As part of their introduction to the IB Diploma, all 10th grade students will attend an informative meeting and receive a preliminary subject selection form to be completed. An introductory meeting for the IB Programme in ISA will also be conducted for the parents. For those students who already have a very good idea about the choice of their career, it would be very useful to find courses and universities, which offer these courses that will help them accomplish their career ambitions. Students are advised to find out which IB subjects need to be studied, and at which level, in order to be able to join the course or university of their choice.
In the case where students who enter the IB programme do not know what career they would like to pursue, it is important that their selections be based on their strengths and interests (i.e. subjects which they enjoy the most and which they are good at), also providing a balance that allows flexibility and choice after IB. Students are also given the opportunity to take the Career Testing in the ISA Counseling and Learning Center, which may provide an indication of their strengths, talents and abilities in order to facilitate the choice of their IB DP subjects.
The Higher Level courses can be selected from those subjects, which they enjoy most and thus, support their career aspirations. These are the subjects they will study in depth.
The Standard Level courses will give students a good balanced programme. For instance, subjects which will provide them with some additional skills and knowledge that they feel will be helpful at some point or a subject they are interested in but might not be essential for their career path.
The programme selected should be rewarding, interesting and at the limit of, but not beyond, the student’s potential. To help students further in making an informed decision, contact with the teachers who will be teaching the respective IB subjects as well as their 10th grade teachers is advisable. A list of the teachers is provided at the end of this booklet.