IB Classes

[purify]

if there is anyone in IB on BR, i'm just wondering why IB is good & why i should be in it. My mom is pressuring me to do it, and i think i should turn in a application just in case. but im still kind of confused with this whole thing. Why is IB good and how will it help me?

[krayziekid727]

I already answered your question in the FS, but I'll quote it again here, 'cause I think it's kind of important to have here too.

I'm doing IB. Well technically, I'm doing IB next year(11th and 12th grade only), and right now I'm doing pre-IB.

Well IB is an advanced course, and of course any advanced course, AP or IB, looks good on your college application, assuming that you do well in that course. I'm pretty sure IB is superior to AP and is seen as such by most universities. The IB program is international and well known, if you have an IB diploma, it gives you a good opportunity to get into any university or college. The reason for this is..IB is really tough. IB courses are comparable to college courses themselves(I think), so if anything, you'll get a small taste of how hard college can be. The IB program also stresses participation in the community.

You can always take only a few IB courses and not indulge in the full IB program, but that won't get you the IB diploma. (It will still look on your college app though). The full IB program has a lot of requirements. I think you need four years of the same language. 6 IB courses, including IB Theory of Knowledge, which is a lot about critical thinking and such. You're also required to get 150 hours of community service(11th and 12th grade hours total). I know that sounds like a lot, but it's not really, I've done tons more. 150 hours is about 2 hours a week just during the school years. You also have to do CAS activities(Community, Action, Service) where you must participate in creative/artistic activities and community service. I would guess that the 150 hours ties in with the Community part of CAS.

And of course, I can't forget, the extended essay. You have to write a 4,000 word research essay of something that interests you. You get months for this. This helps you experience the kind of independent research and writing skills that a university expects.

I'm sorry, that was long. Basically, it's a tough road, but the benefits are well worth it, if you put your all into it and succeed =D.

[imported_smileangie3]

yea im in pre-IB too. I think its a really good idea to apply for IB cause you get so much out of it in the future. I know that some people think IB people have no life but its seriously not true. You get a great education, you meet friends who will help you through anything, and you know more than anybody will ever know in their lifetime. And i dont know if this only applies to our school, but if we do well on our exams and essay, we get the IB diploma and that allows us to skip one year of college in the state you graduated from. I know i didn't go into detail like the previous person, but i hope this helped you figure out wheter or not you want to apply.

[krayziekid727]

Originally posted by smileangie3@Mar 5, 09:07 PM
And i dont know if this only applies to our school, but if we do well on our exams and essay, we get the IB diploma and that allows us to skip one year of college in the state you graduated from.

Really? I'm not aware of that, I'm going to have to ask the IB coordinator at my school about that. I don't think I would skip a year though.

And about people saying that those who do the IB program have no life, please. It's just tough, but a requirement is community service and such, and you can make so many friends and just get a lot of things out of community service. Plus, community service can be serious fun if you choose the right..er thing. lol. Plus, for CAS, you can choose something fun for the creative area, I know one of my friends is doing guitar lessons for creative and he does fencing for action. Now that's fun, and he would've been too lazy to start fencing and guitar lessons if it wasn't a requirement of IB =D.

[AloneInDespair]

Colleges like to see that student take an initiative. I'm not in the IB program because my school didn't start it until this year (I'm a senior), but AP courses are good as well. Many colleges will give you credit for the course if you score a 4 or 5 on the test.

[purify]

my friend said that if we do IB in freshman and sophmore year and then we dop out, it won't count at all? or is it different, and only a little bit is counted?

[krayziekid727]

IB is only junior and senior years. When you're in 9th/10th grade you are in the MYP(Middle Years Program), it's pre-IB but it's easier than actual IB. At the end of 10th grade, if you choose not to become an IB diploma candidate, well of course you won't be getting an IB diploma, but you can try for an advanced diploma. The advanced diploma requirements depend on your school, I think.

[bballchic3four]

I'm pre-IB but not going full. I'm not smart enough yeah... i'm a freshman... its HARD :\

[krayziekid727]

Originally posted by bballchic3four@Apr 19, 11:28 PM
I'm pre-IB but not going full. I'm not smart enough yeah... i'm a freshman... its HARD :\

Are you doing some IB classes for an advanced diploma? If there are subjects that you are really good at and interested in, you should attempt to keep going with them. But at least you've defined your limits, that's pretty smart to me. I know a good number of people who continued with IB despite the fact that they hardly got through pre-IB, which is much easier, and saw their GPAs go down the drain.

[sapphiretwilight]

I was recommended for the IB Diploma when I was a freshman, but because I wanted to do both AP and IB, I didn't. Last year, I took IBSL Math Studies, IBSL Psychology and IBHL English Year I. This year, I'm taking IBHL English Year II and IBHL Psychology. I think that IB really prepares you for college, as older friends who have done AP/IB have said it really helps when writing papers, doing projects, etc.