Is Taking the IB Harder Than College?

The IB is an intense, structured, two-year marathon: six subjects, constant assessments, the Extended Essay (EE), Theory Of Knowledge (TOK), Creativity Activity Service (CAS) and a workload that rarely lets up. 

College, by contrast, feels looser on the surface - fewer classes, more autonomy, and long stretches where no one checks on your progress. 

Yet university brings its own challenges: loftier academic expectations, higher-level thinking, and the need to self-manage, often without the support most schools provide. This article breaks down the key differences you are likely to encounter.

Key Takeaways

• Consistency: The IB's structured, constant workload across six subjects creates a relentlessly intense, day-to-day academic challenge. Consistency is key to success.

• College Workload Fluctuates: University work has fewer classes but features intense pressure points (e.g. finals) mixed with more relaxed, independent periods.

• Independence is the Core Difference: College demands proactive self-motivation and organisation.

• IB Builds Core University Skills: Juggling the IB's requirements instils strong time management, research and analytical writing skills - all of which are essential for university success.

• Most IB Graduates Feel Prepared for College: IB students report feeling academically adjusted and unintimidated by the college workload.

How the IB Programme Is Structured

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is a two-year, full-time academic programme. Every student studies:

• Six subjects: Normally 3 at Higher Level (HL) and 3 at Standard Level (SL). Some students (thought to be <10%) choose 4 HL subjects (opens in a new tab).

• TOK: Course in critical thinking and epistemology.

• The Extended Essay (EE): A 4,000-word (maximum) independent research project.

• CAS: A core component that requires students to engage in experiences. For example, designing a website (Creativity), training with a sports team (Activity) and volunteering at a local hospice (Service).

Alongside these are Internal Assessments (IAs), oral exams, lab work, essays and the major final exams. All of these run in parallel, creating a demanding timetable that will test your consistency, persistence and organisational skills. The IB is rigorous by design. Its workload doesn’t fluctuate much - there are invariably tasks to complete and looming deadlines. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

How College Courses Are Structured

University courses operate very differently:

• Instead of six subjects simultaneously, students usually take 4–5 classes per semester. (The academic year is normally divided into two semesters.)

• Content is acquired through a mix of lectures, seminars and tutorials.

• Reading lists, coursework or lab work will form part of the course.

• End-of-year exams, finals and dissertations are the main ways students are assessed.

University involves fewer in-class hours but significantly more independent work. Professors provide the framework, but students:

• Decide when to study.

• Manage their own time and ensure they meet all deadlines. (Deadlines tend to cluster - long stretches of lighter work, followed by periods where all major assignments hit at once.)

• Prepare for major assessments without constant reminders.

Unlike the IB, university structures vary dramatically between majors. Engineering, medicine, science and architecture have heavy ongoing workloads; humanities degrees often focus on reading and writing with more flexible scheduling.

Comparing Workload: IB vs College

The IB workload is relentless. In some respects, your weekly hours will be dictated by this workload, with little room to shift tasks around. The structure keeps you honest, but it also means that you will have little downtime, especially during term time.

College usually has more significant pressure points interspersed with relatively relaxed periods (depending on the subject you’re reading). A typical week might include:

• 12–18 hours of lectures or tutorials.

• 15–20 hours of independent study.

• Longer coursework tasks.

When assignments are due, the workload can spike - especially at the end of term. But students have more freedom to pace themselves or tailor their schedule.

So which is harder?

Many students say the IB feels more intense day-to-day. On the upside, schools tend to provide more holistic support including deadline reminders and one-to-one help. Moreover,  your peers will be in the same boat as you, and this can create a secondary support network. 

University study is more dependent on each student’s self motivation and organisational skills. For some courses, the overall workload will be less than IB (especially in the first year), but most courses will be more academically challenging and will require higher-order thinking.

Time Management and Independence

Managing your time effectively underpins both experiences (and, indeed, life in general!). That’s not to say there aren’t differences:

IB time management

• Highly structured timetable.

• Teachers guiding you through tasks.

• Frequent assessments across all subjects.

• Accountability built into school routines.

Overall, you’re learning how to manage time within a system that continuously checks your progress.

College time management

• Fewer in-person lectures (resources will be at least partly online - requiring more independence to access, review and understand the content).

