Quitting IB after junior year?

Pre-College Issues International Baccalaureate (IB)
1

This is going to be a long read because I need to explain my situation but I would really appreciate the advice.

I started my freshman year retaking my honors math and science classes from eight grade due to unmedicated ADHD during the first run. While my friends took Analytic Geometry and Biology, I was not. I was also enrolled in our STEM program (just an engineering pathway, not really a special class or series of courses). Our IB director during our sophomore year convinced me and my friends to enroll in IB in addition to STEM for this year (2017-2018) but did not tell us that unless we took all IB courses (which would bar us from properly being in marching band and a non-IB band course) (and having to do service hours) we would not receive a diploma. We would get a “certificate”. Not only am I not a “real” IB kid, I’m not treated like one. I’m not taking IB biology, I’m taking AP physics 1 instead because of my IB status. Full IB kids are informed of field trips and go places when certificate students hear it by word of mouth and are often not given the proper information to go despite being “offered” to.

My director didn’t tell me I might need chemistry and the algebra after analytic geometry to graduate. Now I’m taking Am. Lit Y1 and History of the Americas Y1 and last year I took American Literature and us history. I haven’t taken AP government or AP Lang. It’s just… frustrating. The classes aren’t so bad (except for physics, because every quiz and test HAS to be curved because they’re so difficult, I’ve cheated and still received a 70 post-curve, the teacher has been accused of grade inflation but we depend on those curves to succeed). I don’t take TOK or IB music.

I wanted my senior year to be fun, where I was finishing up my remaining credits (had I not been in IB I’d have some gaps next year I could fill with drama as well as bands). I don’t see any value in a certificate, but I’m terrified that if I leave IB my graduation credits will be horrendous and I’ll end up not being able to graduate. But a lot of my friends are quitting for dual enrollment, and I don’t want to be alone with a bunch of students who don’t have the same classes as me and are better than me.

2

I am currently a senior enrolled in IBDP. I understand that it’s difficult for you to handle the pressure of high year with IB Certificate. However, IB is considered as a challenging course that proves you can handle college curriculum. Quitting IB after junior year will give the college an impression that you have limited potential to be successful in college courses.
Be careful about dropping any courses after junior year. In college admission process, IB courses are in the same difficulty as the AP courses (1 IB = 1 AP).

3

Many people quit IB between the beginning and end at my kids’ school. Honestly it doesn’t seem to hurt kids as long as they keep up the rigor with other classes and keep up their GPA. In fact last year we had a kid go to Princeton after quitting IB.

4

DD quit IB after junior year with no repercussions. She did very well on admissions. Btw she was very glad she quit a, it gave her much more flexibility in her senior year.

5

Our kid stuck it out in IB and got into some great universities, waitlisted on others. But she feels like she missed a lot of being a teenager, and her stress is very high most of the time. She talked us into it, and we regret that.

6

@strangytie, any possible consequences for quitting IB pale in comparison to what could happen if you get caught cheating. I think the cheating and your general unhappiness with the IB certificate are signs that it’s not the right thing for you.