<p>Does anyone know anything about the IB program? I am planning to attend Deerfield Beach High School's IB program.</p>
<p>Short History of the I.B. Program
In 1965 the International Baccalaureate Office was established at Geneva as a foundation under Swiss law. An International Council of Foundation was formed, and an experimental project was launched in 1967 and offered for use in twenty schools in 1970. Since that time, the IB has grown to nearly 800 participating schools in over 70 countries. Working in three official languages (English, French, and Spanish), the IB enjoys the respect and support of many governments, colleges and universities. Significant numbers of IB Diploma holders both from within and outside North America have gained admission to the most prestigious universities in the world. Students are often accorded advanced standing and college credit based on their IB work.</p>
<p>An Introduction to the I.B. Program
The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program is a rigorous pre-university course of study, which meets the needs of the highly motivated secondary school student. Designed as a comprehensive curriculum that allows its graduates to fullfill requirements of the various national systems of education, the IB is based on the pattern of no single country or educational system It provides students of different linguistic, cultural, and educational backgrounds, with the intellectual, social and critical perspectives necessary for the adult world that lies ahead of them.</p>
<p>All IB Diploma candidates are required to engage in the study of languages, sciences, mathematics, and humanities in the final two years of their secondary schooling. This program is a deliberate compromise between the preference for specialization in some countries and the emphasis on breadth often preferred in others. The intent is that students should learn how to analyze, and to reach considered conclusions about people, their languages and literature, their ways in society, and the scientific forces of the environment.</p>
<p>Curriculum
The IB curriculum, shaped over the years by educators committed to international education, involves the student's final two years of the secondary education sequence. During that time, study is undertaken in a broad range of subjects, selected under the guidance of a school appointed IB coordinator.</p>
<p>The high standards implicit in the IB examinations assume high levels of achievement and preparation at the junior high and pre-IB levels. (Grades 9 and 10).</p>
<p>The subjects that compromise the core of the IB curriculum are arranged according to six groups: the Diploma candidate is required to select one subject for each area. The student's selection of subjects will depend upon the range of IB subjects offered by the participating school.</p>
<p>Certificate/Diploma Candidates
Students are awarded certificates for any examination completed. All IB Diploma candidates are required to take one subject from each of the groups. At least three and no more than four of the six subjects are taken at a Higher Level, the others at Standard Level. Each examined subject is graded on a scale of 1 (minimum) to 7 (Maximum). The awarding of the Diploma requires a minimum total of 24 points and the satisfactory completion of three additional requirements; the Extended Essay of some 4000 words, a course entitled Theory of Knowledge (TOK) which explores the relationships among the various disciplines and ensures that students engage in critical reflection and analysis of the knowledge acquired within and beyond the classroom, and the compulsory participation in CAS which requires the student to demonstrate creativity, action, and service in relationship to school and community. The CAS requirement complements a student's academic development. Bonus points may be awarded for the exceptional essay or performance in Theory of Knowledge</p>
<p>The IB program in high school is an internationally standardized program, it is recognized across the globe. To get the most out of IB, you must take follow the IB Diploma track. Essentially, you will complete 2 years of preIB classes, and then 2 years of IB classes. You will then take a test in 6 subject areas. You must test in:</p>
<p>Math
History
Native Language
Science
Foreign Language
Elective</p>
<p>these tests will cover material learned over the 2 year period. In addition, you will have to complete a 4000 word (~10-12 pages) research paper, take a class called Theory of Knowledge (and do an essay and presentation), and complete 150 CAS hours (basically community service, divided into 3 parts - creative, action, and service). Each class has assignments throughout the 2 years that will count towards your final score, as opposed to AP programs where you sit for the test and that's your score. These assignments are externally moderated, as in, you turn them into your teacher and school, and then they get set somewhere around the world, to make sure that your teacher is grading at the same difficulty as other teachers.</p>
<p>with all courses being 2 years, your schedule has little room to take electives, other than the one you choose for your 6th IB test.</p>
<p>From the 6 tests, you must score 24 points, on a 1-7 scale to get your Diploma. Tests are bell curved world wide. You can get 3 bonus points from TOK and the Essay, so the maximum score you can get is 45. About 80% of Diploma Candidates get the Diploma (lots of people will drop the program through the years), and about 50 of 20,000 will get a perfect 45. Top schools will require around a 38 if their acceptances are given solely based on scores (most european schools (ie Oxford, Cambridge, etc), no US schools).</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ibo.org%5B/url%5D">www.ibo.org</a> is the website for IB
<a href="http://www.ibscrewed.net%5B/url%5D">www.ibscrewed.net</a> is a website where IB kids chat (message board)</p>
