<p>I'm not sure if this has been asked before, but does the International Baccalureate program help at all when applying for colleges? I know the high GPA is good but what about the extended essay that is required or the Theory of Knowledge class along with its own essay? In short, do the extra things IB students go through really make such a difference in admissions?</p>
<p>adcoms know that the IB program is rigorous, partly because of all the extra academic requirements. that's always a plus. some schools favor IB more than others - for example, duke looks favorably upon IB students. </p>
<p>however, the real benefit of IB is when u finally get into college. i know two past IB graduates at princeton, and they told our IB coordinator that in their freshman writing class, they were in the minority of people that could write a well-structured analytical thesis. in general, the stuff u learn in IB will help make college easier for u.</p>
<p>About the extra things- yes, I think they may help a little. I sent in my EE as a supplement. One of my friends sent in his TOK essay and received a hand-written note from the admissions office about it. Of course, an in-depth AP or regular project could have the same effect, but I think it does help.</p>