Is IB program worth it?

[Anonymous]

For college acceptances I mean.

[Anonymous]

I don't know why you would do the IB diploma program just for college acceptances. Students can take a bunch of AP classes to show rigor, and those classes are more likely to lead to college credit (as students are typically awarded credit if they score 4/5, whereas for IB they typically have to get 6/7 to get credit -- a considerably higher bar). I think IB is great for kids who want to do the interdisciplinary work and the heavy writing, and kids come out of the programs with strong analytical and writing skills -- but I would not have a kid do the program simply to show rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why you would do the IB diploma program just for college acceptances. Students can take a bunch of AP classes to show rigor, and those classes are more likely to lead to college credit (as students are typically awarded credit if they score 4/5, whereas for IB they typically have to get 6/7 to get credit -- a considerably higher bar). I think IB is great for kids who want to do the interdisciplinary work and the heavy writing, and kids come out of the programs with strong analytical and writing skills -- but I would not have a kid do the program simply to show rigor.

In some MCPS high schools with IB, there aren't a bunch of AP classes to take; the advanced classes are mostly IB. But plenty of people take IB classes without doing the IB Diploma Programme.

[Anonymous]

For colleges in Europe, yes.

[Anonymous]

I was a skeptic but I'm glad that my kids are in IB. Tons more writing than I did in high school. They'll enter college much more prepared.

[Anonymous]

I think it helps a little. My kid was accepted in RM IB and looking at the colleges Class of 2023 was accepted at. It showed the colleges the kids in RM were accepted at, not specifically the IB program. The same with Poolesville. They show acceptance as a whole and not just the magnet program. They listed Yale, Cornell, UVA, MIT, etc. so all the top schools. But this list is similar and on par with the other W schools. There were lots of kids going to university of Maryland Lots.

I think the programs are good but very, very rigorous. If your kid wants to do it, wants the rigor, the home school is not as challenging, and the commute is decent, go for it.

My kid did a shadowing day and it was not their vibe. They wanted a balance of rigor but also want to be a high schooler and not constantly studying and writing papers. They are very happy with their choice. It was the right choice for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why you would do the IB diploma program just for college acceptances. Students can take a bunch of AP classes to show rigor, and those classes are more likely to lead to college credit (as students are typically awarded credit if they score 4/5, whereas for IB they typically have to get 6/7 to get credit -- a considerably higher bar). I think IB is great for kids who want to do the interdisciplinary work and the heavy writing, and kids come out of the programs with strong analytical and writing skills -- but I would not have a kid do the program simply to show rigor.

Lots of writing, not very flexible, less college credit.

Bunch of APs, ~10 look better and can be focused more on the major of interest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a skeptic but I'm glad that my kids are in IB. Tons more writing than I did in high school. They'll enter college much more prepared.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it helps a little. My kid was accepted in RM IB and looking at the colleges Class of 2023 was accepted at. It showed the colleges the kids in RM were accepted at, not specifically the IB program. The same with Poolesville. They show acceptance as a whole and not just the magnet program. They listed Yale, Cornell, UVA, MIT, etc. so all the top schools. But this list is similar and on par with the other W schools. There were lots of kids going to university of Maryland Lots.

I think the programs are good but very, very rigorous. If your kid wants to do it, wants the rigor, the home school is not as challenging, and the commute is decent, go for it.

My kid did a shadowing day and it was not their vibe. They wanted a balance of rigor but also want to be a high schooler and not constantly studying and writing papers. They are very happy with their choice. It was the right choice for them.

I don’t think mcps allows separate acceptance lists for magnet and non-magnet kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it helps a little. My kid was accepted in RM IB and looking at the colleges Class of 2023 was accepted at. It showed the colleges the kids in RM were accepted at, not specifically the IB program. The same with Poolesville. They show acceptance as a whole and not just the magnet program. They listed Yale, Cornell, UVA, MIT, etc. so all the top schools. But this list is similar and on par with the other W schools. There were lots of kids going to university of Maryland Lots.

I think the programs are good but very, very rigorous. If your kid wants to do it, wants the rigor, the home school is not as challenging, and the commute is decent, go for it.

My kid did a shadowing day and it was not their vibe. They wanted a balance of rigor but also want to be a high schooler and not constantly studying and writing papers. They are very happy with their choice. It was the right choice for them.

There are 8 high schools in MCPS that offer IB: B-CC, Einstein, Kennedy, Richard Montgomery, Rockville, Seneca Valley, Springbrook, Watkins Mill. People might very well be asking about the IB program at their home school.

[Anonymous]

There is already an active thread
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1153633.page

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why you would do the IB diploma program just for college acceptances. Students can take a bunch of AP classes to show rigor, and those classes are more likely to lead to college credit (as students are typically awarded credit if they score 4/5, whereas for IB they typically have to get 6/7 to get credit -- a considerably higher bar). I think IB is great for kids who want to do the interdisciplinary work and the heavy writing, and kids come out of the programs with strong analytical and writing skills -- but I would not have a kid do the program simply to show rigor.

In some MCPS high schools with IB, there aren't a bunch of AP classes to take; the advanced classes are mostly IB. But plenty of people take IB classes without doing the IB Diploma Programme.

We are at BCC and they have both. What schools with IB don’t have a range of AP classes too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why you would do the IB diploma program just for college acceptances. Students can take a bunch of AP classes to show rigor, and those classes are more likely to lead to college credit (as students are typically awarded credit if they score 4/5, whereas for IB they typically have to get 6/7 to get credit -- a considerably higher bar). I think IB is great for kids who want to do the interdisciplinary work and the heavy writing, and kids come out of the programs with strong analytical and writing skills -- but I would not have a kid do the program simply to show rigor.

In some MCPS high schools with IB, there aren't a bunch of AP classes to take; the advanced classes are mostly IB. But plenty of people take IB classes without doing the IB Diploma Programme.

We are at BCC and they have both. What schools with IB don’t have a range of AP classes too?

I know that almost all AP classes were eliminated at Watkins Mill a few years ago because there just wasn't a successful cohort for those classes; same with Seneca Valley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it helps a little. My kid was accepted in RM IB and looking at the colleges Class of 2023 was accepted at. It showed the colleges the kids in RM were accepted at, not specifically the IB program. The same with Poolesville. They show acceptance as a whole and not just the magnet program. They listed Yale, Cornell, UVA, MIT, etc. so all the top schools. But this list is similar and on par with the other W schools. There were lots of kids going to university of Maryland Lots.

I think the programs are good but very, very rigorous. If your kid wants to do it, wants the rigor, the home school is not as challenging, and the commute is decent, go for it.

My kid did a shadowing day and it was not their vibe. They wanted a balance of rigor but also want to be a high schooler and not constantly studying and writing papers. They are very happy with their choice. It was the right choice for them.

Lots of these families are donut hole families, and the kids are very high achieving so they get merit aid from UMD. It's a no brainer, and it's certainly making UMD a lot stronger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a skeptic but I'm glad that my kids are in IB. Tons more writing than I did in high school. They'll enter college much more prepared.

+1 I am not 100% sure it helps with college admissions, per se, but the curriculum certainly helps prepare a student for the rigors of college. Every former IB diploma grad I've spoken to have stated how being in the IB program really prepared them well for college.