<p>I'm an IB senior and I have a love/hate relationship with the IB. You'll want to throw things a lot, but if you love to learn, it will give you a very sound education. It's hard to say whether it's worth it or not... I don't have anything else to compare it to. I did take a year of AP US History though.</p>
<p>I believe IB is more comprehensive than AP because classes are over a 2 year period (generally), the IB is an internationally recognized curriculum, and IB scores consist of prepared oral presentations, blind oral commentaries, world lit papers/internal assessments completed throughout the two years, Group 4 project (kind of an integrated science project independently created and completed with people from other IB sciences over two days), as well as what happens on exam day. No IB exam is all multiple-choice; I believe only the science exams have m/c at all, and a greater part of the science score comes from a free-response section. Math exams require all work be shown. History/Social Studies exams are all essays and DBQs. English exams are commentaries. Language B (foreign language) exams are essays and reading comprehension. And so forth.</p>
<p>I actually enjoyed writing my extended essay very much - I think it's a great part of the IB. It was obnoxious cause my IB coordinator wanted all final copies of the EE in at the same time my guidance counselor wanted all of our college applications in (my school does things early), plus we had SATs that following weekend and world lit papers due the same week, but that's just what happens when you're in IB. Worst week ever was in May last year: prom and SATs were on the same day, sandwiched in between the math and history IB exams.</p>
<p>Oh yeah, plus IB exams are given over two or three days. Even SL exams can run over three hours. I think the longest HL exams last five hours. But in my school at least, IB seniors are released from classes a week before exams begin! So I'll be completely finished with high school in April :)</p>
<p>Ha.. enjoy IB.. not to discourage you, but I'm not gonna lie.. I'm glad I'm nearly done.</p>
<p>I'm an IB senior too and m_c basically said it all. It's a lot of work, and lots of people always complain about it, but most people stick with it because you are getting a really good education.</p>
<p>I am a senior IB diploma candidate. I just finished my extended essay a week ago and found it challenging and rewarding.</p>
<p>Reasons to consider taking the IB path is it may represent the most difficult and rewarding academic path your HS may offer. This helps you become well-rounded educationally, a more in-depth thinker who is able to express his/her thought process, as well as helps with future college applications.</p>
<p>Most people don't proceed all the way to the diploma and just get the certificate. The reasons are: (1) the tests aren't cheap...I think roughly $70 per test or so; (2) it doesn't affect college admissions....you don't sit for the final HL exams until after colleges have sent out their admissions notices; and (3) most colleges don't offer credit for IB tests/diplomas, although this may be changing. I know some schools may offer some advance placement if you score a 6 or 7 on higher level exams.</p>
<p>The AP path may prepare you more for standardized tests. As noted above, IB exams aren't exclusively multiple choice. I took the SAT II biology test and it had topics/questions on it we simply hadn't covered in class. I don't know if others have had this experience or if the AP path would have been different.</p>
<p>there's 2 SAT II Bio tests, did you take the right one?</p>
<p>Great points veggie, though I don't agree with your point that most IB students do not go for the whole diploma. At my school most people who take IB courses are full diploma students. Most of us attend college in the States, but I think the general consensus is that if you're writing the certificate, you're likely taking a whole bunch of IB courses.. might as well write a few more essays (EE and ToK) and go for the whole enchilada.</p>
<p>I just wanted to add here that my daughter went through the IB program at her high school and graduated last year with the IB diploma. I do think m_c has "said it all," making some really great points--especially the "love/hate" relationship with IB. And I know my daughter would agree with veggie, too, that the IB curriculum is challenging, rewarding, and really does provide a solid, well-rounded education and background--on many levels. A ton of work, but most graduates would agree--very worthwhile, and a terrific preparation for college.</p>
<p>m_c</p>
<p>maybe it is different at different schools, but my class had 35 Diploma Candidates, and about 210 people who took at least 1 IB test. My class took over 600 tests, so if you figure the 35 Diploma kids account for 200 of them, the other 175 people took 400 tests.</p>
<p>At my school, there is not one student not attempting the full IB diploma, it is expected of everyone. With the high costs associated with IB, my schools does not allow anyone to enroll in an IB class unless they are attempting the full diploma. Although everyone attempts to receive the full diploma, unfortunately, not everyone meets the requirements to receive it.</p>
<p>Wow, it definitely looks like schools have very different policies about IB.. it's kind of ironic because the whole point of making IB so international in the first place is to allow military/diplomat/etc kids who move around the world a lot to have a consistent education.</p>
<p>worldshopper, does your school offer AP courses for those who want to take advanced classes in certain subjects and not in others?</p>
<p>IB is certainly love/hate. I was in it for the first two years of HS ('pre-ib') but decided not to continue because the implementation at my school was focused much more heavily on the humanities and not enough on math/science (for my liking).</p>
