I'm an RMIB grad — ask me anything.

[Anonymous]

Hey everybody. It's a slow day at work so I popped on here out of boredom and saw a few posts about RM and the IB program, so I figured I'd try to clarify some questions.

I graduated from RMIB a few years ago and went on to attend a public university on a full scholarship. People in my industry don't typically go to grad school since it's not necessary, but I've considered earning a master's because I want to be a professor in the future. I won't specify the industry since it's not huge for RMIB grads and I don't want to reveal any potentially identifying information.

I also applied to and was accepted to Blair's magnet program, as well as a special program at my home high school. I didn't take the SAT, but did pretty well on the ACT. That's enough to introduce myself, I suppose. Ask me whatever!

[Anonymous]

Had you first attended an MYP middle school, and if so was it beneficial at all?

[Anonymous]

Anything you'd have done differently at RMIB?

[Anonymous]

Are you part of the Hoover club or did you come after?

[Anonymous]

I don't know how to quote people, so I'll just reply to everybody here.

I did not attend an MYP middle school. The only difference I could really discern from my peers who did is that they were more familiar with all the little intricacies of IB — the learner profile, the language, the grading style, etc.

I wish I'd tried out more things. In middle school I wanted to join debate or mock trial or Model UN or any of those types of club, but I didn't when I got to high school because I wasn't very comfortable public speaking and, coming from a non-magnet middle school, it was intimidating to be around people who all knew each other and what they were doing. Instead, I stuck with extracurricular activities where I felt more confident. I also wish I hadn't succumbed to some of the academic pressure — I took AP BC Calculus in junior year and IB HL Math in senior year because that was what was expected of me, even though I struggled a lot and only use math occasionally today. The classes I took in high school had more advanced math than some of my engineering friends took in college.

The Hoover transition happened during my time there. The whole thing was a huge ruckus and people were really, really mad. From a student standpoint, it was definitely a bit frightening that we were suddenly getting new coordinators who weren't as familiar with all of the different processes. Also, one of them was a clown whom the students didn't have much respect for.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your comments!! I have a kid who was accepted to Blair and RMIB and is attending RMIB.

How was the workload? That is her biggest concern.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your comments!! I have a kid who was accepted to Blair and RMIB and is attending RMIB.

How was the workload? That is her biggest concern.

I found the quote button

It varied a lot. There was some homework that had to be turned in the next day, and other things had longer deadlines. We definitely learned time management very well. People would juggle school and sports and jobs and music and all sorts of extracurricular activities. It gets hectic junior and senior year when you've got the EE and college apps, but it was bearable. There were people who did their homework on the bus to/from school, at lunch, during dinner breaks or when they weren't doing things at tech rehearsals for drama. But honestly, even though it was stressful at the time, college was much easier than IB — I'm not sure if this is because of different workloads or from the time management skills we developed, but almost everyone I've talked to has had this experience.

My advice is to keep the big picture in mind. In the long term, an assignment or quiz doesn't matter as much as your mental health and keeping a healthy work-life balance. My personal philosophy was that if I didn't finish whatever I was working on by 1 a.m., I was going to bed because no school assignment was worth sacrificing my mental health. Besides, if you don't understand material in a sleep-deprived state at 1 a.m., what makes you think you'll understand it in an even more sleep-deprived state at 4 a.m.?

[Anonymous]

Do you think completing the RMIB program was ‘worth it’? All the time and stress?

You were likely a motivated student anyway. Would you have done just as well without going through the RMIB program?

Or, in other words, what benefit would you say the RMIB provided?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think completing the RMIB program was ‘worth it’? All the time and stress?

You were likely a motivated student anyway. Would you have done just as well without going through the RMIB program?

Or, in other words, what benefit would you say the RMIB provided?

This question is always hard to answer because it depends on what you’re looking for. Some people go into the program expecting to guarantee acceptance to Harvard or another top tier school. Others want a challenge or to improve their writing. I wanted the best education that I could get.

I go back and forth on if it was “worth it” a lot. I definitely got a good education. Sometimes I was shocked at the quality of writing my peers produced in college and thankful for IB in that standard. I’m not sure I would’ve gotten a full scholarship if I went anywhere else for high school. I didn’t apply to any Ivies (looked more at liberal arts colleges) so I won’t speculate about that. Maybe I would’ve enjoyed being the cream of the crop elsewhere more than the middle of the pack at RMIB.

I was terribly depressed during senior year from a combination of college apps, family issues, relationship drama, and some other stuff. My grades were slipping and I dreaded going to school because I felt like I didn’t have friends. Maybe that wouldn’t have happened if I went somewhere else, but maybe it would’ve been even worse. I don’t know. When I graduated, all I felt was relief that it was over. I got the fantastic education that I wanted but I also left feeling empty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I graduated, all I felt was relief that it was over. I got the fantastic education that I wanted but I also left feeling empty.

That sounds rough. It also reminds me of the IB grads from my hometown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do you think completing the RMIB program was ‘worth it’? All the time and stress?

You were likely a motivated student anyway. Would you have done just as well without going through the RMIB program?

Or, in other words, what benefit would you say the RMIB provided?

This question is always hard to answer because it depends on what you’re looking for. Some people go into the program expecting to guarantee acceptance to Harvard or another top tier school. Others want a challenge or to improve their writing. I wanted the best education that I could get.

