<p>I'm probably going to go for the IB diploma, but I'm not sure if its worth it. How important is it whether or not I get a diploma? Do colleges recognize it? Is a certificate enough? Any advice would be appreciated.</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>First off, an IB Diploma shows a lot of dedication and effort on your college application. I'm an IB Diploma candidate, but I think that its importance depends on the college and your school. Most colleges just want an individual to take the most rigorous classes that his or her school offers. So, if the high school only offers IB courses, it's considered more rigorous to go for the full IB diploma than just taking a few IB courses and getting certificates. At the same time, it doesn't look good if you have C's and D's with a full IB diploma and it might be better if you just take a few IB courses and excel at those. If your school offers both AP and IB courses, you could always take a combination and not do the full IB diploma at all. As for college recognition, most colleges recognize but getting credit for IB classes is much more difficult than getting credit for AP classes since you have to get like a 6 or a 7 on higher level courses in order to even be considered for IB credit. So, go for the IB diploma if you're up for the challenge :) Hope this helps.</p>
<p>
[quote]
How important is it whether or not I get a diploma?
[/quote]
Not very important. Colleges will have released their decisions long before you get your Diploma. It's the program itself that's important. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Do colleges recognize it?
[/quote]
Some colleges love IB candidates and offer them scholarships. Other colleges have never heard of it. </p>
<p>
[quote]
Is a certificate enough?
[/quote]
It's weaker than the Diploma route unless you add APs. Diploma involves more than a few extra classes; it means more community service, TOK, Extended Essay, etc.</p>