<p>Marian, my point (clumsily made) was that the kids in our kids’ program were going to do well anyway. However, when 10% of the program gets into an Ivy, that’s not exactly poor performance.</p>
<p>S2 is one of those who would have had an easier time at the local HS, and who likely got kicked at his more grade-conscious reaches because his GPA was lower than one might expect given his test scores. On the other hand, the synergy in that program tends to make kids push their limits more than they might otherwise. For my kid, who has never been the work-til-you-drop sort, less competition and lower expectations might have meant he would have coasted without stretching himself at the local HS.</p>
<p>Hunt, my thinking after last year’s application process is that by the time the EE is done, those kids are so sick of writing and stressed out that they start dropping schools, not caring so much about the essays, and are focused on going somewhere where they can have a decent quality of life. They are so darned tired. That’s my guess as to why the college “results” don’t look the way one might expect. I know that at a certain level, S2 feared UChicago would be like another four years of IB, and as much as he liked both UChicago and IB, he did not want that. </p>
<p>Putterani, S2 also knew many kids who got 4-5 hours of sleep per night. Not my kiddo. He needed his eight hours a night. He knew nothing productive would come of him working after 10 pm. I will note however, that he has pulled a couple of late nighters in college already writing papers – and they were his best grades so far! OTOH, he is not getting up at 6 am to catch a bus, either… ;)</p>
<p>Yep I’m an 8 hours a night kind of kid! But the flip side of IB is that I really am too exhausted for my essay and what not. In fact I’m having a bit of a panic attack about my essay right now. The thing about IB is, I doubt there is a kid who can get through IB without any stress. I guess that’s good preparation for college.</p>
<p>It’s interesting to me how many IB programs seem to be stand alone magnet enviroments. The program is at our local high school, D loves it, but could opt out at any time. The school has a 90%+ diploma rate, with the students more or less self-selecting by Junior year. Freshman and Sophmore year are pre-IB with some fast paced classes. Junior year you commit to IB and start the 2 year HL courses and some of the SL courses. Really, until Senior year, most of the clases are the same as any “most rigorous” schedule. So the GPA thing is not so much of a factor…they would be taking almost all of the same courses (I think it’s one full year class different). They do take a 12 day summer class before Freshman year to get a district grad requirement out of the way (research and technology–it’s basically how to use a computer. They could test out but then they have to fulfill a district applied art requirement. So much easier to get it all out of the way early.) The school is very supportive of the program and of the students. They participate in sports, student government, and other ECs.</p>
<p>Our IB program is at one HS in the district, and MS students have to apply (about half get accepted). </p>
<p>When this is the home HS, the pre-IB decision is easier. Transportation logistics are the same, and there is no risk of being sent back to different/home HS if student wants AP. (Not sure if that has happened. When the first kid started, it was not a risk. But as time went on there were rumors of policy change). </p>
<p>Another down side for us - sometimes friends and project partners lived 20 miles away, in the opposite corner of the district.</p>