<p>Hi guys! I am currently in the IB diploma and I sent my application ED II to Vassar. At the end of 11th grade, I scored 38/42 points. My predicted is 40-42/45 at the moment and my college adviser seems very confident. I have the following classes (following full IB diploma)
Language and Literature Higher Level
French Standard Level
Math Higher Level
Biology Standard Level
Economics Higher Level
Psychology Higher Level
I'm mainly looking at Economics (predicted 6/7), Psychology (predicted 7) and Art History.
Is IB diploma an advantage at Vassar? Does it make my application more competitive? Thank you :) </p>
Is AP an advantage? If you get good scores. Same with IB. Your application won’t become more competitive by virtue of earning an IB diploma. But if you scored well on it (which seems like the case), then yes. Context is also important. Are you taking the most difficult classes available (IB kind of answers that)? Etc. So yeah, in your case it would help your application.
@AkLvKk okay thank you 
^^
The important aspect is that you’re completing all the requirements to achieve the IB diploma. The key word is ‘diploma’. In my opinion, any student who has the fortitude and discipline to complete the notorious TOK course should receive special consideration.
Howard Gardener, the famous professor/ researcher at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of the renown book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, is a very strong proponent of the IB program.
I don’t have any insight about Vassar specifically, but I am aware of a top 3 LAC that does, or at least they used to, give special conservation to students who achieved the IB diploma. I imagine Vassar might do so as well.
Having said that, be aware that you’re not competing against all the other ED applicants, only those from your country.
Nonetheless, I have no doubt that the abundance of heartfelt enthusiasm that you have exhibited on CC for Vassar will also be easily perceptible on your application. I can almost assure you that the admission officer responsible for the initial reading of your application will quickly realize you’re “one heck of a likable and impressive young woman” 
@crewdad thank you haha that means so much! I worry sometimes that I didn’t put enough in my essays but I have an interview tomorrow so fingers crossed. What do you mean I’m only competing against applicants in my country? Won’t I be competing against all the international students as a whole? thank you
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On a macro level, you are competing with all the international students. However, regarding the more important micro level, you are competing with your fellow Indians. Vassar doesn’t practice an overt admission quota by country, but with only 110 ± enrolled freshman, international students, representing 37± different counties, it stands to reason that Vassar practices a loose admission quota per country in order to ensure nationality diversity.
@crewdad oh okay thank you
@AkLvKk, is that response regarding IB, in which you seem to imply that it’s not really different than AP and that the scores will drive whether it’ll be helpful, based on authority of some kind?
maybe this is what we do on CC, but I myself try and be careful about drawing big categorical conclusions about things like this. i’m not an adcom person and don’t want to hold myself out as one.
so to 12345n’s question, I’ll say this: based on our travels, it depends on the school. of course, no selective school is going to be clueless or indifferent about it, but some outright value it more than they do the AP. that’s just a fact and right out of the mouths of more adcoms than I could recount.
people often say they’re the same thing, but if they were the same thing, they’d BE the same thing. they’re not.
and as @crewdad points out, it’s the diploma program that really stands out for many in admissions. it is a curriculum that is hard to beat in terms of rigor, and it’s transformative in our experience. my D is wrapping up her diploma program this year, and although she’s always been a top student, I see intellectual growth in her at this point that I didn’t see in her sister, who was an AP kid at the other high school in our district.
no, I’ll agree, taking a few IB classes here and there isn’t going to wash away a bunch of academic shortcomings. but it is powerful, especially the diploma program, and at some schools very much so. at D’s interview at Williams (where in the interest of full disclosure she was being recruited to play a sport), the adcom interviewer came right out and said, “you know, you’re doing the hardest thing out there,” referring to her IB diploma program. I know Vassar looks at it (again from recent and personal experience).
@huskylawyer thank you It’s okay though, they admitted me under ED II a few days ago so I guess it is a bit advantageous
D just got rejected from her EDII school and now Vassar jumps to her #2 choice. Let’s hope all that IB work gives her the edge she needs as a white girl with a 4.0 from New England lol. FWIW, I don’t think her #1 choice at this point is a good fit so Vassar gets my vote!
@NEPatsGirl oh wow I’m so sorry it’s always brutal to get a rejection (happened to me during ED I). I’m sure she’ll get into her top choices! I hope I see her at Vassar this fall. Good luck to her!
Congrats @12345n; big accomplishment. D will be a freshman at Weslyan in the fall and Vassar was a strong consideration for her. D’s younger sister is currently a Vassar soccer recruit and a soph in HS in her pre-IB stage of studies. She has some academic ground to make up and won’t catch her sister GPA-wise, but she does have the very powerful hook on her side of athletics.
Anyway, congratulations once again.
@huskylawyer thank you oh wow your daughters sound really accomplished! Congratulations to them as well