I’m a sophomore and yesterday there was a presentation about the IB Curriculum, I was pretty much set on taking the full diploma, but I heard him say “If you’re focused on America then you wouldn’t really need a Full Diploma (since they do not require it) since they focus more on GPA, extracurriculars, SAT/ACT”. So I was thinking that if I wanted to take Computer Science at one of the best universities in the U.S (Stanford, Ivy League, etc) then should I just not take the full diploma since my gpa could be at risk? Is the IB full diploma really setting me apart because it is a risk for me. My Dad was telling me that if something bad happened in the U.S I would have nowhere else to go (that was good)… How feasible is that?.. and also that not taking the diploma was for lazy and stupid people (and I’m not that)… I’m not too sure now… is not taking the full diploma the smart or stupid choice? I would obviously have more free time to make sure my SAT was good and really focus on extracurriculars, right?
I mean I’m aiming high for colleges and although I haven’t really taken the standardized testing yet, my gpa so far is good (although I had a bit of a drop at the start of this year for the first quarter…)… I do a wide range of extracurriculars: Robotics Club President, Wrestling, Brain Bowl, Student Council Class President, MUN, School Tech Group, I’m also part of a international academy of students trying to solve problems, Honor Band, Speech… Is the IB just more of an unneeded extension that is risky for me…
It looks like you are an international student. Don’t only focus on studying in the US. If you have a pulse and you can pay the full cost of attendance, you can get in somewhere here. However, that doesn’t mean you will get a student visa.
If you do not complete the IB diploma, what options would you have in your own country, or in another country that is not the US?
If you’re already in the IB program, why not get the diploma irregardless? In the U.S., there’s no difference between obtaining the diploma and just graduating from an IB school. My older son graduated from an IB school with no diploma; my younger son received the diploma. The only difference? A cheap paper that the diploma was printed on. For that, you’d have to take all the IB exams with minimum scores, of course.
I think that we need more information regarding where you go to high school (a state or country), whether you are a US citizen or permanent resident (if either, then it doesn’t matter which one), your grades, and what you can afford for university.
We live in the US (New England) and I had never heard of the IB diploma before reading about it on this web site. Nonetheless lots of students from around here go to top universities in the US (and in a few cases elsewhere).
By the way, most of the top universities for computer science are not in the Ivy League. Also, there are a very large number of universities in the US with very good computer science programs. Many of them (not all of course) are state universities.
I can tell you that at my daughter’s school there are two choices - the IB Diploma program or the school certificate. The school certificate is really only for those who are failing the IBD.
If you are applying to competative schools, having the “rigour” of the IBD is important - and having your counselor note that you took the “most rigourous” program available at your school is also important.
@TiggerDad - I am interested in your comment about IB in American schools. Did both kids have to do the TOK, EE and CAS hours? What did one do to qualify for the diploma that the other did not do?
@CValle - In the US, public high schools that offer IB programs usually also offer normal HS programs that can include a mix of on-level, honors, AP, and career programs. Depending on the individual students’ interests and goals, some will graduate with the full IB diploma, some with a bunch of IB and/or AP courses, some without any advanced classes, and some with at least the first year of a career training program. The public HS up the street from my house has about 1,500 students in grades 9-12 and offers exactly that mix. Auto mechanics certificate? Full IB? First year of Fire Fighter training (some at off-campus site)? AP classes? Yup it’s all there.
“I am interested in your comment about IB in American schools. Did both kids have to do the TOK, EE and CAS hours? What did one do to qualify for the diploma that the other did not do?”
Yes, both kids had to do TOK, EE and CAS. You qualify for the diploma after completing all requirements plus passing the final IB exams (I believe the minimum score is 3?). My older boy decided not to take the final exams; my younger one did, and that was the only difference.
