IB Program

[PBLax05]

im just wondering if the IB program (international baccalaureate) is really worth it... im a really good student and everything but i dont want school to be my WHOLE life and i know the course is really challenging.

[truste1]

No.

I was in IB for my Freshmen/Sophmore year and it killed my (and many friends) GPA's..and social lives. I'm a Junior now and I pretty much never talk to my friends from middle school, but I still hang out with the IB kids. In that aspect it's nice because you do have people you're with for 4 years and it's pretty good, and you develop relationships with them/teachers.

If you're going to put the work in it's definitely worth it, but you're going to have many a night with little to no sleep.

If I could do it all over I'd go with just honors/AP courses.

[JoshM]

No. My brother's old school did it. From what I know about it, it's complete garbage.

[wilsontopowell]

my school does it but im not in it, if your going to be in it be prepared to have school as your whole life at least thats what i hear.

[Frndlefire]

So wait..some people's schools have regular classes, AP classes, and then IB classes? You have three different levels of schooling? God our education system is messed

[PBLax05]

So wait..some people's schools have regular classes, AP classes, and then IB classes? You have three different levels of schooling? God our education system is messed

yeah we have regular classes, honors, ap, and ib

[laxattack8888]

I'm just going to take AP classes next year and get College Credit so I can do the Super-Graduation Program instead of the regular old graduation thing. We have IB as well, it seems almost like a scam to keep you away from partys and fun activities.

[Krypt0M4g!c]

im just wondering if the IB program (international baccalaureate) is really worth it... im a really good student and everything but i dont want school to be my WHOLE life and i know the course is really challenging.

Don't, unless homework and 5 million papers gives you an errection. It ruined a few of my friends highschool lives. My sister was in it when she was in highschool, didn't have time for anything. Just do real good in honors and you'll be set. Actually, you don't even need honors.

[LaxBoy92]

Does it help more than AP in terms of college acceptence?

[BTlaxripper]

AP are just college level courses in high school. They are so awesome -- honestly there is never busy work and you get to learn the material yourself. I never have homework and just listen during class. They are pretty fun because you get into very intellectual discussions about the subject -- atleast at my school.

As for IB -- I hear you have to sign a contract that you will do like 4 hours of studying everyday -- that is unfair. Highschool should be about improving all aspects of your life, not turning you into a shut-in.

[truste1]

Does it help more than AP in terms of college acceptence?


Colleges prefer you to take the most challenging courses offered. If your school offers IB, they consider IB classes to be the most challenging versus AP.

IB also allows you to have a ton of credits. It's not uncommon to go into college as a sophmore.

It also just prepares you for the rigor of college. But of course there is the trade off of no life/being completely miserable.

[fitzy_nb_11]

yes, I'm having the same issue for high schools one offers ab and one offers ib I'm so stuck in between and my sister is in IB and she has plenty of time to hang and stuff... she goes to parties like every night

[LaxBoy92]

I have friends who have done IB and not been too pressured. I'm starting high school next year in the IB program. My friends who have graduated all say the most homework they've ever gotten was 4 hours. That's not bad considering it's the IB program. They said usually its 1-2 hours of homework which is not even double the homework I get right now. Maybe the teachers are a lot tougher in your high school.

[Ghslongpole14]

Look, just take some select courses of the IB program. I take SL Philospohy, History of the AMericas (same thing as AP US), and IB English 11.

GPA wise, an IB class and an AP class are both 6.0 scale classes.

[lilaxgurl23]

GPA wise, an IB class and an AP class are both 6.0 scale classes.

That depends on your school, in my school regular classes, AP and IB are all weighted the same, no bonus points because you're taking a harder class.

Now about IB, I would say it really has more to do with what you want to do later in life and what colleges you are considering. A lot of schools accept IB certificates just as they would a 4 or 5 AP class. Now here's the thing, IB is more dedicated to the liberal arts, aka you must take things like theater or a music/art class with all of the other classes you take. IB looks really good on transcripts if you're planning on going to go to a school that likes the IB program (Syracuse is a big one in that category), but not all colleges accept it for college credit, so make sure you look into the colleges you are applying to and see if you can get credit or not. A lot of schools are catching on so it's not a huge disadvantage that it once was.

AP now, I pretty much take the same level of courses an IB student would take, but I have more say in what I take. The IB program really limits your extra-curriculars that you can take (especially if you're on a block sched like me). IMO, if you want to look impressive to colleges, taking the IB program or filling up your schedule with AP's will look pretty the same, but it all depends on what you're looking for when it comes to classes and colleges.

Another great thing about the IB program is the CAS thing you have to do. Pretty much you don't have to worry about your community service if you take IB because you are required to do a certain number anyways. You also have mentors and a lot of help behind you to keep pushing yourself. One downside is the paper you have to write your senior year, but like I said, your mentors and IB teachers really help you out to make it as easy as possible.

Oh, I forgot to mention, if you opt not to take the IB program, you are not barred from taking IB classes. If you want, you can take an IB class and still try to get credit for that one class.

About the homework load, if you take IB or fill your sched with APs, of course it's not going to be easy. We actually start our IB program junior year (some people saying they're starting it frosh?) so being able to take a few AP's before that will help you gauge how much time an AP level course actually requires. IMO, it's really not that bad. My friends who take IB and I all take pretty much the same course load (though I actually have a harder sched) and we all do just fine. Taking advanced classes really helps develop your time management skills. After a few weeks of such a rigorous schedule, most people know how to handle themselves. I suppose it's probably easier with a block sched, but honestly, when I receive a chapter of AP bio a chapter of AP US, AP chem and some other class for homework, it really doesn't faze me or many people who are taking advanced classes. It can easily be accomplished if you just know how to manage your time through out the day. I've also never heard of this commitment to four hours of studying each day, many of my IB friends rarely do that. It's really not as miserable as most people make it seem. It's going to be hard either way, but there's definitely still an opportunity to have a social life while still being well prepared for college (AP or IB really).

