2021 IB DIPLOMA PROGRAMME RESULTS
43 POINTS-TOP SCORE
65% GRADUATED WITH BILINGUAL DIPLOMAS
100% PASS RATE FOR STUDENTS WHO SAT THE EXAMS
ACCEPTANCES SCHOLARSHIPS TO TOP UNIVERSITIES
Every year on July the 6th, throughout the northern hemisphere, students access their IB Diploma Program results. This is my seventeenth year of working in an IB Diploma Program school as either a DP Coordinator or a Secondary Principal. Every year, it is an exciting and nerve-wracking time for students, parents and teachers and all those of us involved with the graduating DP class. This year at XLIS was particularly exciting for the DP Coordinator and myself, as we have been able to watch many of these students grow up and mature over the past five years. This is a class that is dear to our hearts. They are international, coming from Australia, India, Japan, the UK (Northern Ireland), the US, Korea and China. Future film-makers, artists, designers, engineers, doctors, nurses, business people, they will take on the world with their determination, hard work, creative and critical thinking.
Collectively, the XLIS class of 2021 achieved great results with an average of 33 points and a top score of 43 points. We have seen the results at XLIS rise every year and we could not be prouder of the students’ achievements. We applaud every member of the graduating class for their results. We know that looking at the final scores is only part of the picture. There are students who have started with little English and over the MYP and DP years been able to quickly learn, adapt to a new curriculum and succeed. We are blown away that 65% of our graduating class earned the bilingual IB Diploma. In 2021, only 29% of DP students across the world earned the prestigious bilingual diploma and we are so proud of our high number of bilingual and multilingual students.
After the results were released I interviewed our DP Coordinator, Ms Jaimala Quinlan and and a few of our high achieving graduates from the XLIS class of 2021.
· How did you feel when you saw the results?
Ms. Quinlan：I was extremely excited and in a way it justified the trust I had in this cohort. I had taught some of these students since MYP3 and I had already seen the ability of this group. The results only confirmed that. I was also thankful that they had had the opportunity to sit for the exams and their results were based on all the components. I was also very proud of all the students. I was happy that the results did them justice.
· What are the important things that people should know when they read IB results?
Ms. Quinlan：
# The numbers are exactly what they are a number- there is more to these results.
# The results show the holistic growth of the students- all students are given the opportunity to take the full diploma and the fact that they can earn their diploma is commendable.
# In our school, the most impressive aspect of our results is the language development that is reflected in the results- there are students who came to our school with low language ability but over the 2 years they have managed to access the full diploma and have been awarded Bilingual Diploma.
# As I stated earlier, the numbers might not be high but the growth of the students be it academic, social, emotional is impressive. The IB years have helped them to develop their critical thinking and be able to reflect on the world around them. This is not indicated in the numbers but it can be seen in their personality.
· What are the words you would use to describe the class of 2021 at XLIS?
Ms. Quinlan：Resilient, Hard-working, Kind, Generous– this was witnessed before the exams when they helped each other during the revision, Successful, Open-minded, Determined– in the way they worked even during the pandemic.
Class of 2021, interviews with some high achieving students
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· How did you feel when you saw your IB results?
Natsumi Ishikawa：To be completely honest, I could not believe it—I was scared that this was just a dream. After reality sank in, I was overjoyed at my results and felt that all the tough times were worthwhile. This helped me realize the power of small steps taken on a day to day basis. Specifically, how it all compounds into surprising results. The euphoria of success had and will motivate me to continue trying my best at everything.
· What schools have you had admissions offers from and where will you go to university next year?
Natsumi Ishikawa：I have applied to universities in Japan and the UK and received offers from International Christian University, Sophia University, and Waseda University, as well as King’s College London, University of Edinburgh, and University College London. My final decision is to study at the School of International Liberal Studies of Waseda University. The Liberal Arts course will allow me to explore a variety of areas of knowledge before choosing what I will specialize in after discovering the subject areas that interest me the most. As someone who becomes interested and engaged in various subject areas, this exploratory approach to learning is very exciting as I will be able to continue to become more open-minded, see new perspectives, and strengthen my unique voice and approach to subject matters.
· How do you feel about moving on to university?
