<p>I'm currently attending a very small non-ib high school that offers very very few APs and is low on extracurriculars as well. I recently discovered that by taking on the IB Diploma I would have the capability to transfer into a much larger school with many more opportunities, but I'd have to be in IB as it's outside my 'school zone'. I know all about IB. I don't underestimate that it will be difficult and that time management will be of the essence, but I think it is what's right for me, I'm just wondering what you guys think.
I'm from a very small Canadian town that doesn't offer many opportunities as more than 80% of its high school students end up at the local university.
I want to attend a much different type of university or college institution. I'd like to be a journalist and like to study English and maybe some things about film studies. Anyway I'm off topic a little now, do you guys think transferring to this school would be beneficial?
And also, I know that IB is incredibly time consuming and everything else and that CAS takes up a lot of free time, but is there still room for extracurriculars? This new school has a large range and I'd love to be a part of them. Also how easy is it to get your ECs to count for CAS? I guess that last question really depends on the school... Anyway thanks for reading and please share you insight. </p>
<p>If you were to take IB, you have to go to an IB credited school. If there are no schools around you that have the IB program, I think you might be out of luck. However, I think you should take as many APs you feel comfortable taking because APs are also highly regarded. If you feel like transferring schools, I think that you and your parents should have a discussion as this will affect them as well. </p>
<p>Oh for CAS (Creative Action and Service) you can pretty much count anything for it. Oh, I went on a camping trip dedicating sometime to take couple of pictures and maybe help out some people. Then there, there’s C A and S for you. </p>
<p>I think you choose to do the IB Diploma. I had to make a decision between a level/IB/AP this year and ultimately choose IB because the IB school would offer me the best opportunities. Yes IB is extremely rigorous and what not but it will all be worth it because you’ll be much more prepared for university workload than your peers who did AP etc. </p>
<p>To answer your question, your EC’s will definitely count for CAS hours as long as they enable you to achieve the set goals from the IBO. You seem to be much more excited about going to the IB school so go there, you’ll be happier there which will hopefully equate to getting better grades!</p>
<p>Good Luck!</p>
<p>Yes, if you’re school doesn’t offer enough AP, go to the school and enroll in IB. I’m in IB currently and IB is possible for everyone as long as you don’t procrastinate everything to the last minute. CAS hours are not bad unless you wait till they are due to start them. Do about 10 hrs a month junior year and you’ll be fine(: There is room for ECs but try not to overwork you’re self by adding way to much. Also work on IA’s and the extended
Essay throughout the program so it’s not to much to complete when they are due you’re senior year. (:</p>
<p>No. Spend more time studying for the standardized test and do very well on it. That matters more. Way more. But conveniently people neglect to tell you that.</p>
<p>I recommend IB because it has done wonders for me as far as personal growth and development. IB prepares you for college and in life in so many ways:</p>
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<li><p>You get used to work. You’ll probably get a wake-up call at some point in your life when everything feels impossible and you want to crawl back to kindergarten. Get it over with now. Just don’t completely overdo it. IB should be about challenging yourself and making yourself a better person; it is not some sort of magical formula to success that you have to achieve perfectly in.</p></li>
<li><p>You learn how to do things. Important things. Take this for example: In IB Biology, we are given topics/prompts for our labs and have to come up with our own variables and procedures. This is horribly scary and at first and all I wanted was for someone to hand me some instructions, but now I understand how to scientifically INVESTIGATE a topic. In IB History, we are forced to choose any topic and research it for internal assessment. We had to locate and evaluate our own primary sources and analyze them rather than regurgitating information we found in a textbook that was chosen for us. I had to drag myself to the library and fumble around the Lincoln section until I found what I needed and it taught me how to INVESTIGATE history. Same thing in IB Math HL, we had to choose a challenging topic outside of our curriculum and figure it out. INVESTIGATING math on my own was completely different than understanding the concepts spelled out my a teacher. The importance of investigating is often overlooked in a typical school curriculum of memorizing, understanding, and regurgitating.</p></li>
<li><p>The culture was amazing. The IB students at my school were special in that we were more chill than competitive with each other and because of it we became a family. Almost any other class has immature or lazy students slowing the whole class down but IB generally has diverse yet academically minded people with at least some common interest. And, we were treated with respect and given freedom that other students didn’t have.</p></li>
<li><p>College credit. IB doesn’t give you as much college credit as AP, but you can always test AP and IB for a class if needed or just accept that you don’t need a million college credit hours.</p></li>
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