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By Sophie Z.
The IB Mock Exams took place from January 15th through the 23rd. The week was dedicated to helping seniors (of 2024) prepare for the final IB exams in April. The main focus was to give these students an experience of what the final exams would be like and allow them to practice writing all different styles of the IB DP papers.
“Mock exams help students by providing them an opportunity to experience the actual exam conditions, allowing us to understand and identify areas for improvement and practice our time management,” shared a grade 12 student.
Within the mock exams, students were able to build up and reinforce their writing skills. As most of the work and studying done at school is based on typing, the mock exams act as a great opportunity for students to practice handwriting for two hours non-stop. Moreover, the IB mocks are a clear indicator of students’ consistent learning process over the two-year course of studying for the finals.
But how similar to the final exams are the mocks? Well, in terms of format and style, both are almost identical to each other, and, in terms of the timing of each paper, they are the same.
“Of course, we can’t guess what the content is going to be in the final exams from the IB,” laughed Mr. John Kennett, the IB coordinator of AISG. “But teachers create their mock exam papers based on their experience for previous [IB DP] papers and what the IB has said the format should be for the May 2024 [final] exams.”
However, with the compressed timetable of the mock week, it could be quite challenging to keep up.
As the 2024 IB final exams could take up to five weeks to complete, seniors are only given less than two weeks to prepare and complete the mocks simultaneously.
“Mock exams are squeezed into [approximately] one week, meaning that we have less time to review,” said a senior. “With one subject after another and paper after paper, it feels like an unending torment.”
“It [the mock exams] was still kinda helpful,” commented another senior. “I think this is a good opportunity for me to get familiar with the subjects that I haven’t got a chance to practice much through tests.”
Along with preparation for the mock exams, AISG teachers and academic counselors also expanded their assistance by providing helpful feedback and advice to the seniors. Students will be able to receive feedback through taking feedback lessons, where they would go through their mock papers with their subject teachers; looking at their scores, looking at the numbers, and also looking at the written feedback that their subject teachers provide.
Other than feedback lessons, all senior students will use the IB assessment reflection sheet that they have been using since they started studying IB DP. The reflection sheets could act as helpful “mentors” that reflect upon their strengths and weaknesses, helping them to improve in their finals.
“There may be skills that you think, ‘Actually, I know it. I just need to practice it more,’” said Mr. Kennett. “So, they have that self-reflection, which is important, and if they needed any further help they could come to me, or they can see their counselors as well.”
“You don’t need to be scared of mocks,” added Mr. Kennett. “They’re just another part of the assessments that you [regularly] have at school. Use it as a good opportunity to refresh your understanding of what the rules are for the IB.”
If you are a student who is taking IB DP courses in the future, you might want to hear some helpful advice from our dear seniors.
“My favorite study techniques are spaced practice and mind napping,” a senior shared. “Most importantly, one of the key hacks is to study and read over your notes before you go to bed. According to research, learning before bedtime can improve memory.”
“Sleep early, stay active, and start early,” she added. “Trust yourself and focus on your capabilities; understand that perfection is not the goal, mistakes are part of the learning process. ALSO, don’t hesitate to seek support from professionals and counselors, trust Ms. [Janet] Hong [high school counselor] really helps! To the students in grades 9-11, dream big and achieve bigger!”
“Texting my friends helped relieve [exam] stress a lot,” suggested another senior. “Remember that you are not alone!”
Overall, the IB mock exam week was a productive yet stressful week for our senior class of 2024. Let us take the moment to celebrate their progress in taking the next step in their education.
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