This is the question that many parents face when their children’s compulsory education ends and they have to choose the Baccalaureate model to follow. If you are one of these parents we are going to explain the benefits, disadvantages or implications of choosing the International Baccalaureate(IB Diploma), A-Levels or Spanish Baccalaureate. We assume that you already know these three baccalaureates, their structure and which schools offer them. If you are not familiar with the International Baccalaureate you can access our blog about the IB Diploma. . The National Baccalaureate will be taken as a reference for comparison purposes.
The first thing to say is that these three baccalaureates are very rigorous and highly recognized throughout the world. The student population at Five Lands is very evenly distributed among all the models, but the IB and the Spanish Baccalaureate are the most predominant. In terms of percentage of admission, the three are virtually tied, with the IB having the highest percentage of admission. In reality, the decision to study one or the other is determined mainly by the answers to the following questions:
- Is it offered by my child’s school?
- Which destination countries am I considering for my son/daughter’s university degree?
- What is your level of English and can you follow classes in English without any problem?
- What level of independence and self-sufficiency do you have so that you are not solely dependent on school classes and can learn and work with other sources of information?
Answering these questions beforehand will determine to a greater or lesser extent which Baccalaureate to choose. For example, the fact of having a good level of English or not may determine whether or not to do A-Levels, since this model is only offered in British schools in English. Before going on to compare the three baccalaureates, we would like to refute a very common but false statement that says that if you want your child to have options in universities abroad, he/she must take the International Baccalaureate. This is completely false and can lead the student to take a baccalaureate that is not the most appropriate for his or her profile. The three baccalaureate degrees described here allow students to study at any university in the world (with some limitations that we will discuss below).
Below we detail the key aspects of each model so that you can take them into account when choosing one or the other.
Spanish Baccalaureate
This Baccalaureate offered by the schools in Spain or Spanish schools in other countries offers the possibility of choosing between two itineraries fundamentally (Social or Scientific). Within the scientific there are more options depending on the university degree. This baccalaureate does not give access to the university previously but it is necessary to take the EVAU whose grade together with the average of the two courses of baccalaureate will determine the degree and the university that can be accessed. We recommend choosing this baccalaureate when:
- The degree you want to study is in Spain
- I want to study medicine in Spain
- If the degree you want to study abroad, pay attention to the entrance requirements of each university in case it is necessary to choose the scientific itinerary even if the degree is a social one.
- You do not have a high level of English (minimum B2) to follow classes in that language.
- The level of independence with studies is not very high and it is necessary for the school to dictate at all times the study guidelines, contents, homework and material to be studied.
Obtaining the Spanish Baccalaureate with a grade above 8.5 gives access to a large number of high-ranking universities around the world. It is important to choose the right pathway in order to meet the entry requirements. Pay special attention to the chosen mathematics by checking the entry requirements of the target universities beforehand.
International Baccalaureate (IB Diploma)
This IB Diploma offered by many schools around the world, both public and private, offers the possibility to choose your own classes from a list of classes usually divided into 6 groups. Read our blog about the IB Diploma for more information. The benefits of this baccalaureate are several but fundamentally it is a baccalaureate accepted by universities all over the world and therefore ensures a higher success rate. This baccalaureate does not require a university entrance exam such as the EVAU, since it gives direct access to university (except if the grade is not enough and you want to opt for a public university in Spain). We recommend choosing this baccalaureate when:
- Intends to apply for admission to universities in several countries (mainly Europe, United Kingdom, United States or Canada).
- You want to apply to the best universities in the world (TOP Universities).
- Is a student with self-learning ability, high level of independence and organization that allows him/her to understand what is going to be asked of him/her and to study on his/her own using diverse sources of information.
- When you do not have a clear idea of what you want to study yet, since it allows you to choose classes from different areas.
- When you are willing to work in academic areas other than the usual ones, as this baccalaureate requires volunteering activities and participating in discussion sessions.
- When you have a good foundation in research and writing long papers, as it forces you to do a research project.
Obtaining the International Baccalaureate with a score above 38 gives access to a large number of high-ranking universities around the world.. It is important to choose the right classes and their level in order to meet the entrance requirements. Pay special attention to mathematics and the level required by the universities in order to meet the entrance requirements..
A-Levels
This Bachelor’s Degree is offered only in British Schools worldwide because it is part of the British educational system. It offers the possibility to choose your own classes from a list of available classes. Three A-Levels are chosen with the possibility sometimes of doing a fourth to qualify for TOP universities. The benefits of this baccalaureate are various but fundamentally it is a baccalaureate accepted by universities all over the world but mainly by universities in the United Kingdom. Like the International Baccalaureate, this baccalaureate does not require a university entrance exam such as the EVAU, since it gives direct access to the university (except if the grade is not sufficient and you want to opt for a public university in Spain). We recommend choosing this baccalaureate when:
- The main destination for undergraduate studies is the United Kingdom.
- You have sufficient English to take classes in that language (at least B2).
- They have a very clear idea of the university degree they want to take, since it is a baccalaureate that is very focused on the university degree.
- You are not going to study medicine in Spain
Obtaining three A-Levels at a minimum A*AB rank gives access to a large number of top-ranked universities around the world. It is important to choose the right classes by looking at the requirements of each university beforehand in order to meet the entry requirements. Not to be confused with AS-Levels which are practically the same but at a lower level and therefore are not accepted in many universities.
In short, the three baccalaureate programs are considered very competitive by universities, with the International Baccalaureate possibly being the one that opens the most doors around the world and closes very few. However, we always recommend talking to the school in order to determine which baccalaureate is most suitable for the student in question.
At Five Lands International Education we have the best consultants to help you choose your school curriculum based on your college requirements and admissions potential. Visit our Early Preparation or Full Academic Advising programs or contact us through this contact form.