<p>As far as the group 4 project goes...well, I had to take part in it (AP Bio and IB HL Bio are taught together since the curricula are identical) and it was an utter waste of time. It didn't introduce anything in the way of data analysis that I hadn't learned via the AP mandated labs or basic algebra/stats (curve fitting and regression, chi squared, etc).</p>
<p>EE...if you choose a topic you're interested in, you'll have alot of fun writing it. On the other hand, if you simply choose randomly, you'll hate life. I have friends on both ends of the spectrum :).</p>
<p>IB, at my old HS, certainly excels in history, english, and language, more so than AP. If you're very interested in these areas, IB is the way to go.</p>
<p>On the other hand, at least the way it was taught at my school, AP Physics covered more than IB HL Phys, AP Bio and IB Bio HL were identical, and AP Chem covered more than IB Chem SL (HL wasn't offered due to low demand).</p>
<p>I think the reason my school's science ib area isn't so strong is that there's a competing science/tech/math magnet in the same area - as a result, the more humanities focused kids are attracted to the IB, and given class demands, it caters to them.</p>
<p>That said, your school's implementation may be very different - science could be equally pushed, based on how the demand for certain classes are. I'd think about what areas you really enjoy, and see if the IB program at your school is strong in those. For example, if you like science but not humanities, and your school is strong in both, IB could be very good for you - you'll become much more comfortable in an additional area while delving deep into a subject you enjoy.</p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>m_c: Yes, my school offers both AP courses and the full IB programme.</p>
<p>m_c: Great post. :)</p>
<p>veggie: According to [url="<a href="http://www.wis.edu/schoollife/index_printernationalbacca.asp%22%5Dtsdad's">http://www.wis.edu/schoollife/index_printernationalbacca.asp"]tsdad's</a> link<a href="my%20HS's%20website,%20as%20it%20happens">/url</a>, "Worldwide, 82 percent of IB students earn a Diploma". </p>
<p>I don't personally think the IB Certificate is worth the trouble. Part of the point of the IB is to get a well-rounded education, and taking two or three classes in random subjects isn't going to achieve that. It depends on what you want out of it, of course.</p>
<p>I agree with karthikkito that you should definitely look into your school's strengths and weaknesses, because it varies between individual programs.
[quote]
IB, at my old HS, certainly excels in history, english, and language, more so than AP. If you're very interested in these areas, IB is the way to go.</p>
<p>On the other hand, at least the way it was taught at my school, AP Physics covered more than IB HL Phys, AP Bio and IB Bio HL were identical, and AP Chem covered more than IB Chem SL (HL wasn't offered due to low demand).
[/quote]
Just to illustrate the difference, IB Chem SL/HL at my school (it's a combined class; the HL kids just meet more often) is known as "the hardest class offered", "academic suicide", or simply "#@$%%@#@&%#!!!!!". I'm in HL... and yes, it deserves that reputation. Bio SL is rigorous but manageable, in my experience, and I don't take physics, but supposedly the curve is brutal. My school doesn't offer AP, so I can't really compare.</p>
<p>I'm only a first-term junior, so I'm not in a position to evaluate, but there is definitely a love/hate relationship. On one hand, the education is rewarding... on the other, well, it's nearly two AM, I've an English commentary due tomorrow, and I can't remember the last time I got a good night's sleep. You decide where your priorities lie. :eek:</p>
<p>In all seriousness, though, I'd say it's worth it. :)</p>
<p>my IB chem class was taught to HL (some people still took the SL test, but they were responsible for HL material for tests in the classroom), and was considered the hardest class at my school.</p>
<p>IB Certificates are definitely worth getting. Not everyone is cut out to take advanced classes in every subject.</p>
<p>IB is essentially two years of 6 classes plus TOK, or practically 13 advanced classes. It's not directly correlated, but how many people do you see that take anywhere close to that number of AP tests, or even 8 AP tests? It's not that many.</p>
<p>I agree with Soccerguy!</p>
<p>My IB Certificate is truly a sense of accomplishment! It was not the result of taking 2 or 3 random IB courses, but being fully dedicated to the program. I have been an IB (MYP in grades 6-10) for 6.5 years and I can tell you that being part of a program and meeting the criteria is a lot different than just taking courses. Were there times I wanted to quit? You bet but I made a promise to myself in 6th grade to see it from start to finish and I am at the finish line!</p>
<p>I'm a senior doing the IB program overseas at an international school. Here there are only two options. Either IB diploma or certificate. Generally most students do the diploma, they are greatly encouraged by the teachers and the administration. </p>
<p>I find the program very difficult, but at the same time rewarding. At the moment I am up to my head with Extended Essay, World Lit's, English Orals, Physics Labs and a million other assignments. I'm almost to the end of the TOK class- my final essay is nearly finished and I have my final oral next week. </p>
<p>So without some disastrous showing on the final exams by July I should have my hard-earned diploma. Although at times I have absolutely hated the program and cursed myself for taking it, I know realize it has worked out for the best. I consider myself very well prepared for college and stress and deadlines, as well as avoiding all-nighters. </p>
<p>Before you commit to the program you should definitely do some research. It is not something you just want to jump into, because it is a huge committment and is not for everyone. Some kids just can't handle the full program or just shouldn't be doing it. But if you so choose it, at the end of two years you'll be exhausted, but most of us think its well worth it.</p>
<p>I fully agree!</p>