High school students walk into the IB program with one goal in mind: to score better grades and earn the diploma. Unfortunately, very few students manage to score a 45 in IB.
During the two-year curse, teachers will make sound prediction of the grades their students are likely to get for assessments, essays, and exams. In this respect, it’s important to learn more about the IB predicted grades.
In this guide, you’ll learn more about predicted grades, including what they’re, why they’re important, as well as the exact process that teachers use to determine them.
Let’s get started.
Key Takeaways
- IB predicted grades refer to teachers’ predictions of the possible score that IB students are likely to score based on their knowledge of the program.
- Often, the teachers factors the Theory of Knowledge and the Extended Essay assignments when making their predictions.
- It’s not easy to tell what good predicted grades are, but you should at least work hard enough to score top grades.
What are IB Predicted Grades?
A predicted score is a projection of the highest achievable marks that a student is likely to get in a particular subject.
Within the IB program, predicted grades play a significant role in determining grade thresholds for participating schools.
By providing teachers with predicted grades, the IB program helps manage student expectations and assists in future planning, particularly for university admissions.
Also, such achievements can be extremely valuable in guiding academic and career trajectories.
Why is IB Predicted Grades Important?
IB predicted grades provide a practical scale of a student's academic performance.
While the grades must be as precise and pragmatic as possible, IB acknowledges the scores may vary depending on the school and subject.
To ensure greater accuracy for the scores, IB collaborates with schools to ensure that the grades are consistently reasonable.
Predicted grades enable the IB to:
- Make equitable performance comparisons between students who choose to sit for the IB exams and those who opt for non-examination routes.
- Provide effective support to students, particularly in situations where they are unable to take an exam due to government restrictions or school closures.
How Do Schools Predict IB Scores?
The teacher responsible for a subject determines the predicted grades.
They consider various factors, such as your test scores, work ethics, and potential, from the start of the program to set an expectation that they believe you are likely to achieve.
Before they arrive to a reasonable conclusion:
- Your teacher examines your performance in tests and exams, which provides an indication of your likely performance in the final exams, upon which they will base your overall grades.
- They evaluate your Internal Assessment scores, as well as the IAs complement your exam results. For instance, if you scored 5s in your exams but achieved 7s in all your IAs, your teacher may predict a grade of 6 for you.
- Lastly, your teacher may analyze any upward or downward trends in your past results. For example, if you initially scored 4s in Math but improved to 5s leading up to the main exams, you may receive a predicted grade of 6 in the subject due to the upward trend.
As you can see, your IB teacher assesses your overall progress in the subject to provide a fair and reasonable predicted grade.
When Do Schools Issue Predicted Grades?
Typically, schools issue two sets of predicted grades - one in June of the first year and another in October.
The October predictions are usually higher because teachers may give their students the benefit of the doubt in borderline cases.
It's important to note that you have the option to apply with either set of predicted grades.
However, IB does not provide a specific timeline for the release of predicted grades. Therefore, it is advisable to consult your teacher to determine when you should expect them.
Are IB Predicted Grades Constant?
IB predicted grades are not contestant across all schools. We therefore recommend that you consult with your teacher to obtain clear guidance on the process.
The consultation will give you a clear understanding of the grades you should aim for and enable you to plan your IB revisions accordingly.
Your teacher will base the predicted grades on coursework and assessment, in line with the program's grading system.
For groups 1 and 2, the focus is on 50% coursework and 50% assessments. For groups 3 to 5, the focus is on 20% coursework and 80% assessment.
In some instances, teachers may also consider students' overall performance throughout the course and use it to refine their predictions.
For example, if a student initially scored 7s in class tests but improved to 9s within the first year, a predicted grade of 8 for the final IB exams may be appropriate.
Do You Get Predicted Grades for All Assessment?
Some schools do not provide predicted grades for the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge. Instead, they make an estimate based on a student's overall score in a subject.
For example, a student who scores 39 out of 42 may receive two bonus points.
One of the benefits of IB predicted grades is that they are negotiable.
If you are confident that you can improve your performance in upcoming exams, you can approach your IB teacher and request a higher predicted score.
If you express your commitment to working harder than before, your teacher is likely to give you a revised score.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a Good Predicted Grades in IB?
IB teachers can’t tell what a good number is. So, you should just strive to work hard to get the highest score possible.
You should not feel intimidated if you cannot get 45. After all, a score in the 40s will still make you a competitive candidate.
Some universities, including Cornell and U Chicago, considers 36 and 37 to be good enough for admission. So if you have to aim lower, you should at least get a 36.
2. How Accurate Are IB Predicted Grades?
Predicted grades IB grades are educated guesses that teachers make, which means they can’t be 100% accurate.
Data from this source reveals that the previous predicted grades were at least 15% accurate. About 81% of the predicted scores were within 3 points of awarded total and 43% within a point of the awarded total.
3. Do Universities Look at IB Predicted Grades?
Universities may or may not look at IB predicted scores when deciding whether to approve your enrollment in a course.
Remember, these scores vary quite significantly, with the predictions being more of an educated guess. So, you should request for the grades only if a certain university asks for them.
4. What is the Average IB Predicted Grade?
The average IB predicted grades varies from year to year.
For example, the average score for the May 2021 was 33.02 points, which was a slight increase from 31.34 in May 2020.
The average grade in May 2021 was 5.19, up from 4.9 in May 2020.
Final Thoughts
Predicted grades vary from school to school and between subjects. So, it’s important to check with your IB teacher for more clarity.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that your teacher will give you a prediction based on your ability to improve and your willingness to work hard enough to improve.
If you can prove to your school that you’re serious about improving, your IB teacher will give you the benefit of the doubt and give you a higher predicted grade.