I've mentioned in a few blog posts a few years back that I was enrolled in the IB programme. Well, I managed to graduate with a decent 32 points, which to me was fair considering the amount of effort I didn't put in to my studies, meaning not that this is a low number, but that I personally could have done better. No matter, my point amount has never hindered me. IB has.
You see, I went to university for a bit. I quit because I had a premature mid-life crisis, thing. I got accepted into university with my diploma, and probably will again now that I am applying to UCT (what I mean is, if I don't get in, it won't be because my diploma is not good enough, but for other reasons). So for this, IB is all right. Generally, it is well known in academic spheres and sometimes even respected as what it really is; difficult.
So, let's jump to my first problem.
University in Finland. Universities in Finland do recognise the IB diploma, however I don't think they fully understand it. You see, the IB diploma consists generally of 6, maybe 7, subjects. In Finland, students go through a lot more than 6 courses in their 3 year "high school," so maybe they view this as inferior...especially since the level of education in Finland is pretty much the same as the IB. However, this isn't such a big deal because I don't reeeally want to go to uni in Finland anyway.
Now, my real problem is starting to be work. Since I am between jobs and not enrolled in school yet, I need work. This is already quite difficult, but is made even harder because let's face it, most people have no idea what IB is. To them, it could be a special needs programme. More than once I have been asked what it is, and my prospective employer has told me that "to be honest, I thought it was a special needs programme." I wonder how many jobs opportunities it's ruined for me when no one has actually asked me.
Finally, now that I have to apply for welfare since I can't get a job and am not enrolled in school, it is causing problems for me in that, again, no one knows what the fuck it is. In my city there is one, tiny school that teaches the IB programme, and that only to a couple dozen students... so it's no wonder no one knows. But now, I've got all the officials wondering what it is and whether it is actually up to the standards of the 'normal' school system. And, since in the IB you can't specialise in a particular field, I don't get the bonus benefits of being "unemployed due to career circumstances."
I think the IB need to add a class that actually has some practical value in the real world. Instead of goddamn TOK, we need a class on life. By this I mean, how to deal with unemployment, how to get a job, how to move, how to do your taxes, how to deal with loss, something about law, basic human right and so on so forth. I mean, even if it was like 1 hour, once a month, a class like that would have really helped me out in my current situation. Now I feel like I really did go to a special needs school, since everyone around me (who went to normal school) was taught in school how to do most of these things.
Goddamnit IB.
Not everyone is a spoilt brat whose peachy life is planned out, and will be supported by their parents till they get their masters degree.
Maybe I am just shifting the blame, finding a scapegoat. But really, it has a small role, don't it?
You see, I went to university for a bit. I quit because I had a premature mid-life crisis, thing. I got accepted into university with my diploma, and probably will again now that I am applying to UCT (what I mean is, if I don't get in, it won't be because my diploma is not good enough, but for other reasons). So for this, IB is all right. Generally, it is well known in academic spheres and sometimes even respected as what it really is; difficult.
So, let's jump to my first problem.
University in Finland. Universities in Finland do recognise the IB diploma, however I don't think they fully understand it. You see, the IB diploma consists generally of 6, maybe 7, subjects. In Finland, students go through a lot more than 6 courses in their 3 year "high school," so maybe they view this as inferior...especially since the level of education in Finland is pretty much the same as the IB. However, this isn't such a big deal because I don't reeeally want to go to uni in Finland anyway.
Now, my real problem is starting to be work. Since I am between jobs and not enrolled in school yet, I need work. This is already quite difficult, but is made even harder because let's face it, most people have no idea what IB is. To them, it could be a special needs programme. More than once I have been asked what it is, and my prospective employer has told me that "to be honest, I thought it was a special needs programme." I wonder how many jobs opportunities it's ruined for me when no one has actually asked me.
Finally, now that I have to apply for welfare since I can't get a job and am not enrolled in school, it is causing problems for me in that, again, no one knows what the fuck it is. In my city there is one, tiny school that teaches the IB programme, and that only to a couple dozen students... so it's no wonder no one knows. But now, I've got all the officials wondering what it is and whether it is actually up to the standards of the 'normal' school system. And, since in the IB you can't specialise in a particular field, I don't get the bonus benefits of being "unemployed due to career circumstances."
I think the IB need to add a class that actually has some practical value in the real world. Instead of goddamn TOK, we need a class on life. By this I mean, how to deal with unemployment, how to get a job, how to move, how to do your taxes, how to deal with loss, something about law, basic human right and so on so forth. I mean, even if it was like 1 hour, once a month, a class like that would have really helped me out in my current situation. Now I feel like I really did go to a special needs school, since everyone around me (who went to normal school) was taught in school how to do most of these things.
Goddamnit IB.
Not everyone is a spoilt brat whose peachy life is planned out, and will be supported by their parents till they get their masters degree.
Maybe I am just shifting the blame, finding a scapegoat. But really, it has a small role, don't it?
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