Should I send my [IB] transcripts for reevaluation? [barely missed IB score admission condition]

Applying to College
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1

Hello,

I got accepted into UCL earlier this year, with my condition being 38/45 and an aggregate score of 18 in my HL subjects (I take IB).

Today, my results came out, and I got 36/45 and an aggregate score of 17 in my HLs, which means I did not satisfy the conditions.

However, I am on the threshold of a higher grade boundary in two SL subjects - I am 2 marks away from a 6 in ESS and 1 mark away from a 7 in Maths.

If I submit these two for reevaluation and they work out, I will increase my score to 38/45 (satisfying the first condition), but I will still miss the condition that requires me to get 18 in my HL subjects. However, would they accept me regardless, given how I only missed the condition by 1 point, and still got 38/45?

Is it worth sending these two subjects for reevaluation? The IB refunds you your money if there is a change in grade, but the price is steep regardless. Ultimately, is it worth sending the transcripts for a long shot chance of UCL accepting me regardless?

(I must add here that I will be majoring in History, and as things stand, I will be attending King’s College London, which adds to my dilemma - is the drop-off between KCL History and UCL History so much that I should put myself through this process, which will be mentally straining, and may cost my family ~$200 if the reevaluations don’t work out?)

TL;DR: Missed my UCL offer (38/45 & 18 HL) by 2 points overall and 1 HL point; I’m 1–2 marks away from grade bumps that could push me to 38/45. Is it worth the cost and stress of reevaluation, especially since I have King’s for History as a backup?

Thank you so much for reading, and have a good day!

2

At our school, the IB coordinator was the person who could advise of the likely impact of a rescore (often in conjunction with the subject teachers.) In the very few cases I was familiar with – all ones like yours – they went for it. Your situation is complicated by the fact that a positive rescore will only satisfy one condition. It’s hard to say whether there would be leniency on that as well as if the time to ask the school is pre- or post- rescore. My gut says the latter, but it also means you could go to the trouble only to still fall short.

As for the difference between the programs you’re considering, I don’t know enough to opine.

3

Will consider this, thanks!

1 Like
4

I don’t know about the acceptance, but I’ll just say my daughter was 1 point shy of a higher score in an SL last year and we submitted it and it went up by 2 points, giving her the higher score. Changes definitely happen. Odds of it dropping to a lower score when you’re that close are awfully small.

5

I would go for it, unless $200 is a big deal for your family (in which case you shouldn’t be attending university in London).
I would say that being that close to the grade boundary makes a change likely.
If you’re an international, UK universities really need your tuition $$ so if you meet the total criteria they may be okay with the HL score being 17 instead of 18.
That being said, you’ll be competing with students who did get 18 in their HLs in relevant subjects and who can handle the “high stakes exam” nature of the UK system. Are you ready for a lot of independent learning, zero hand holding, and potentially failing out due to not realizing how things are going?

6

I don’t have a position on the reevaluation but wanted to share my view, based on having lived in England for a couple of decades and being somewhat familiar with both schools, that you’ll be well-positioned with either KCL history or UCL history. Both are well-regarded departments and, given their membership in the University of London system, you can also take classes at both.