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The DP2 Consolidation Guide: A Parent’s Checklist

The DP2 Consolidation Guide: A Parent’s Checklist

5 min read | Manmohini Tiwari | March 4, 2025

Navigate the final year of the IB. Our guide offers parents expert tips to support their child's wellbeing and provides students with planners, IA trackers, and revision tools.

The DP2 Consolidation Guide: A Parent’s Checklist

This guide is designed to help parents support their DP2 child during the critical "consolidation phase"—the pivotal weeks where Internal Assessments (IAs), TOK essays, and mock exam preparation converge.

At Lanterna, we understand that this is often the most stressful period of the IB Diploma. The difference between burnout and a confidence-boosting mock exam session is often organization.

By using this guide, you will be able to:

  • Audit current workloads instantly using the "IA & Core Status Tracker."
  • Visualize the path to mocks with a simplified, adaptable 4-Week Revision Block plan.
  • Monitor effectiveness using the Past Paper Accountability Grid.
  • Reduce household stress by clearly separating "University Admin" from "Academic Study."

Part 1: The "State of Play" Audit

Before new revision starts, existing coursework must be managed. Use this table to sit down with your child for 10 minutes and map out exactly what is outstanding.

Subject / Core ElementCurrent StatusHard DeadlineSafe Date (2 days prior)
Math IA   
Science IA   
Humanities IA   
Language A Essay   
TOK Essay   
EE (Final Polish)   
University Apps   
The Lanterna Tip: If more than three items are in the "Drafting" phase, prioritize finishing one completely before starting mock revision. Clearing the mental deck is crucial for focus.

Part 2: The 4-Week Pre-Mock Strategy

Avoid vague advice like "study more." Use this framework to structure the weeks leading up to the exams.

Week 1: Content Consolidation

Focus: Reviewing notes from DP1 material that hasn't been touched in months.

Goal: Identify "Red" topics (concepts completely forgotten) and turn them into "Yellow" topics.

Week 2: Active Recall

Focus: Doing practice questions by topic (not full papers yet) to test specific knowledge areas.

Goal: Transitioning from reading textbooks to solving problems.

Week 3: Past Paper Simulation

Focus: Timed conditions. No phones, no music.

Goal: Building exam stamina and learning time management.

Week 4: Review & Refine

Focus: Reviewing the mark schemes of the papers done in Week 3.

Goal: Understanding why marks were lost (content error vs. phrasing error).

Part 3: The Past-Paper Scheduling Grid

Encourage your child to track quality over quantity. A low score analyzed well is better than a high score ignored.

SubjectPaper (P1/P2)Date TakenScore %Top 3 Topics to Review
     
     
     
     

Part 4: The Wellness Non-Negotiables

During this consolidation month, the parent's primary job is Resource Management (Food, Sleep, Mood).

  1. The "No-Fly" Zone: No university application talk after dinner. Keep evenings for decompression or light review.
  2. Sleep Bank: Ensure the student is not "borrowing" hours from sleep to study. It backfires during exams.
  3. Hydration Station: It sounds simple, but keep a full water jug on their desk. Brain function drops significantly with minor dehydration.
Manmohini Tiwari
Manmohini Tiwari
Hi, I’m Manmohini, an IB graduate with 40 points, now studying International Relations and Global Affairs in Italy. I earned 7s in HL History and HL English A, along with an A in TOK, and I’ve been tutoring these subjects for around four years. My experience working with organisations like NATO and the United Nations has deepened my understanding of global issues — something I love bringing into my lessons to make learning more relevant and thought-provoking. I focus on helping students see connections between ideas, develop strong essay and critical thinking skills, and approach the IB with confidence and curiosity rather than stress. My lessons are interactive and tailored to each student’s goals, whether that’s improving analysis, refining writing, or mastering exam techniques. I see tutoring as more than academics — it’s about building perspective and empowering students to express themselves clearly while staying balanced.. When I’m not tutoring, you’ll usually find me hiking, playing new music, or planning my next travel adventure.

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The DP2 consolidation phase is notoriously intense. The first step is to open a supportive dialogue and help them break down their workload (IAs, EE, TOK, exam revision) into smaller, manageable tasks. Creating a visual timeline can reduce anxiety. If you're unsure how to structure this, a free consultation with a Lanterna Student Success Expert can provide a clear, personalised plan.

An effective plan should balance all subjects (HL and SL), core components, and crucial downtime to prevent burnout. Prioritise topics based on confidence levels and exam weighting, and systematically integrate past paper practice under timed conditions. Our tutors, all expert IB graduates, specialise in helping students build and stick to these high-impact revision plans.

Lanterna’s IB consultation is a free, 20–30 minute call with a Student Success Expert. It's a chance for students and parents to discuss their unique IB challenges, from managing the DP2 workload to exam strategy, and receive a personalised plan with clear next steps. There is no obligation to purchase tutoring.

Focus on being a facilitator. You can help by creating a quiet study space, ensuring they have healthy meals and get enough sleep, and encouraging regular breaks. Offer to proofread or listen to them explain a concept, but empower them to own their revision schedule. Acknowledging their effort over just their grades can significantly reduce pressure.

Absolutely. Our tutors are high-achieving IB graduates who have excelled in these exact components. They provide expert, one-on-one guidance on everything from refining a research question and structuring an essay to understanding the IB's specific assessment criteria for IAs and the EE in nearly any subject.

Yes, the 20-30 minute consultation is completely free and carries no obligation. Our goal is to provide genuine value and expert guidance to IB families. You will leave the call with an actionable plan, whether or not you decide that tutoring is the right next step for you.

Students should begin using past papers as soon as they finish a topic to test their understanding. In the final 3-4 months before exams, the focus should shift to completing full papers under timed, exam-like conditions. This builds stamina and time management skills. A Lanterna tutor can help analyse performance on these papers to target any remaining weak areas.

Our Student Success Experts are IB specialists dedicated to helping families navigate the Diploma Programme. They are your first point of contact and use their deep knowledge of the IB's challenges to provide strategic advice during your free consultation, helping you identify priorities and create a personalised roadmap for academic success.

Lanterna provides personalised, one-on-one support that complements school teaching. Where a teacher manages a whole class, a Lanterna tutor focuses entirely on one student's needs. We can help with specific weak points in a subject, IA and EE guidance, or overall exam strategy, providing the focused attention needed to boost grades and confidence.

You will leave the call with a clear, expert-validated plan to tackle the final stages of the IB. If you feel one-on-one support would be beneficial, your Student Success Expert can match you with the ideal tutor for your needs from our global network of elite IB graduates. However, there is absolutely no pressure to proceed with tutoring.


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