I go back and forth on if it was “worth it” a lot. I definitely got a good education. Sometimes I was shocked at the quality of writing my peers produced in college and thankful for IB in that standard. I’m not sure I would’ve gotten a full scholarship if I went anywhere else for high school. I didn’t apply to any Ivies (looked more at liberal arts colleges) so I won’t speculate about that. Maybe I would’ve enjoyed being the cream of the crop elsewhere more than the middle of the pack at RMIB.

I was terribly depressed during senior year from a combination of college apps, family issues, relationship drama, and some other stuff. My grades were slipping and I dreaded going to school because I felt like I didn’t have friends. Maybe that wouldn’t have happened if I went somewhere else, but maybe it would’ve been even worse. I don’t know. When I graduated, all I felt was relief that it was over. I got the fantastic education that I wanted but I also left feeling empty.

Sorry to hear that about your senior year. Hope things got better in college.

[Anonymous]

Do you keep in touch with any of your RMIB fellow graduates?

And was it easy to get to know kids outside of the RMIB program?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your comments!! I have a kid who was accepted to Blair and RMIB and is attending RMIB.

How was the workload? That is her biggest concern.

I found the quote button

It varied a lot. There was some homework that had to be turned in the next day, and other things had longer deadlines. We definitely learned time management very well. People would juggle school and sports and jobs and music and all sorts of extracurricular activities. It gets hectic junior and senior year when you've got the EE and college apps, but it was bearable. There were people who did their homework on the bus to/from school, at lunch, during dinner breaks or when they weren't doing things at tech rehearsals for drama. But honestly, even though it was stressful at the time, college was much easier than IB — I'm not sure if this is because of different workloads or from the time management skills we developed, but almost everyone I've talked to has had this experience.

My advice is to keep the big picture in mind. In the long term, an assignment or quiz doesn't matter as much as your mental health and keeping a healthy work-life balance. My personal philosophy was that if I didn't finish whatever I was working on by 1 a.m., I was going to bed because no school assignment was worth sacrificing my mental health. Besides, if you don't understand material in a sleep-deprived state at 1 a.m., what makes you think you'll understand it in an even more sleep-deprived state at 4 a.m.?

I keep hearing this over and over, as well.

I have an incoming senior at RMIB. DC is finding the work to be not that difficult, just a lot. From EE to IA to regular HW, and then extra curriculars and wanting some down time... it's a lot. I don't know about OP, but from what DC has told me, a lot of kids also procrastinate and goof off a lot (not that I blame them) when they should be focused, and that's part of the reason why they go to bed so late.

I don't expect my DC to attend an Ivy. DC isn't even going to bother with applying to those schools, but when all is said and done, I know that DC got the best education in HS that DC could've gotten, and it will help DC at college. Hopefully like OP and others, DC will find college easier than most which will give DC some breathing room to do other things.

If DC was going to go through a stressful time in academics, I'd rather it be at home where DC has family to support them rather than off at college where there is no family support around.

I don't know about other families or IB students, but DC told me that they are so glad they chose IB. Made some good friends, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thank you for your comments!! I have a kid who was accepted to Blair and RMIB and is attending RMIB.

How was the workload? That is her biggest concern.

I found the quote button

It varied a lot. There was some homework that had to be turned in the next day, and other things had longer deadlines. We definitely learned time management very well. People would juggle school and sports and jobs and music and all sorts of extracurricular activities. It gets hectic junior and senior year when you've got the EE and college apps, but it was bearable. There were people who did their homework on the bus to/from school, at lunch, during dinner breaks or when they weren't doing things at tech rehearsals for drama. But honestly, even though it was stressful at the time, college was much easier than IB — I'm not sure if this is because of different workloads or from the time management skills we developed, but almost everyone I've talked to has had this experience.

My advice is to keep the big picture in mind. In the long term, an assignment or quiz doesn't matter as much as your mental health and keeping a healthy work-life balance. My personal philosophy was that if I didn't finish whatever I was working on by 1 a.m., I was going to bed because no school assignment was worth sacrificing my mental health. Besides, if you don't understand material in a sleep-deprived state at 1 a.m., what makes you think you'll understand it in an even more sleep-deprived state at 4 a.m.?

I keep hearing this over and over, as well.

I have an incoming senior at RMIB. DC is finding the work to be not that difficult, just a lot. From EE to IA to regular HW, and then extra curriculars and wanting some down time... it's a lot. I don't know about OP, but from what DC has told me, a lot of kids also procrastinate and goof off a lot (not that I blame them) when they should be focused, and that's part of the reason why they go to bed so late.

I don't expect my DC to attend an Ivy. DC isn't even going to bother with applying to those schools, but when all is said and done, I know that DC got the best education in HS that DC could've gotten, and it will help DC at college. Hopefully like OP and others, DC will find college easier than most which will give DC some breathing room to do other things.

If DC was going to go through a stressful time in academics, I'd rather it be at home where DC has family to support them rather than off at college where there is no family support around.

I don't know about other families or IB students, but DC told me that they are so glad they chose IB. Made some good friends, too.

Thank you PP! This is great to hear.

I have a kid at RMIB. She is definitely not aiming for an Ivy. She just wanted more of a challenge than what she had at her home MS. I’m glad to read your comments. She also enjoys soccer and wants to keep playing. I appreciate your comments about being stressed at home with family around versus being on your own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Sorry to hear that about your senior year. Hope things got better in college.

College was definitely much better for me!