Is the IB diploma worth it?

[Anonymous]

Firstly, PLEASE let’s not turn this into an AP vs. IB discussion. Or how FCPS should cut IB. Kids are slated for IB. I’m just curious if getting the full diploma vs. taking IB classes (but not getting the diploma) makes a difference in college acceptances. Not really concerned about getting college credits. Just wondering if the extra effort a) helps with admissions b) helps prepare for college, c) makes a difference for colleges abroad. There are mixed opinions on whether the full diploma is worth it. I would love to hear from IB parents, teachers, etc. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

IB teacher:

No. Students don’t even find out if they received the IB diploma until after they graduate. It’s a personal challenge, but as long as they take enough IB courses to check the “most rigorous course load” concept, it’s fine. They can skip “theory of knowledge” and the extended essay and all that.

If the school will only say they took the hardest offered classes if they are diploma candidates, then I’d hesitate. Reach out to your child’s counselor and ask.

[Anonymous]

IB parent

1) yes - could not get “most rigorous” at our school without it.
2) yes - strong analytical writing skills
3) yes - international HS student, and IBDP absolutely MATTERS abroad - it is listed in CVs 20 years out of secondary school

The IB teacher pp sounds like a myopic dud.

[Anonymous]

It matters only if studying at a school outside u.s.a

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB teacher:

No. Students don’t even find out if they received the IB diploma until after they graduate. It’s a personal challenge, but as long as they take enough IB courses to check the “most rigorous course load” concept, it’s fine. They can skip “theory of knowledge” and the extended essay and all that.

If the school will only say they took the hardest offered classes if they are diploma candidates, then I’d hesitate. Reach out to your child’s counselor and ask.

While others would say that is the class/part that is more interesting. Students are exploring topic(s) they want and writing about them. Mostly depends on how the teacher is for the subject. And no not all counselors know how to guide about IB.

[Anonymous]

It helped my DCs. Opportunity to do a lot more writing than in some of the other classes. Theory of Knowledge was a favorite class for mine but YMMV.

[Anonymous]

I'm in a district where only one of the 5 elementaries is IB, 6-10th is IB for all because there's only one middle schook, then 11-12th grade it's optional. Kids take whatever mix of APs and IBs suit them. Only a few kids are going for the full diploma. And that might make our school vulnerable to dropping the IB program.

My perspective is that it is highly valuable for the few students that pursue the diploma. Because it is a self-directed major accomplishment. And the classes are very developmental compared to other options that are less rigorous or more templates.

My older child did some IB classes and they were among the best.

My younger child expects to be a STEM major and does not want to do a lot of freeform college-level literary and historical analysis. So he is going with only the more formulaic AP classes, and we are allowing that. Because school is not his jam. He wants clear standards on what he has to master and to get in/get out.

I'm in favor of the IB approach but the diploma is a lot of work and I think students can decide for themselves if they want to make that investment. As the teacher noted, you will be accepted and likely be registering for your freshman classes before you know if you have been awarded the diploma.

Students interested in math and science need to be the most careful about how the IB curriculum will prepare for/mesh with college studies. The math and science classes differ more from AP peers than English, History, and Languages 1-4.

[Anonymous]

IB parent here. Yes, it makes a difference in college acceptances. I have friends whose kids took IB courses and were great students, but they were not IB Diploma candidates, and it hurt them in the college application process. If your school offers the diploma, admission officers may dock your student for not pursuing the most rigorous program at the school. The only time it might be okay is if you have a special interest or class. I know the IB math track messes up some student schedules. And students in the band or chorus sometimes have issues. Just found this video that basically says the same thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XiosPO4uP4

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:IB parent here. Yes, it makes a difference in college acceptances. I have friends whose kids took IB courses and were great students, but they were not IB Diploma candidates, and it hurt them in the college application process. If your school offers the diploma, admission officers may dock your student for not pursuing the most rigorous program at the school. The only time it might be okay is if you have a special interest or class. I know the IB math track messes up some student schedules. And students in the band or chorus sometimes have issues. Just found this video that basically says the same thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XiosPO4uP4

(I should add that our HS only offers one AP course, so it may be different if your school has both options.)

[Anonymous]

Yes, I think it's worth it but if you ask any IB parents, most of them would say the same thing. The most valuable thing, however, is kids learn to handle time, pressure, deliverables, teamwork, and persistence. Skills you need to succeed in college and beyond.

- 2 "older" IBD kids (one w/ PhD engineering and the other became a doctor)

[Anonymous]

Teacher:

In my experience, it hasn’t helped with admissions.

Does it help with balancing workload in college, learning to write, and to think critically? Absolutely!

But most of that doesn’t show up in an application packet. A kid who took 10 IB courses that didn’t hit diploma requirements because they wanted extra science and less social studies or whatever isn’t going to be dinged. We had a couple HYPSM acceptances last year who were insanely strong candidates but opted to take their math sequence early and take math courses at the community college senior year instead. That threw off their testing (you can’t test until senior year for HLs) so they both opted out.

For AP, are you dinged if you don’t take AP seminar and instead take an extra AP something else? (I don’t know, I’m not an AP school…but that’s the equivalent of asking if not taking TOK is going to impact acceptance)

I will say the full diploma has to be something the kid really wants to do. It is a lot of outside of school work, and I’ve seen many seniors drop it because they get an acceptance letter and burn out.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the feedback. Kid 1 is humanities focused. Not targeting Ivy but good state schools (we are in Virginia) or LACS. Kid 2–based on some of the feedback-would probably not pursue the diploma bc she has an intense EC and some executive function issues. This is FCPS and I don’t know if they only check “most rigorous” for full diploma.

[Anonymous]

Worth it?
No.

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine works at a top-25 college admissions office. When my child was looking at HS, one of them was an IB school, and I knew nothing about it so I asked her. She said admissions offices look very highly on kids in the IB Diploma Program. True, you don't get the diploma until after you've already graduated, finished the application process, etc. But she said it showed the admissions that the student could handle academic rigor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend of mine works at a top-25 college admissions office. When my child was looking at HS, one of them was an IB school, and I knew nothing about it so I asked her. She said admissions offices look very highly on kids in the IB Diploma Program. True, you don't get the diploma until after you've already graduated, finished the application process, etc. But she said it showed the admissions that the student could handle academic rigor

And other students can handle that same rigor when they get to college. For many, there is no need to start that rigor two years prior to college. Your kid should make the decision.