Plan B: What to do if you don't get into IB
Today is the day. It's the day you get to see who got in to the IB, and who didn't.
Your heart is pounding and your friends are texting frantically about which acceptance page they have open. You, along with hundreds of other students, are continuously refreshing the page with wide eyes and adrenaline coursing through your veins. The clock on your bedside table ticks over to 07:59. You have one minute until results are published. You begin to count down the seconds until the moment you get to know if you got into the IB or not. The minute feels like an hour, a day, a lifetime, but it finally comes. The clock strikes 08:00 and you hit refresh once more.
The results have been published.
You immediately begin sifting through the names faster than you can even properly read what they're saying and everything seems to be a blur. You realise that the names are organised in alphabetical order and you stop sifting for a moment and skip straight to the section your name should be in. Except... you realise it's not there. With furrowed eyebrows, you look through the list of names, and realisation dawns on you. You weren't accepted. To really make sure this is happening and this is real, you check through the list of names again and again, one by one, in case there was some sort of mistake. However, deep down, you know your fears have come true: you weren't accepted into the IB.
So, what the heck should I do now?
Every year, countless amounts of people face the prospect of not being able to continue on with the path they imagined they'd take academically, particularly when one wants to be in the IB. Getting into the IB can be difficult and doesn't happen for everyone. So, what should you do if you didn't get into the IB?
In this article, I'll be talking about the variety of options you have if you don't get into the IB. Not getting in is not that big of a deal once you know what alternative educational routes you can take to get to the same place that IB graduates do. It's all about staying cool and collected and knowing that the IB is not the only way forward: there are heaps of other ways to continue your education and/or working life!
1. Talk with your teacher
Whether you're at a loss for options you can try after not getting into the IB or just have a few questions, the teachers are always available at your disposal. They have seen countless students pass through their doors, probably with the exact same questions as well. I highly recommend getting in touch with the teacher in your school that's in charge of study options (in Finland known as the "opinto-ohjaaja" or OPO). These people are paid just to help you. Take advantage of this amazing resource and use it. They may give you the information and options you need to be able to get into the IB you want to, or the routes you can take during the year leading up to the next exams.
2. LUVA in Eiran Aikuislukio
In Finland, LUVA ("Lukioon valmistava koulutus maahanmuuttajille", roughly translated to Upper Secondary preparatory education for immigrants) is a common path which people follow directly after not getting accepted into their high school(s) of choice. Generally, this option is taken when you haven't received a placement in any of the school choices you applied for and is sometimes known as a last resort. While it doesn't necessarily have to be treated in this way and is a totally viable option for those that didn't get into the IB, LUVA prepares you to start high school in Finnish society by gaining knowledge about different courses while studying in the Finnish language. While this doesn't sound like the path an IB student that would want to study English should take, LUVA offers you the opportunity to really enhance your knowledge of the Finnish language and actually increase your GPA in preparation for the next round of entrance exams. With this in mind, there really is nothing you can lose by going to LUVA because you will become even more prepared to start the IB in the following year.. Plus, in the end, an additional year of study before going to the IB well and truly doesn't make any difference to your peers: I have people in my grade (IB2) that just turned 16 and others that are just about to turn 20! So, if age difference worries you if you come face to face with the possibility of being a year older than others in your grade, it actually doesn't matter at all!
3. Vocational school
Vocational school is usually considered the less academic and more physical/technical version of high school. Vocational school put into practice means the opportunity to learn about fields of work in a specialised way. This can mean anything from learning the skills required to be mechanic or the culinary art skills of a chef. I have to say, though, that there is a negative outlook on attending vocational school for no real good reason at all. Especially in the case of not having received placement in an IB or other high school, vocational school offers the opportunity to try something completely different and even to get a taste of a possible profession that you might want to pursue! I actually have a friend that would've preferred going to culinary school over going to the IB, as she's realised that the IB doesn't really focus on what she's passionate about (she loves cooking food and plans to open a restaurant in the future, so the IB doesn't quite fit her interests that well).
3. Other options
Working for the year:
If you aren't interested in enrolling in a whole other school and attending a year of classes, there's always the option to hold off until the next round of IB exams and actually reeling in heaps of money while you're at it. If you choose to work until the next year, you'll get money, meet people, gain valuable life experience, as well as work credentials for your CV. During this period of time, you should reflect on your study options and if the IB really is the route for you. Additionally, you should study and prepare for the next round of exams so that you can ensure you'll get in. While I do see that working for the year leading up to the next round of IB entrance exams is a completely viable option, I also would encourage you to see it more as a last minute and last resort option as this is a route that I don't know too many people have done and could have underlying repercussions that aren't highlighted in this article. A simple example of what could happen may be a change in the support you receive from the government with regards to you being "employed" or a "student".
That being said, I don't see why this shouldn't be considered a reasonable option for those that wish to continue onward with high school but have to wait a year till the next round of entrance exams.
