If you’re an IB student applying to universities or scholarships, your predicted grades play a crucial role. These grades provide an estimate of your final IB Diploma scores and help institutions assess your potential before official results are released. But how are these predicted grades actually calculated? Let’s break it down.
What Are Predicted Grades in IB?
Predicted grades are the scores your teachers forecast you will achieve in each IB subject and core component (Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge). They are submitted to the IB and used in university applications, early offers, and sometimes scholarships.
How Teachers Calculate Predicted Grades
There is no single IB-mandated method, but schools and teachers follow common practices based on IB expectations:
1. Performance in Class
Teachers consider your performance on:
- Past tests, quizzes, and assignments
- Class participation and consistency over time
2. Internal Assessment (IA) Progress
IA drafts and final submissions provide insight into your depth of understanding, research, and analytical skills. A strong IA can positively influence a predicted grade.
3. School-Based Exams
Many schools hold mock exams or trial exams (often using past IB papers) to assess readiness and predict performance under exam conditions.
4. Trends in Performance
Teachers look at your academic trajectory:
- Are your grades improving steadily?
- Are you consistent, or do results fluctuate?
This helps refine the prediction beyond a single data point.
