<p>I'm currently in my first semester of 10th grade, and next semester I will have to pick my classes for junior year.
My parents want me to take full IB, and I think I want to.. but I'm not sure. I've heard that it is a LOT of work and you don't get much sleep. I am aiming for colleges like UC Berkeley, or maybe even Stanford! I'm not sure how highly they view the IB and if I should really take it. If this helps, here are my grades as of right now:
English: 95
Chemistry: 95
Math: 91
French: 90
World History: 91
My main interest is science, but I'm not sure what I want to do yet.</p>
<p>So, do you think I should take full IB or not? Thanks in advance! :)</p>
<p>As a full IB diploma student, I would advise you to take the full diploma. (No, I’m not biased at all, why would you say that.) Diploma has given me a support system of students and teachers to lean on. At certain points in the year, we are all totally miserable, but we are all miserable together, and that is why I wouldn’t change my choice to challenge the diploma for the world.
I also love that every subject is connected to another on some level. Making bridges between areas of knowledge has always been fascinating to me. And, yes, IB is a lot of work, but it’s not just because of the difficult academics - anyone who is taking AP classes/a mixture of AP and IB will attest to difficult classes. Rather, the diploma is so strenuous because of all the outside work you have to do, such as the Extended Essay and CAS. However, I think pushing through every aspect of the Diploma has made a more well-rounded student, a more critical thinker, a person who is more prepared for college, and just a better world citizen. For that reason especially, I advise you to challenge the full diploma. Good luck!!</p>
<p>I’m a full IB diploma candidate, and personally, it’s been hell. But, that is only due to my time management and procrastination. If you’re aiming towards UC Berkeley and Stanford, then I think you should take the full diploma. IB really isn’t that difficult as long as you manage your time wisely.</p>
<p>The full IB diploma programme is a balanced, academically challenging program. Doing the full diploma, with all that it entails - taking courses that may be in your weaknesses as well as your strengths, CAS, Extended Essay, ToK, IS a lot of work, and it is unrealistic to think that it won’t be. But applying to college is a competition - you are competing with tens of thousands of applicants, and you need to find ways to make yourself stand out. Many selective schools place high importance on the strength of your high school curriculum, so being a successful IB diploma student will benefit you in that competition. But successful is key - making C’s and below even in a tough curriculum will not be in your favor. </p>
<p>Citylights has it right. Why NOT take it if your school offers it. You will have the “most rigourous” box checked by your gc and the program will have your time management down pat. My daughter managed it along with a 20 hour per week sport, it can be done. Good luck.</p>
<p>I was a little bit on the fence my sophomore year as well. I ended up going for it. My reasoning? If I decide now to do the diploma and then later change my mind, I can always drop down to the certificate and I won’t be worse off than if I had opted for that in the start, and I would at least know I gave it a shot. If I opted not to do the diploma at the start, though, I wouldn’t have been able to switch into it later. I knew I would have regretted not trying it. I ended up sticking with it and have no regrets. I say go for it!</p>
<p>Thank you all so much for you responses! As of now I think I am going to take the full IB diploma.
If anyone else has anything to add, please go ahead!</p>
<p>Hey, I think that kids make the IB program seem harder than it really is. I wasn’t always in IB, and I made the transition into junior year pretty well. I used to take German for two years before I started IB Spanish 3 at my school, and I’m still getting an A in the class. That’s saying something because my school doesn’t give us a break in IB. I think that you should definitely go for it. You just have to remember that you will get sleep, if you make time for it. These kids that go to sleep at like 1 or 2 am in the morning are going to sleep that late because it’s something else that’s factoring into not getting their work done. Even if you don’t get the work done all in one night, remember there is always tomorrow and that you have a lunch period. My motto is “do whatever you have to do to get the work done…without cheating or copying”. Get a system set in place. I think you will like TOK though. It’s awesome if you understand it.</p>
<p>Honestly, go for it. I, personally, care little for a lot of the extra stuff that comes with IB [i.e. EE, CAS, TOK], mostly because I have a problem with managing a lot of things at one time, and they are most likely there to make your life a little more miserable because your advisers and teachers possibly don’t care (my experience). Your grade breakdown tells me that you could handle the workload that comes with IB and frankly you can always double science if you choose. </p>
<p>Er, just a note, though, I’m a junior, finishing up second-year IB and I am NOT in anyway an excellent school-student (though perhaps my grades say otherwise–they’re deceptive, though). You’ll be a senior and swamped with college applications AND finishing second-year IB.</p>
Diploma has given me a support system of students and teachers to lean on. At certain points in the year, we are all totally miserable, but we are all miserable together, and that is why I wouldn’t change my choice to challenge the diploma for the world.