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The University of Bath is a regular attendee of OSC’s IB University Fairs and we are delighted to have them provide us with their insight into the application process.
The University of Bath has a long history with the International Baccalaureate, and in 2014 we were delighted to host the IB World Student Conference.
Around 6% of our new undergraduate students each year come with an IB Diploma. This makes it the second-largest qualification after A-levels, and equates to about 200 students each year. Our research has shown IB applicants are slightly more likely on average to receive an offer than A-level candidates, which is in part a reflection of the quality of those applications compared to us. We particularly value the breadth of subjects studied, as well as the additional work IB students are undertaking, such as the Extended Essay. IB students are on the whole independent and hard-working students, which is hardly surprising given the rigorous curriculum they follow. Interestingly, IB students also achieve slightly better degree outcomes than the average graduate.
The IB is a stable qualification, without the grade inflation which can affectother qualifications. This makes it easier to reliable select appropriately qualified and prepared students for our demanding undergraduate degree programmes. When I asked members of our admissions team about their experience of the IB they did mention that occasionally they can spot a school which has only just switched over to the IB, by their overly cautious grade prediction. If your school is in that situation it would be helpful if you tell us in the reference that you are new to the IB.
The department of Education here at the University of Bath also trains IB teachers and offers both the IB Educator Certificate and the IB Advanced Educator Certificate. The department undertakes substantial research into International Education, including International Schools and the IB.
We are definitely keen to see IB applicants here at Bath!
OSC offer a University Tour in the UK and US, by attending you can gain expert help and advice on university applications and choices from experienced College Counsellors and university admissions staff. Find out more here.
