IB Physics HL student — predicted 5, got a 7

Online · Worldwide · Exam Season 2026

IB Physics Exam Prep
by a Theoretical Physicist

I help IB Physics students turn 4s and 5s into 7s.
Strategic exam preparation, not more textbook reading.

Harvard, Cambridge, ETH Zurich & Ivy League admits · Students across countries · Average 7 boundary: just 68%

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spots remaining for May 2026 exams

IB Physics exams in
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Where some of my students study

The Reality

The Numbers Behind Every University Rejection Letter

78%

of IB Physics HL students score below 7.

Cambridge Engineering requires 41–42 IB points with HL 776 — and a 7 in Physics. Oxford Physics shortlists just 2.5 candidates per place for interview. The margin for error is zero.

68%

is all you need for a 7 in IB Physics HL.

You can get roughly a third of the exam wrong. The grade boundary isn't 90%. It isn't 80%. Most students never learn this number — and they study as if perfection is required, burning time on topics that barely appear.

30

The global average IB Diploma score.

Cambridge wants 41–42. Oxford Physics wants 39 with 766 at HL. Harvard admits typically score 40–42. That gap between 30 and 40 is the gap between a rejection email and an offer letter.

Differentiation

A Physicist for Special Operations

I studied the same branch of physics as Einstein and Hawking. Spent years analysing IB exams to find where the marks are. I worked on satellites and consult for quants and AI companies.

Satellite launch — real physics, not textbook summaries
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Theoretical physicist

Summa Cum Laude

I made an impact in the areas of black holes, quantum field theory, and general relativity. Most notably, I ruled out a class of black hole solutions.

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IB exam analyst

Years of past paper analysis. Which themes dominate Paper 2, which command terms are misunderstood, where students leave marks on the table.

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Satellite research

I was part of a satellite project involving six satellites from around the world.

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countries worldwide

Students from Geneva, London, Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and San Francisco.

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Cambridge, Oxford, MIT

My students get admitted to universities that demand the highest IB Physics grades. I know what 776 HL actually means in practice.

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AI & deep-tech advisor

I consult for AI companies, quants, and venture-backed startups.

The Process

How This Works

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Schedule a free call for your child

Free 15-minute diagnostic. I pinpoint exactly where marks are being lost — and what to ignore entirely.

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Fix what matters

Weekly strategic sessions with a shared whiteboard. Targeted and efficient.

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Walk in ready

Paper 1A, 1B, Paper 2 — no surprises. Your child knows exactly what to write, where the marks are, and how to collect them.

IB Physics Tutoring Results — Real Student and Parent Testimonials

Parent email testimonial — IB Physics HL student went from predicted 5 to 7, received Oxford University Physics offer with 39 IB points and 766 at HL after online tutoring
Parent email — daughter scored 6 on IB Physics December mock exam after online tutoring, now explains physics concepts at home and feels confident in class
IB Physics student email after Paper 2 exam — electromagnetic induction question felt intuitive after tutoring, predicted grade bumped to 6, credits building understanding from ground up

Investment

Packages

spots remaining for May 2026 · Exams in -- days

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  • University application guidance
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Would it be completely absurd to book the free 15-minute diagnostic right now?
It's free, it gives you useful feedback, and you walk away with a plan.

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Questions

What Parents & Students Ask

You don't need to be perfect. You need to be strategic.

Under the new syllabus (first exams May 2025), Paper 2 extended-response questions now deliberately cross multiple themes — a question might combine mechanics, energy, and fields. Students who studied each topic in isolation get blindsided.

The IB uses specific command terms — "explain," "deduce," "discuss" — and each one demands a structurally different answer. Most students lose 2–4 marks per paper simply because they write an "explain" answer when the question says "describe."

Paper 1A multiple choice now gives you 2 minutes per question instead of 1.5, and there's no penalty for wrong answers. That's free marks if you know how to eliminate options systematically — and wasted marks if you don't.

That's what I teach.

Paul Sobiecki — IB Physics tutor online, theoretical and satellite physicist, Summa Cum Laude graduate specialising in exam preparation for Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, and ETH Zurich applicants

About

I studied theoretical physics to understand how the universe works at its deepest level — black holes, dark matter, quantum field theory. I graduated Summa Cum Laude and ruled out the existence of a class of black hole solutions.

I teach IB Physics because I realised that most students don't fail at physics — they fail at exams.

After analysing years of IB Physics papers, I found something that most students never learn: the exam is far more predictable than it looks. Certain themes dominate Paper 2. Certain command terms trip up the same 80% of students every year. The IA has specific patterns that separate a 15/24 from a 22/24. And the 7 boundary is just 68% — yet students study as though they need 95%.

I've worked with students across countries — from international schools in Geneva and Singapore to schools in Dubai, London, Hong Kong, and beyond. My students have been admitted to Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, ETH Zurich, MIT, and other world-class STEM programmes.

Outside of IB Physics and research in theoretical physics, I advise AI and deep-tech startups. I also tutor physics to quantitative analysts and traders.

IB Physics isn't about being brilliant. It's about being strategic. Let me show you how.

-- Days Until IB Physics Exams.

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In -- days, results are locked in. Universities won't lower their requirements. Cambridge will still want 776 at HL. Oxford will still shortlist 2.5 per place.

But -- days is enough. Enough to fix the gaps. Enough to master the command terms. Enough to turn a 5 into a 7 — if you know exactly what to do.

Would it be completely unreasonable to spend a free 15 minutes finding out exactly where your child is losing marks — before the exam locks it in for good?

Book Your Free Diagnostic Call

spots remaining · No obligation · 15 minutes · Clear action plan either way