Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 16:27     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's the matter here? Is interest in IB continuing to decline?

Critical thinking and good writing skills aren't declining, though.


Of course not, but IB's hardly the only way to acquire such skills.

I've just seen a lot of posts recently where posters have noted that IB requires a lot of busy work and may not be worth the extra effort. I wondered if it left IB boosters feeling defensive, and therefore inclined to start threads like this one.

IMO, "busy work" is worksheets. I don't think writing critical analysis papers "busy work". The more you write, the better you get at it.

Writing a CAS reflection every time you go to the gym is busywork.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 16:13     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's the matter here? Is interest in IB continuing to decline?

Critical thinking and good writing skills aren't declining, though.


Of course not, but IB's hardly the only way to acquire such skills.

I've just seen a lot of posts recently where posters have noted that IB requires a lot of busy work and may not be worth the extra effort. I wondered if it left IB boosters feeling defensive, and therefore inclined to start threads like this one.

IMO, "busy work" is worksheets. I don't think writing critical analysis papers "busy work". The more you write, the better you get at it.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 16:12     Subject: Re:IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:NP. Non-DMV, large, suburban VA public.

DC2('26) is ready to graduate from the same school as DC1('24) that has full IB-diploma (you have to apply to get in and must enroll in the full programme), full DE with community college Associate's degree upon graduation, and a large slate of AP classes. The only ones with regrets are the IB kids. They get far less college credit/acknowledgements of their "work." It also made little appreciable difference in admittance to the universities most of the school's Top 20% (mainly MC) actually apply to or could afford. So, no, I don't think an IB diploma is more relevant today, anecdotally of course. :p

Op isn't asking about relevance to college or college credits. OP is asking about relevance to the current global events.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 16:11     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's the matter here? Is interest in IB continuing to decline?

Critical thinking and good writing skills aren't declining, though.

Go to the teacher and professor subreddits. Or any social media. Or talk to your teacher/professor friends. It’s bad. The tip top students continue to do well, but the rest (majority) are floundering.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 16:11     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's the matter here? Is interest in IB continuing to decline?

Critical thinking and good writing skills aren't declining, though.


Of course not, but IB's hardly the only way to acquire such skills.

I've just seen a lot of posts recently where posters have noted that IB requires a lot of busy work and may not be worth the extra effort. I wondered if it left IB boosters feeling defensive, and therefore inclined to start threads like this one.

DP.. my kids have done both Ap and IB, and IB definitely has more critical reasoning and writing.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 16:09     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
IB parent here. I don’t think it’s IB vs AP. I think maybe there will be more of an emphasis on the importance of humanities? Esp. in earlier grades, I think there is such as emphasis on STEM at the expense of things like writing, history, geography, etc. IB does a good job of developing solid writing skills so maybe that’s where this is coming from OP?
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 15:18     Subject: Re:IB diploma more relevant today?
NP. Non-DMV, large, suburban VA public.

DC2('26) is ready to graduate from the same school as DC1('24) that has full IB-diploma (you have to apply to get in and must enroll in the full programme), full DE with community college Associate's degree upon graduation, and a large slate of AP classes. The only ones with regrets are the IB kids. They get far less college credit/acknowledgements of their "work." It also made little appreciable difference in admittance to the universities most of the school's Top 20% (mainly MC) actually apply to or could afford. So, no, I don't think an IB diploma is more relevant today, anecdotally of course. :p
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 14:30     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:What's the matter here? Is interest in IB continuing to decline?

Critical thinking and good writing skills aren't declining, though.


Of course not, but IB's hardly the only way to acquire such skills.

I've just seen a lot of posts recently where posters have noted that IB requires a lot of busy work and may not be worth the extra effort. I wondered if it left IB boosters feeling defensive, and therefore inclined to start threads like this one.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 14:19     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
Is an overtly rigid and prescriptive program still relevant today? It is if you fit the mold they are trying to stamp you in.

Look past the hype words like critical thinking, good writing, cultural intelligence, global fluency, geopolitics, interdisciplinary. They are just useless and meaningless brain farts. Don’t put your child’s future into the hands of these demagogues. They’re just trying to make a buck.

Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 14:14     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:What's the matter here? Is interest in IB continuing to decline?

Critical thinking and good writing skills aren't declining, though.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 14:14     Subject: Re:IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't know about the relevance to today's issues, but if employers want critical thinking and good writing skills, then an IBDP is definitely helpful.

-signed parent of an IBDP magnet student double majoring in STEM field.


OP- I absolutely agree about critical thinking skills and good writing being so important in the workplace. I was thinking cultural intelligence and global fluency would be highly valued for some disciplines. My child chose related humanities and STEM majors.

I think that's not as important in STEM fields, though (pp with a DC double STEM major). It would be in other fields like Political Science and IR.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 14:13     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
What's the matter here? Is interest in IB continuing to decline?
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 14:02     Subject: Re:IB diploma more relevant today?
Anonymous wrote:I don't know about the relevance to today's issues, but if employers want critical thinking and good writing skills, then an IBDP is definitely helpful.

-signed parent of an IBDP magnet student double majoring in STEM field.


OP- I absolutely agree about critical thinking skills and good writing being so important in the workplace. I was thinking cultural intelligence and global fluency would be highly valued for some disciplines. My child chose related humanities and STEM majors.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 13:43     Subject: Re:IB diploma more relevant today?
I don't know about the relevance to today's issues, but if employers want critical thinking and good writing skills, then an IBDP is definitely helpful.

-signed parent of an IBDP magnet student double majoring in STEM field.
Anonymous
Post 03/12/2026 13:41     Subject: IB diploma more relevant today?
A few years ago, there was a robust discussion on this board about the value of an IB diploma over taking AP classes. I feel the IB diploma is even more valuable today given geopolitical relevance. I think that having that diploma plus an interdisciplinary focus in college (e.g. sociology and CS) is the sweet spot. Do you agree?