Why Students Can Get a Final IB Chemistry 7 Without a Predicted 7: School Grades Don't Always Show Their Ability

The IB finals have finished, and it looks as though the results are out.

Students are reporting their IB results by message.

Many received good scores. I'll share a few of them here.

JJStudent & parent messagesEnglish translationParent

Hello, teacher! My child received an IB 7. Thank you so much for all your hard work.

Teacher

Wow!

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JJStudent & parent messagesEnglish translationStudent

I got a 7 in chemistry! Thank you for teaching me all this time.

Teacher

Haha! It’s been so long!

Student

Haha.

Teacher

Of course you did.

Student

I’ve been busy having fun.

Teacher

Nothing surprising about that score. Have fun, go to a good university and become a great person.

Student

I lost points in English and TOK, so my overall score was 43. Thank you.

Teacher

Wow! Where are you going?

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JJStudent & parent messagesEnglish translationStudent

Yes, I did well. I got 7 in chemistry and 43 overall.

Teacher

Haha. You did incredibly well!

Student

Thank you! Did the other students do well too?

Teacher

I haven’t asked them yet. I only asked you. Quite a few students got 7s. Anyway, well done and congratulations!

Student

Yes, haha.

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There is also something students and parents should understand.

After teaching hundreds of students, I've come to feel that the IB system has some unfair aspects.

One is that assessment practices differ so much between schools.

Predicted grades and internal school grades can be based on very different standards depending on the school or teacher.

If School A marks harshly, a student may be unable to get a 7 even if they work hard and perform well.

But there are many cases where the same student could get a 7 very easily at School B.

I think those differences inevitably leave some students at an unfair disadvantage.

This is particularly significant for students applying through the route for those who completed all 12 school years overseas.

Those students often apply to university using predicted grades.

In other words, school grades can matter even more to them than to students applying through the three-year overseas-study route.

My view is that students eligible for the 12-year route should work hard in a demanding school through middle school,

then consider a high school that awards grades more generously. The reason is clear to me: even if a school has a reputation for being demanding,

that doesn't necessarily mean it sends more students to good universities. Don't assume that enrolling in a notoriously demanding school

will automatically produce a good university outcome.

It's deeply frustrating when a capable student on the 12-year route can't get the grades from their teacher. Waiting until you've experienced that to make a decision may be too late.

So be thoughtful about school choice. What I want to say is that some schools seem almost unwilling to give 7s,

and I think it may be better to avoid those situations.

The IB system can produce quite a few such frustrating cases.

Students work hard for a 7 but still find it difficult to receive anything above a 6 internally.

Yet some of those students earn very strong 7s in the finals. Their determined effort to earn 7s during the school year

shows up later in the final result.

I've taught quite a few students in that situation.

After teaching hundreds of students, you begin to notice patterns. Please choose schools carefully.

I hope people understand that a school's academic reputation isn't everything.

JJStudent & parent messagesEnglish translationConversation 1Parent

My child enjoyed the class. It was good that you explained clearly and checked understanding.

Conversation 2Teacher

Is the university decision finished?

Student

I was predicted 7 for Yonsei, but I don’t know the final result yet.

Teacher

Yonsei, Chung-Ang and Seoul National University too? I’ll wait for good news.

Conversation 3Parent

Thank you. My child said your lessons and lectures are so helpful. We’re going to China, so I would like to ask you for IGCSE chemistry lessons as well. Could we study osmotic pressure and AP Chemistry together?

Conversation 4Parent

Hello. I am a student’s mother. Thanks to your chemistry lessons, my child earned a 7. Thank you.

Conversation 5Student

Teacher, the exam went well. Thank you. Do I need to memorize the polyatomic anion/cation naming rules?

Conversation 6Student

Thanks to your lessons, I got a 7 this time too. You helped raise my school grades so much. Thank you.

Names and information hidden in the source remain omitted. A few cropped or very small fragments could not be read; the readable messages are translated in conversation order.

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