Online studies to improve grades:
If you know that the IB is the one route for you and you don't want to work or study in a Finnish environment because of reasons such as language barriers, the option to enrol in online studies is available to almost all students with access to the internet. While this is most likely the most risky route you can take, you will be well-prepared for the IB exams once they come around again. Resources such as Khan Academy can help prepare you in all sorts of courses that are taken during high school so you don't fall behind your peers academically. However, I can see that there would be issues in receiving governmental assistance as a "student" as you wouldn't be formally enrolled in an institute in Finland. If finances are not a problem, though, studying online and preparing for the next round of exams may be the best option for you.
Your heart is pounding and your friends are texting frantically about which acceptance page they have open. You, along with hundreds of other students, are continuously refreshing the page with wide eyes and adrenaline coursing through your veins. The clock on your bedside table ticks over to 07:59. You have one minute until results are published. You begin to count down the seconds until the moment you get to know if you got into the IB or not. The minute feels like an hour, a day, a lifetime, but it finally comes. The clock strikes 08:00 and you hit refresh once more.
The results have been published.
You immediately begin sifting through the names faster than you can even properly read what they're saying and everything seems to be a blur. You realise that the names are organised in alphabetical order and you stop sifting for a moment and skip straight to the section your name should be in. Except... you realise it's not there. With furrowed eyebrows, you look through the list of names, and realisation dawns on you. You weren't accepted. To really make sure this is happening and this is real, you check through the list of names again and again, one by one, in case there was some sort of mistake. However, deep down, you know your fears have come true: you weren't accepted into the IB.
So, what the heck should I do now?
Every year, countless amounts of people face the prospect of not being able to continue on with the path they imagined they'd take academically, particularly when one wants to be in the IB. Getting into the IB can be difficult and doesn't happen for everyone. So, what should you do if you didn't get into the IB?
In this article, I'll be talking about the variety of options you have if you don't get into the IB. Not getting in is not that big of a deal once you know what alternative educational routes you can take to get to the same place that IB graduates do. It's all about staying cool and collected and knowing that the IB is not the only way forward: there are heaps of other ways to continue your education and/or working life!
1. Talk with your teacher
Whether you're at a loss for options you can try after not getting into the IB or just have a few questions, the teachers are always available at your disposal. They have seen countless students pass through their doors, probably with the exact same questions as well. I highly recommend getting in touch with the teacher in your school that's in charge of study options (in Finland known as the "opinto-ohjaaja" or OPO). These people are paid just to help you. Take advantage of this amazing resource and use it. They may give you the information and options you need to be able to get into the IB you want to, or the routes you can take during the year leading up to the next exams.
2. LUVA in Eiran Aikuislukio
3. Vocational school
Vocational school is usually considered the less academic and more physical/technical version of high school. Vocational school put into practice means the opportunity to learn about fields of work in a specialised way. This can mean anything from learning the skills required to be mechanic or the culinary art skills of a chef. I have to say, though, that there is a negative outlook on attending vocational school for no real good reason at all. Especially in the case of not having received placement in an IB or other high school, vocational school offers the opportunity to try something completely different and even to get a taste of a possible profession that you might want to pursue! I actually have a friend that would've preferred going to culinary school over going to the IB, as she's realised that the IB doesn't really focus on what she's passionate about (she loves cooking food and plans to open a restaurant in the future, so the IB doesn't quite fit her interests that well).
3. Other options
Working for the year:
If you aren't interested in enrolling in a whole other school and attending a year of classes, there's always the option to hold off until the next round of IB exams and actually reeling in heaps of money while you're at it. If you choose to work until the next year, you'll get money, meet people, gain valuable life experience, as well as work credentials for your CV. During this period of time, you should reflect on your study options and if the IB really is the route for you. Additionally, you should study and prepare for the next round of exams so that you can ensure you'll get in. While I do see that working for the year leading up to the next round of IB entrance exams is a completely viable option, I also would encourage you to see it more as a last minute and last resort option as this is a route that I don't know too many people have done and could have underlying repercussions that aren't highlighted in this article. A simple example of what could happen may be a change in the support you receive from the government with regards to you being "employed" or a "student".
That being said, I don't see why this shouldn't be considered a reasonable option for those that wish to continue onward with high school but have to wait a year till the next round of entrance exams.
Online studies to improve grades:
If you know that the IB is the one route for you and you don't want to work or study in a Finnish environment because of reasons such as language barriers, the option to enrol in online studies is available to almost all students with access to the internet. While this is most likely the most risky route you can take, you will be well-prepared for the IB exams once they come around again. Resources such as Khan Academy can help prepare you in all sorts of courses that are taken during high school so you don't fall behind your peers academically. However, I can see that there would be issues in receiving governmental assistance as a "student" as you wouldn't be formally enrolled in an institute in Finland. If finances are not a problem, though, studying online and preparing for the next round of exams may be the best option for you.
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