Natsumi Ishikawa：I feel both excited and anxious—similar to the beginning of DP. I do not know what to expect and the university will be another challenge-filled journey. However, I do know that I will continue to work hard on a daily basis while figuring out new systems that will help me develop academically and as a person, with the experience I have gained through DP. This is a little bit scary but also extremely exciting. I cannot wait to begin my exploration of different knowledge areas, as I am certain that I will learn so much from the process of trials and errors.
· What were the highlights of your 6.5 years at XLIS?
Natsumi Ishikawa：When I first came to the school, I was shy and could barely communicate with my teachers and classmates in English. Every challenge I was able to struggle through and overcome, every time I insisted to keep practicing until I was able to achieve my ideal outcome, and every time I stepped out of my comfort zone to speak up my opinion—all of these times are the highlights of my time at XLIS. These tiny breakthroughs are what led me to today. In addition to all these moments, my entire DP experience is also a highlight, because I have never pushed myself this hard and dedicated this much time into facing my fears in a truly challenging situation. Therefore, the result revelation is also a very meaningful moment, as it reminds me of what it took to get here.
· What will you miss about Xi’an and XLIS?
Natsumi Ishikawa：I will miss my family in Xi’an, as I will be going off to university alone from September. I have been in XLIS for such a long time that I will miss everything about it—all my teachers, peers, classrooms, etc. However, I will miss the sense of community of XLIS the most.
· What advice do you have to offer for XLIS students regarding success in the DP?
Natsumi Ishikawa：For me, process is what fuels personal growth and adds values to my life and experiences, and it is the journey that took me to achievements that at first seemed impossible to accomplish. When focus on the process of learning—for example, the process of completing the Extended Essay or the process of learning subject content on on a daily basis—I was able to enjoy learning more, as I am not thinking of how I can score higher but am pursuing more knowledge and information out of curiosity. This mindset automatically allowed me to push myself harder, as the goal is to learn more deeply about something and produce works that I can be proud of. In the end, this helped me gain more from the completion of the program.
Another important lesson I have learnt through DP is that approach anything with an open mindset. Negative preconceived beliefs regarding certain tasks or even the entire DP program can make the tasks even harder than it actually is. For me, imagining a task to be challenging made it impossible for the task to be easier than my imagination.
Finally, the most important takeaway is proper time and self-management—never leaving anything till the last second, whether it is an assignment or contents that are hard to understand. Time management sounds easier than done, because there will always be other things that are easier and less energy-consuming than studying. However, the effort and work completed on a daily basis will always reward you unexpectedly in the long term, the success brought by which is much greater than a few days of last-second cramming.
· What were the most important lessons you learned in high school?
Natsumi Ishikawa：All the advices I have for XLIS students are what I have learnt through DP. In addition to that, I have also learnt how easy it is to take other’s support and kindness for granted, especially when placed under enormous stress and pressure. Therefore, one of my biggest takeaways from DP is to remind myself of all the help I receive from family, friends, teachers, and peers, be grateful for it, and express it so that people important to me will understand that I appreciate what they have done for me.
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· How did you feel when you saw your IB results?
Roy Larmour: I was absolutely shocked by my results, due to the fact that I transferred back to XLIS half way through the DP program, I was not expecting for such a good result, I am super grateful for all the supportive teachers that helped me through this journey.
· What schools have you had admissions offers from and where will you go to university next year?
Roy Larmour: I will be attending Rhode Island School of Design, I have also got accepted by University of California Los Angeles, Parsons School of Design and School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
· How do you feel about moving on to university?
Roy Larmour: It feels like it’s time to pursue my aspirations, XLIS has helped me to figure out my passions as well as what I would like to study for university, so I am super excited to be part of a like-minded community and be in a program that is tailored for me to pursue my interests and passion in depth.
· What were the highlights of your six years at XLIS?
Roy Larmour:Throughout my 6 years at XLIS, three of my biggest highlights were all art-related. When I was in MYP 3, with the support of Mr.Stone and Ms.Shreya, and two of my school-mates: Mark and Susan, I was able to walk around Xi’an covered in red dolka dots in honor of Yayoi Kusama, although this piece has caused great controversies online, it helped me realize the power of art, and made me realize how much I adored this level of attention that was given for something I produced; so I decided to become an art-student. The second and third highlights are the two exhibitions I hosted/co-curated at XLIS, with the help of Ms.Yorke then Mr.Scott, every time i see an immense amount of works coming together, is always a good reminder that: “I can do this and I just did it”.
