Testimonial and Tips about the IB program from two former AST graduates

Tips from a former IB Full Diploma Student - from AST

1. Stay positive and never say you cannot do things because you can and your mind can either encourage you or discourage you.

2. Do not be afraid of the IB program. Fear can lead you to underestimate yourself and prevent you from reaching your maximum potential.

3. Do not become overconfident because you can overestimate yourself and start to slack with your courses.

4. Change your mind to a Growth-mindset. This allows you to learn from your mistakes.

5. Do not block your mind. Allow your mind to think of multiple solutions and evaluate them to find the best rather than to settle only  for the first one that comes to mind - become a critical thinker.

6. Make lists of the things you must do (this will help you not to forget your tasks).

7. Make Goals: long term goals consist of small tasks.

8. Be perseverant: Keep trying, because at the end of the day progress is better than perfection and as you continue trying you will be mastering your skills.

 Nicole Ham / IB Full Diploma student (AST - class of 2020)

Testimonial - from a former IB Full Diploma Student - from AST

The letter below was written by a former AST graduate who asked to remain anonymous . This graduate  was not asked to write the letter;  rather, she felt compelled to share this reflection of her "IB experience."

The International Baccalaureate may seem like an unnecessary burden during your high school years. However, it prepares you for the unprecedented amount of stress and overwhelming workload that the university years bring. If there is something I thank AST for, is giving me the opportunity of completing my IB diploma, it really made ALL the difference. I was accepted into McGill University, to a large extent due to the fact that I was completing the diploma and had high predicted scores. McGill is Canada’s top University, ranked amongst the top 20 in the world, and just like many other universities in Europe, Asia, and increasingly in North America, it takes the IB very seriously. In my case, the high marks I received in my IB  courses translated into 30credits (a full year) of college courses. Thanks to the International Baccalaureate, I was able to complete a double major in economics and political science, as well as a minor in business management in three and a half years – when normally it would take four and a half years to complete. Besides being an exceptional personal accomplishment, I was blessed enough to save my parents a full year of tuition.

Besides the aforementioned academic benefits, the IB is also a way to meet friends and network with other students from around the world. It is a conversation starter, and something to pride yourself in. An innumerable amount of times, someone would come and say something about IB and I would reply by saying “I was in IB too!”. The IB is a link between international schools all around the world that cuts across cultural, geographic and religious differences. I highly recommend that anyone with ambitious aspirations take advantage of the opportunity that is IB; it will assuredly open many doors in the future!