• Bigger, often overlapping, deadlines.

• Professors expect independent planning.

• No one chases you for missing work. If you miss a deadline, you are likely to fail that course.

• Other commitments (sport, part-time jobs and living independently) add to complexity. Always try to prioritise your studies.

This transition feels liberating for some, and overwhelming for others, especially if they’ve come from a very structured school environment. The workload may be spread across fewer subjects, but you must create your own structure.

How IB Prepares You for College

IB graduates often outperform peers (opens in a new tab) in university because the IB programme builds essential academic skills, such as:

• Analytical writing: In particular, HL essays and TOK sharpen application and evaluation skills.

• Research skills: The EE teaches source validity analysis, referencing and long-form writing.

• Time management: Juggling six IB subjects and the core requirements teaches self discipline and ruthless time management skills.

• Resilience: IB students learn to cope with constant academic pressure and tight deadlines.

The IB demands depth and consistency, which mirrors university expectations more closely than most other post-16 school programmes. 

Indeed, a study in the United Kingdom (opens in a new tab) on higher education outcomes found that IB Diploma graduates were three times more likely to enrol in a top-20 university than matched A-level students. In addition, a study on college achievement in the United States (opens in a new tab) showed that 88% of IB Diploma graduates persisted at four-year institutions, compared to the national average of 72%.

What IB Graduates Say About College

Although experiences vary, common themes emerge from student reflections. Below is a summary of research findings (opens in a new tab). Students who completed an IB Diploma Programme prior to attending university:

• Tend to feel academically prepared for life as an undergraduate.

• Reported feeling less intimidated by the heavy workload required in college honors courses.

• Attributed their strong time management skills to the challenging and rigorous nature of the IB Diploma Programme.

• Felt that studying the IB Diploma had made them good independent learners (with honed research skills).

• Often felt that the IB Diploma was harder than their first year of university. Some cited the fact that college content is harder, but that the IB workload was more exhausting.

• Reported feeling that they possessed strong organisation, note-taking and academic writing skills.

What Makes College Harder Than IB?

Even if the day-to-day workload feels a little lighter at first, university study comes with its own set of challenges:

• Independence: Your day is far more likely to be less structured. You will need to manage your own schedule. If you’re living away from home, this will include mundane tasks such as food shopping, laundry and living arrangements. It’s likely money management will become an important aspect of your life too.

• Academic expectations: Your studies are likely to be more complex and may include more original research, higher-level reading, advanced theoretical understanding, longer essays and more complex problem solving.

• Specialisation: As an ex-IB student this is likely to be a stark change (from six to one). Also, with specialisation comes complexity and the need to push yourself academically.

• Social and emotional demands: Many students arrive at university knowing no one else. This means developing new friendship circles and networks. For most, this will be a life-changing experience (in a good way). But it will take time and effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the IB more stressful than college?

For many students, yes. The IB’s constant cycle of assessments, tight structure and all-subject pressure can feel more intense than university study. However, university comes with its own challenges.

Will college feel easier after the IB?

It really depends on the course you study at university. Many students find that their first year at university feels somewhat easier. The skills students build in the IB translate directly to university success - IB students are usually “university ready”.

Does the IB prepare you well for university?

Extremely well. University professors often note that IB graduates arrive with stronger writing, research, organisational and time management skills compared to their non-IB peers.

Do IB students perform better at university?

Studies from various universities indicate that IB graduates tend to earn higher degree classifications and drop out less frequently.

Final Thoughts

So, is the IB harder than college? Not necessarily - each presents students with a different set of challenges. IB is intense from day one and requires relentless focus and application. But at university expectations deepen, the structure loosens, and you must create your own disciplined routines to flourish.

References

• International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme - Examining College Readiness: (opens in a new tab)https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED571663.pdf (opens in a new tab)

• Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) - International Baccalaureate students studying at UK higher education institutions - How do they perform in comparison with A level students?: (opens in a new tab)https://www.ibo.org/globalassets/new-structure/research/pdfs/hesa-summary-eng-web.pdf (opens in a new tab)

• International Baccalaureate - Benefits for students [of studying the IB Diploma]:https://www.ibo.org/benefits/benefits-for-students/ (opens in a new tab)