Explore a Potential DP/CP Subject Early
By October you should have a shortlist of possible DP or CP pathways and understand HL/SL differences, workload expectations and any school-specific prerequisites.
The MYP Personal Project is a significant milestone that lets you explore a genuine interest while building research, planning and reflection skills. This page gathers practical idea starters, selection criteria, timeline milestones for October and November, and ways to connect your project with future DP or CP subject choices.
The Personal Project is a core MYP assessment component that demonstrates your ability to manage an extended, self-directed inquiry.
It develops skills such as goal setting, time management, critical thinking and reflective writing that carry directly into the Diploma Programme or Career-related Programme.
Universities and schools often look at the Personal Project as evidence of independent learning and project management before you begin DP or CP coursework.
Grouping ideas by broad interest areas can help you see where your passions overlap with feasible project directions.
Each category below suggests a starting point; you will still need to narrow the focus, define success criteria and plan the timeline.
By October you should have a shortlist of possible DP or CP pathways and understand HL/SL differences, workload expectations and any school-specific prerequisites.
Your Personal Project can explore a subject area you are considering for DP or CP, giving you early insight into content, methods and assessment style.
Use the project to test whether a subject matches your strengths and interests before final subject confirmation in November.
Align project focus with future pathway to ensure your choices reflect genuine engagement and realistic expectations.
Connecting the project to your DP or CP plans helps you make informed decisions about subject combinations and long-term goals.
Prepare for each meeting with a brief progress update, specific questions and evidence of work since the last session.
Record feedback immediately and note concrete actions you will take before the next meeting.
Show iterative improvement by linking each revision to the success criteria and supervisor guidance.
Keep a clear record of meetings, feedback and actions to support the final report structure.
IB Tutoring Academy offers online IB tutoring from experienced subject tutors, with a consultation form to get started.
Support can help with idea refinement, aligning success criteria to IB requirements, and managing the October–November timeline alongside MYP5 workload.
By October the product or outcome should be actively developing, with documented choices and responses to supervisor feedback.
Select a topic in a subject area you are considering for DP or CP; the project lets you explore content, methods and workload before confirming choices in November.
Success criteria are specific, measurable checkpoints tied to your global context. They guide the product, supervisor meetings and the final report structure.
Break the project into small scheduled steps, start cumulative revision in November, and prioritise tasks by deadline and impact to avoid overwhelm.
Bring a brief progress update, specific questions and evidence of recent work. Record feedback and note concrete actions linked to your success criteria.
Tutors can help refine ideas, align success criteria with IB requirements, and manage the October–November timeline alongside MYP5 summatives and subject confirmation.
Book a consultation to discuss your interests, refine your idea and build a realistic timeline that fits your MYP5 workload and future DP/CP plans.