IB exams study plan for HL, SL and the core
The IB Diploma stacks six subjects, internal assessments, the Extended Essay and TOK before final exams even start. This prompt has your todo.is agent put every deadline in one plan, weight revision toward HL subjects and weak papers, and keep your target points in view.
The prompt
- Make me an IB exams study plan. My subjects are [SUBJECTS WITH HL OR SL]. My exams are in the [EXAM SESSION] session, starting [FIRST EXAM DATE]. My predicted grades are [PREDICTED GRADES] and I want [TARGET POINTS] points. Upcoming deadlines: [IA, EE AND TOK DEADLINES]. I can study [STUDY TIME]. Put every deadline in the plan, give HL subjects and my weakest papers more time, and add past papers and markschemes for each subject from [PAST PAPER START]. Give me an Excel plan with a deadlines tab and a subject tab, and send me a WhatsApp message at 17:00 with the day's tasks and any deadline in the next 7 days.
What to change
- [SUBJECTS WITH HL OR SL]: E.g. "Biology HL, Economics HL, English A Lang and Lit HL, Spanish B SL, Maths AA SL, Chemistry SL".
- [EXAM SESSION]: "May" or "November".
- [FIRST EXAM DATE]: From your school's IB exam timetable.
- [PREDICTED GRADES]: E.g. "6, 6, 5, 6, 5, 5".
- [TARGET POINTS]: E.g. "38". Check the offers you hold.
- [IA, EE AND TOK DEADLINES]: E.g. "Economics IA Jan 15, TOK essay Feb 1, Biology IA Feb 20".
- [STUDY TIME]: E.g. "2 hours on weekdays, 4 hours on Sundays".
- [PAST PAPER START]: E.g. "after the TOK essay is in".
Example result
- IB Diploma plan: May session
- Biology HL, Economics HL, English A Lang and Lit HL, Spanish B SL, Maths AA SL, Chemistry SL · Predicted 34 + core · Target 38
- How the points add up
- • Each subject is graded 1 to 7, so 42 points from subjects
- • TOK and the Extended Essay together add up to 3 core points
- • Maximum 45. CAS must also be completed for the diploma.
- Deadlines first (January to February)
- • Economics IA: Jan 15. Final commentary checks: key terms defined, diagram explained, evaluation.
- • TOK essay: Feb 1. One more draft focused on real-life examples and counterclaims.
- • Biology IA: Feb 20. Check the research question, data processing and the evaluation of weaknesses.
- • Until all three are in, revision is light: 30 minutes a day of flashcards
- Revision split (from Feb 21)
- • HL subjects get 60% of the time, SL 40%
- • Weakest papers first: Biology HL Paper 2 (data-based questions), Maths AA Paper 2, English Paper 1 (unseen analysis)
- A normal week
- • Mon: Biology HL, Economics HL
- • Tue: English A (Paper 1 timed practice), Maths AA
- • Wed: Chemistry SL, Spanish B (reading)
- • Thu: Biology HL, Economics HL (real-world examples bank)
- • Fri: light flashcards
- • Sun: one full past paper and its markscheme
- Subject notes
- • Economics HL: keep a list of real examples for each unit. Paper 3 has policy questions with calculations.
- • Spanish B: practise the individual oral and the written tasks with different text types (email, blog, article)
- • English A: plan Paper 2 with two works you know well, and prepare a few comparison angles
- April to May
- • Past papers every two days, alternating HL and SL
- • Week before each exam: that subject's markschemes, common errors and command terms
How to do it with todo.is
- List your subjects and levels, your session, deadlines and predicted grades, then copy the prompt.
- Paste it on the Today screen in todo.is, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp.
- You get an Excel plan with a deadlines tab and a daily message that also warns you about the next 7 days.
- When a deadline moves or an IA is done, tell your agent and the plan reshuffles.
Tips for a better result
- Finish IAs and TOK before heavy revision. A rushed IA can cost more points than a week of revision earns.
- Learn the IB command terms ("evaluate", "discuss", "to what extent"). They decide what the examiner rewards.
- Use markschemes to see how marks are awarded, not just the right answers.
- Your agent can review an IA draft against the published assessment criteria. Your teacher's feedback still comes first.
IB exams study plan: FAQ
- How are IB grades calculated? Each of six subjects is graded 1 to 7, and TOK plus the Extended Essay add up to 3 points, for a maximum of 45.
- When should I start revising for IB exams? Many students start structured revision in January or February for May exams, once major internal deadlines are done.
- Can todo.is write my IA or Extended Essay? No. It helps you plan, explains topics and gives feedback on your drafts, but the work must be your own under IB rules.
- Can I get reminders before deadlines? Yes. Ask for a WhatsApp reminder a week and two days before each deadline.
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