· What will you miss about Xian and XLIS ?
Roy Larmour: The one thing I will miss the most about Xi’an is the people, same for XLIS.
· What advice do you have to offer for XLIS students regarding success in the DP?
Roy Larmour: I would say that, setting a reasonable goal is crucial for every IB student. Knowing what you want out of your IB experience, will elevate a lot of your stress, I was that kid who wanted a 40 in IB soooo bad, that I will constantly stress about it. Then I realized that for an art university, scores are nowhere near as important as your portfolio, so instead of focusing on getting a 40, I should put more of that energy on building a solid portfolio, and maintaining my current grades.
Knowing and setting a reasonable goal, that takes into account of your abilities and aspirations, will give you a clearer idea of how to get there, instead of mindlessly going through this valuable curriculum without knowing why you are studying these courses. And on this note, make sure you pick courses that interests you, but be realistic about it as well; for example: if I had picked math HL, I probably have failed my diploma already, simply because I am not a math person, although that course could’ve been great for someone else. Make sure the courses you picked aren’t completely out of your league, and make sure they align with what you would like to study for university.
· What were the most important lessons you learned in high school?
Roy Larmour: Don’t pursue the things you are not genuinely passionate about, just because everyone else is doing it. Evaluate what is truly important for you, and worth spending your time and energy on; and carefully calculate how much time you are spending on a list of things you must get done. And never stress too much, you will look back on this journey and regret some of the days you spent worrying about things that you will soon realize its not worth stressing about.
· Any other comments you would like to share.
Roy Larmour: Dear everyone: trust the process, just keep going, it will all work out. Sounds cheesy I know, but it could not be more true.
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Alex Yu: I still remember the exact moment of feeling when I checked my IB results. When I was sitting at my desk watching Star Trek, I received an email from Mrs. Quinlan—our IB DP coordinator—regarding the final results. I suddenly felt someone dropped a bomb in my head. I opened the PDF file and waited for the final adjustment of my fate. When I saw my grade, I was surprised. The feeling was a homogeneous mixture of both happy and lucky.
· What schools have you had admissions offers from and where will you go to university next year?
Alex Yu: I received an offer from the University of Toronto mathematical and physical science program. I will join the university this fall and specifically studying data analysis and number configurations with the applications in economy and physics.
· How do you feel about moving on to university?
Alex Yu: I feel both nervous and exciting. I also feel a deep sense of gratitude.
· What were the highlights of your five years at XLIS?
Alex Yu: XLIS provided me with time to develop my interest outside of school work. I published two research papers as conference preceding during the diploma program, one is about gravitational wave Astronomy, the other is about rocket nozzle design. Not only I accumulated important experience for my academic development, I also expanded my horizon as a high school student.
· What will you miss about Xian and XLIS?
Alex Yu: I will miss my friends and my time at XLIS. I will also miss my parents and my room at my house.
· What advice do you have to offer for XLIS students regarding success in the DP?
Alex Yu: There are many criteria to access a person’s performance in DP. One of the most important criteria is your dedication to lifelong learning and think outside of the box. There is saying on Reddit IB community: if a student works solely for the grade, he will fail. Your success is not measured by your ability in solving past paper or going through question bank, but your ability to understand the knowledge and apply them to real life. If you can achieve this state of spiritual mindset, your academic performance will certainly outrun most of the students in the world.
· What were the most important lessons you learned in high school?
Alex Yu: The most important lesson l learnt from high school is finishing high school doesn’t end your learning. Your attitude towards the higher education and learning will decide your future. I have a friend who went to one the most prestigious higher institutions in the world. He is now a senior manager at McKinsey & Company. The reason of his success is not only because of his high academic achievement, but his goal of lifelong learning and openness to knowledge. The graduation from high school is merely a small mill stone in your life, and the true ordeal begins.
· Any other comments you would like to share.
Alex Yu: Always be positive in your life. Don’t forget to relax.
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Author: Daun Yorke ( Secondary Principal)
