is 40.1% in comparison to A-level students having a percentage of 23.7%. 

So, the acceptance rate of IB students is clearly higher than A-levels.

What is the difference in courses for an IB and A level student?

The fields including engineering, medicine, technology, design, law, and business are the most popular choices for IB students. A level students have the advantage of choosing to study Physical Sciences, Creative Arts and Design, Education, and Biological Sciences. While the fields are nearly identical, there is just a slight variance in the subjects.

Which program offers a better employment rate?

For A-level students, the chances of getting a job are more in Trade, Education, and Storage departments. IB students are engaged more towards technical work and scientific research.

Keep in mind; the conclusions in this article are based on statistics of the global trends.

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