Is IB beneficial for US college applications?

<p>I'm currently in highschool, and i have to make a decision VERY soon whether i should stay in IB or drop it. My parents want me to continue it, because they think that i have a higher chance of making it into a US university. I don't want to go to like HARVARD or ivey league, just a normal university. what would you suggest? should I stay in IB or no? do US universities like the IB program if i'm an international student? because IB is REALLY hard</p>

<p>US universities DO like IB because, as you say, it’s hard; it shows the student can handle academically challenging work. </p>

<p>That said, IB is not a necessity to get into a good American university. In most of the less prestigious (but still good) colleges, public ones in particular, being an International alone will give you some advantage. If for no other reason than the fact you will be paying more than the local students.</p>

<p>If you will need FA, that’s a whole different story.</p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

<p>I personally will not need FA, but my major concern is not doing well in the IB program. I feel that my grades could be a lot higher in regular academic programs, but in IB, i’m usually at the bottom of my class, and always below the grade average? will this affect me and my chances of being accepted into universities?</p>

<p>Also, so public universities like international applicants? how so? </p>

<p>Thank you :)</p>

<p>Public universities like international applicants because they pay about twice as much as local students. </p>

<p>Doing poorly in IB is certainly a good reason not to do it. However, the rigor of your high school courses is something that schools take into consideration, so do make sure your high school curriculum is challenging, that your grades are good/very good, and that you do well on your SATs, a crucial factor.</p>

<p>When you say you’re at the bottom of the class, do you mean you’re flunking out? Or getting B-minuses? </p>

<p>Why do you think you’re doing poorly? Is the material just beyond you? Do you have an extracurricular that’s consuming alot of time and energy? Do you think you might do better if you worked on improving your time-management? My daughter was in IB, and the workload was almost overwhelming at times. But she always had better grades, and felt better, when she organized her time and stayed on top of her studies. </p>

<p>Yea, IB is hard. Colleges do like it, though, and not just the Ivies. Before you drop it, think about if there’s some way you could make it work. Because not only does it make your applications look better, it really does prepare you very well for college-level work.</p>