Anonymous wrote:Do you know if doing an IB diploma helped your kid with college admissions - getting into their top choice soley because they wrote they are an IBDP candidate (assuming they have not earned the IBDP by the time they apply to college)?

Your question is framed poorly because that's not how college admissions works. Your kid is not "SOLELY" going to get into any college/university based on one factor, like whether they are an IBDP candidate.

But every admissions officer I've spoken to across many universities confirmed they weight and value the IBDP as a sign of going after a more rigorous courseload. Rigor is a factor used in admissions generally, and one of the most commons ways students demonstrate rigor is by taking AP or IB courses. What I've also heard from admissions officers is that they prefer to see the pursuit of the IBDP over random, individual IB courses, since again, that is considered to be more rigorous than taking an individual IB course here and there.

Anonymous wrote:Do you know if doing an IB diploma helped your kid with college admissions - getting into their top choice soley because they wrote they are an IBDP candidate (assuming they have not earned the IBDP by the time they apply to college)?

Not for US, I don't think. But, maybe for international.

-parent of IBDP magnet grad

It’s not just that IB teaches “writing,” they also teach students to do independent research and synthesize their findings to support an argument. AP teaches writing, critical thinking, and assessment of sources, but on a much smaller scale, with a highly circumscribed application of the skills. The long-term IA projects and Extended Essay in the IB program are much closer to what they’ll be doing in college. And they write an IA paper in every class, including math and science courses, which is pretty rare in high school.

I agree with the PP’s assessment that the curriculum is less linear and more thematic than traditional approaches. But I’d only call it “woke” (whatever that means these days, anyway) in the sense that it attempts to step away from a Eurocentric viewpoint, and encourages an interdisciplinary approach to learning.

Which makes sense, since the diploma program is taught in dozens of countries around the world, not all of them in the US or Europe. That’s the entire point of it—to develop a global perspective.

Cons: the curriculum was as woke as it gets. The history was only case studies with no overview, arc of history education. The teaching was very scattered and lacked direct instruction.

Pros: the students were well-behaved and focused. The writing was helpful for practice. Student at top 5 SLAC feels well-prepared.

Anonymous wrote:I think the pro is the amount of writing and the depth (rather than breadth) of the curriculum. But if you are someone who would prefer covering a lot of topics in less depth or who dislikes writing, it is not the right choice for you.

+1 But I don't think there's any better preparation for college.

Anonymous wrote:Do you know if doing an IB diploma helped your kid with college admissions - getting into their top choice soley because they wrote they are an IBDP candidate (assuming they have not earned the IBDP by the time they apply to college)?

There’s no way you can know for sure what one specific factor made the difference. That’s not how holistic college admissions works.

But there are some colleges that specifically say they have a preference for IB students. There’s an IB college fair held every year for kids in the DMV that can help you figure out which schools might consider IB a point in your favor. Not every school will prefer it over AP or DE, but it’s generally considered highly rigorous, at least.

Do you know if doing an IB diploma helped your kid with college admissions - getting into their top choice soley because they wrote they are an IBDP candidate (assuming they have not earned the IBDP by the time they apply to college)?

Anonymous wrote:As another PP said, there are lots of threads on the topic here.

Use these to get up to speed:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1153633.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1183449.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1158823.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1182395.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1088788.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1182348.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1117890.page

Thanks!!!👃

I think the pro is the amount of writing and the depth (rather than breadth) of the curriculum. But if you are someone who would prefer covering a lot of topics in less depth or who dislikes writing, it is not the right choice for you.

As another PP said, there are lots of threads on the topic here.

Use these to get up to speed:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1153633.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1183449.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1158823.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1182395.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1088788.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1182348.page

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1117890.page

For most normal people, the politics of the IB curriculum would be “Con”, but in MCPS, I’m sure they’re a “Pro”.

If you’re a “world citizen,” you’ll love it…

Self selection of academically focused kids and teachers who like to teach them.

This has been discussed before so you might try searching. I think the pros for a humanities kids are courses that lean more towards depth than breadth and full DP has the extended essay which is the best way to learn how to write essays for college that you are likely to find in MCPS.

Cons for full DP are there’s a certain amount of busywork (also you to get full DP you need to take IB exams in May of senior year which is annoying for some kids, but of course you can skip them if you want).

Discussion about English
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1232516.page

Pros of IB DP?
Cons?

Pros of IB course/s (not full IB/diploma)