A chance meeting in Europe was key to the creation of a tutoring business launched by two young co-founders.
Shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic, Joseph Booth, 19 of Mortdale, travelled to Spain for the International Baccalaureate (IB) to enhance his speaking skills.
An alternative to the HSC, the IB delivers a globally recognised educational qualification. It focuses on critical and analytical thinking, and is geared towards university preparation.
Joseph, a former student of Trinity Grammar, met fellow Sydney-sider Ana-Maria in a cafe. She was also there for the same reason. Since completing their studies, they built a mentoring organisation called IBreezy to help students navigate the IB.
"The IB did so much for us so we thought we should return the favour," Joseph said. "It's more than a results-based curriculum, it's a journey of personal development.
Joseph, who achieved 44 out of a possible 45 marks in the IB (an ATAR equivalent of 99.75), is studying commerce at UNSW.
He said it was a great alternative to the "restrictive HSC".
"I see more more developmental progression because they are learning about things they are actually interested in," he said. "It's student driven. I studied aviation for my assignment, and Ana-Maria, Aboriginal rap music. It's engagement rather than being spoon-fed a syllabus. It allows flexibility, not content regurgitation."
In NSW, only independent schools offer the IB. Joseph said since school lockdowns, there was strong demand for students wanting to explore the IB.
"Australia is behind," Joseph said. "Because IB is not very well known, it's hindering the capacity to expand. It's unfortunate students don't get the same opportunity in public schools. It forces students to be independent learners. We found a big need over lockdown for that because students were already online, so they were productive."
Students rewarded the IB receive an overall score rather than an ATAR. A students' UAC rank is based on the overall score out of 45 based on subject grades.
Conversion of IB scores will become more finely tuned in 2022 says the Universities Admissions Centre (UAC), with the introduction of a new conversion schedule.
The change will provide more gradations for IB students on the same score and a more accurate mapping of their score to a UAC rank.
"The new system will be a great improvement for students and universities, because we'll have a better way to accurately rank IB students, "UAC General Manager of Marketing and Engagement, Kim Paino, said.
Joseph said this would make it equitable, but more difficult to "produce results." "It's fairer, but for students in the top tier it's a disadvantage," he said.
