How to choose an international baccalaureate program for your child?

Parents should choose an international program IB, A-Level or SACE according to their child's goals and tendencies to create the best foundation for the future.

At the webinar "Talk with Scotch AGS", experts confirmed that IBDP, A-Level or SACE degrees are globally valid and recognized by many major universities in the world when applying for admission.

However, just like the US schools prefer TOEFL, the UK prefers IELTS, although these two certificates are widely used, IBDP, A-Level or SACE have their own regional advantages.

Conceptually, IBDP is an International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) qualification, available in more than 150 countries.

SACE is an international baccalaureate program accredited by the SACE Council, an education agency under the South Australian Government. Currently, each state in Australia will apply a different baccalaureate program but with equivalent value. and are recognized worldwide for their quality.

Meanwhile, A-Level is a general education certificate issued by the UK education agency to students when completing secondary school or pre-university.

Accordingly, depending on the goal of the child's study abroad destination, parents can choose the appropriate program. If you want to study at university in the UK, students should study A-Level to have an advantage. If you choose to come to Australia, SACE will have a bigger plus when almost all universities here are admitted directly, no need for an IELTS certificate.

International Baccalaureate programs are globally valued and provide a strong foundation for students. Photo: Scotch AGS Monolingual International School - Vietnam

In terms of curriculum, A-Level gives students access to in-depth academic knowledge in each field of personal choice. Therefore, even though they study fewer subjects than IBDP and SACE, A-Level learners still have a hard time, facing professional knowledge equivalent to university level. However, this is also an advantage for students when it is easy to catch up with the university program.

For example, if you decide to study medicine at university, the biology knowledge in the A-Level certificate will be very useful when entering the lecture hall. Therefore, this program will be more suitable for students who have clearly defined their university path or are inclined to learn about academics and research.

Conversely, if students are uncertain about what program to pursue in college, students should choose IBDP or SACE. Broader subjects will give students an overview of many areas, from which a wide range of major options are available.

Mr. Faizol Musa - IBDP Program Development and Accreditation Manager in Southeast Asia said that students following IBDP will have to take a total of 6 elective subjects under three core components: Theory - Knowledge (TOK). , Creativity - Activity - Community Service (CAS) and In-depth Essay (EE).

Community service projects will help students have the ability to explore, observe and expand their minds. "The IB program trains students with perseverance, positive motivation, knowledge, skills and a sense of purpose that need to be developed throughout life, contributing to a better world," said Mr. Faizol Musa. speak.

With SACE, in two years, students will study about 10 modules, which can be chosen from more than 60 subjects ranging from the social sciences and natural sciences to business and the arts. In which, the subjects will have their own focus points such as practicality, academia, skills... Thanks to that, learners can experience a rich environment.

According to experts, experience is one of the factors that are highly appreciated by employers. This shows that young people have accumulated life experiences, thereby improving skills, broadening their thinking, observing and forming a positive attitude in work and life.

Each international baccalaureate program will have its own training goals and orientations. Photo: Scotch College Adelaide - Australia

Besides, SACE also has the advantage of foreign language training. Students under this program can use a foreign language in communication, basic or advanced learning in most different fields.

In addition, the project-based learning method will help students discover, learn, analyze and come up with solutions to solve problems, thereby, training initiative and independence.

Dr. Hoa Pham - Scotch AGS Single Language International School Project Development Manager advises students and parents to understand the differences between the three international baccalaureate programs A-Level, IBDP and SACE. From here, students can choose a program that is suitable for their ability and development orientation.

"Then you will have the best conditions to maximize your own potential," she added.