A new piece of research has been released today, which details the success of IB Diploma students at university. “These results reinforce yet again that the IB Diploma Programme gives students the knowledge, skills and attitudes that enables them to excel in university. The programme is well recognised by the world's leading universities and truly prepares students for the working world” said Adrian Kearney, Regional Director for Africa, Europe and the Middle East.
Key findings include:
Achievement – Approximately a fifth (19%) of IB entrants with a full-time first degree achieved a first class honours award compared to 14.5% of first degree qualifiers who held A Level or equivalent qualifications. IB entrants are almost twice as likely to study Medicine and Dentistry (5.1%) as A Level entrants (2.9%). More than double the number of IB entrants attended the top HEIs compared with A Level entrants, when taken in proportion.
Continuation rates (measure of attrition/dropout) – Results show that across most subject areas IB entrants were less likely to leave their institution in the following year without gaining an award, than entrants holding other types of qualifications. 91.1% of IB entrants continued at the same institution compared to 89.5% for A level entrants.
Activities of IB leavers – Six months after leaving tertiary studies, IB students (36%) are almost twice as likely as their A Level and equivalent peers (18.8%) to pursue further study full time, and more likely to be employed in graduate level jobs and in higher paid occupations than A Level and equivalent leavers. A greater proportion of IB than A level leavers are employed within professional, scientific and technical activities.
Salaries of full-time employed IB leavers – The median annual salary of IB leavers in full-time paid employment was higher at £20,500, than that of A Level and equivalent leavers at £19,000.