So all in all, it's really not as hard as most people make it seem. I'm still out Friday nights having fun and have much of a social life. You give up a few hours and some nights will be hell, but it's worth it in the end whether you're taking IB or AP classes. So it's up to you, if you're into a school that loves IB (SU) then try it out. If you're into liberal arts you might want to give it a shot. If you want to take tech and science classes though, AP's might be the way for you.

[franks2089]

I'm in the diploma program.

[LAX4LIFE003]

theres only 3 public schools in my state that have the IB program and its my school and the other hs in our district. theres also only one private school. im taking a couple IB classes next year (physc physics) along with a couple ap courses...ive heard that not many colleges even distinguish the difference between these classes and honors??? if so im deffinatly changing my scheduel

[Frndlefire]

yeah we have regular classes, honors, ap, and ib
What's the point...I cant imagine how you can have much differences in workload between those four. I mean, you can only make IB so hard and realistically expect the kids to be able to do it and with four levels it seems like the regular classes would be pitifully easy.

[LaxBoy92]

Does UVA recognize IB as much as SU?

[Lax1228]

My middle school is IB, but since it's middle school it's not that much harder or more different than the other schools.

[zak]

Does your school offer individual IB classes?

If so, take IB level classes ONLY IN WHAT YOU CARE ABOUT. Theres nothing worse than having to do insanely difficult work for something you care little about. More later, but for now I have to write a Paper 2 for history comparing the roles of Germany and Britain in WW1, as Im sure some other people on these boards do too.

Thats a benefit though, Id be willing to bet that the people on here in IB history 1 are somewhere around WW1, and that they would be willing to agree when I say that British military planning and mobilization was aimed at preventing invasion via naval buildup and a system of alliances while German planning and mobilization was intended to push Germany to the top while preventing encirclement and certain destruction.

[truste1]

Does UVA recognize IB as much as SU?


What is SU?

On the UVa website it specifically states that it considers IB to be the toughest program and that they favor it.

[LaxBoy92]

What is SU?

Syracuse University.

[LAX4LIFE003]

My middle school is IB, but since it's middle school it's not that much harder or more different than the other schools.


your middle school is IB???? i find that very difficult to believe...

[asian_invasion]

ok. lilaxgurl23 did a pretty good job on clearing this up. most of you seem to think IB is a program designed by the devil himself and all who partake in it are satanic. it's not true. IB is rigorous -- but what's this garbage about signing contracts for 4 hours of work a night? use your brains--how is that even possible? it's not--unless they barge into your house and check.

IB, again, is rigorous. i have a motherlode of work every night. but it doesn't keep you from hanging out and partying or whatever--you just gotta learn some time management.

the real problem lies in taking IB and AP classes together, say IB chem and the AP chem test. THAT is a real problem, and that dilemma is actually is what's keeping me from playing lacrosse this season. i just don't have time with all the AP tests im gonna be taking, not because of all the IB stuff i'm taking. AP, in relation, does a lot more damage than IB does.

yes, middle schools do have IB. and yes, colleges do like IB just as much if not more than AP, depending on the college. plus when you graduate from HS you get a nice cord on your robe. it's gonna be cool. well i'm gonna go worship the IB demons now.

[truste1]

your middle school is IB???? i find that very difficult to believe...


No it's true, there are IB-only schools. These two girls I met at a Model United Nations conference earlier this year went to an IB middle school, and now they're in IB at their highschool. You have to realize that IB was made for military families to be able to have a uniform system of learning regardless of location, so it wouldn't be really smart to only start it in HS.

[Laxordie24]

OK, I'm going to bring this thread back up because it's time to make the decision whether or not I'm going to stay in IB. I'm a sophmore, going to be a Junior next year, and I'm serisouly considering dropping out. I still balance a 3.6-3.8 GPA with sports every season and time for a social life, but I really have no motivation. IB at my school is a very rigorous program, harder than the AP, and was ranked 4th in the world last year for the international program. Needless to say our teachers strive to keep that plaque on their wall. I guess the real dilema is...can I succeed and keep up my GPA with very little motivation? This question is for all you Jr's and Sr's in IB.
I'd hate to drop out of the program knowing I can do it, I just don't have any motivation.

Also, it's not an option to take half AP half IB courses. It's an all or nothing deal at my school.

[zak]

OK, I'm going to bring this thread back up because it's time to make the decision whether or not I'm going to stay in IB. I'm a sophmore, going to be a Junior next year, and I'm serisouly considering dropping out. I still balance a 3.6-3.8 GPA with sports every season and time for a social life, but I really have no motivation. IB at my school is a very rigorous program, harder than the AP, and was ranked 4th in the world last year for the international program. Needless to say our teachers strive to keep that plaque on their wall. I guess the real dilema is...can I succeed and keep up my GPA with very little motivation? This question is for all you Jr's and Sr's in IB.
I'd hate to drop out of the program knowing I can do it, I just don't have any motivation.

Also, it's not an option to take half AP half IB courses. It's an all or nothing deal at my school.
Yeah, it was all or nothing at mine too. Until I got in a fist fight with my IB Coordinator and forced her to chagne my schedule. I wouldnt do it if you have no motivation and year-round sports.

[swordsman]

Our school just accelerates us and gives better AP.