Future-Proof Your Child's Higher Education Pathway: Navigating the IGCSE & IB in Hong Kong

Choosing the right subjects for IGCSE and the IB Diploma can feel like a high-stakes puzzle. With university prerequisites, scoring systems, and personal passions to balance, where do you even begin?

In our latest community call, Abigael Tan, a HKETs tutor since 2013, shared her expert advice on planning this critical academic journey. The session was packed with actionable insights to help your child on this pathway to university - we’ve distilled the key takeaways for you right here.

Start with the End in Mind: Subject Selection Strategy

The most powerful piece of advice was to plan backwards. Before selecting subjects, research the specific requirements for your child’s intended university course or career path. If they’re unsure, Abigael advised students to pick options that were generally more broad and aligned to their interests. Here are a couple of subject streams your child may be considering:

• Science & Medicine: For medicine or biomedical fields, Biology and Chemistry are essential. If you're science-focused, Chemistry at Higher Level (HL) is highly recommended. At IGCSE, aim for triple-award or double-award sciences for a stronger foundation.
  

• Engineering: Prioritise Chemistry and Physics, with Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches (AA) being the preferred choice for most engineering programmes.
  

• Business & Finance: Economics is often preferred over Business Management as it provides a broader, more analytical foundation, keeping more doors open. It will be the business subject that allows your child do go down almost any business pathway, and would make an easier transition if your child chooses to switch subjects into Business Management rather than the other way around.
  

• Arts & Humanities: For language and linguistics, it's very likely a Language HL is required. For many other art courses, a strong art portfolio will be the most distinguishing factor to produce.

Demystifying the IB Diploma Structure

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a comprehensive two-year pre-university curriculum. Abigael broke down the IB Diploma into its fundamental components:

• The Core is what sets the IB apart. Students typically take a combination of three Higher Level (HL) and three Standard Level (SL) subjects, but also need to complete the Extended Essay (EE), Theory of Knowledge (TOK), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) requirements.
  

• The EE is a 4,000-word independent research essay, typically undertaken in one of your HL subjects.
  

• The maximum score is 45 points (42 from six subjects, plus up to 3 from the core). While a score of 24 points can secure the diploma, competitive universities require significantly higher results.

Timings, Predictions, and What Happens If Things Go Wrong

There can be so much uncertainty during this time. Abigael gave some insight on how to help students manage a number of variables:

• Changing Subjects: There is a window to change your IB subject choices at the start of the programme, usually until mid-October. Late switches can be complicated, so careful initial selection is key or choose subjects that are broad and apply to multiple streams.

  
  

• Predicted Grades Matter: Especially for US university applications, your teacher-predicted grades are crucial. These are based on your performance in mock exams, summative assessments, and coursework.

  
  

• AI & Academic Integrity: While tempting, over-reliance on AI can severely impact exam readiness. Schools are actively using AI-detection software and tracking tools like Google Doc history to identify plagiarism. Use AI as a learning aid, not a substitute for your own work. Practice independent problem-solving, and always ensure you understand and can articulate the concepts yourself.

  
  

• The "What If I Fail" Scenario: Failing a few IGCSEs doesn’t necessarily halt your progress, as schools often allow progression with remedial support. Failing the full IB Diploma may allow for a re-sit, but often requires repeating the two-year programme.

A Long-Term Partnership between Students, Parents & Schools 

In summary, our discussion highlighted that success in the IGCSE and IB programmes is not a last-minute effort but a continuous journey. It hinges on a proactive and structured approach that begins long before the final exams. 

A key takeaway is the importance of a strong, three-way partnership between students, parents, and schools and tutors. This means parents need to work together with their children, listen to their needs, and foster an environment where students feel supported, not pressured. By focusing on well-being, open communication, and consistent effort, we can guide our children through these demanding programmes, ensuring they feel empowered and confident throughout their academic journey.

A huge thank you to Abigael for sharing her expertise with parents and making the IGCSE and IB journey less confusing. If you’re still feeling overwhelmed by subject choices, university prerequisites, or how the IB core really works, you can reach out to Abigael via her Instagram.