The International Baccalaureate program, also known as IB, is a program students can join that helps them get prepared for college by focusing on students’ intellectual, emotional, personal, and social skills.
“I wanted to take IB because it seemed like something that would benefit me for my future and help me get into a good college,” said Angelina Gegaj, a junior in the International Baccalaureate program.
IB is a college preparatory program that challenges students and can help them earn college credits. Colleges like the IB program because it is giving the students a more rigorous course load that can help them stand out in admissions.
“I am going to start IB classes next year as a junior, but right now I am in AP classes to prepare myself for the program,” said Taylor Giles, a sophomore going into the International Baccalaureate program.
Schools recommend taking AP and or honors classes in a students first two prep years before they begin IB in 11th grade. Taking these classes before starting the program will better prepare them for the more challenging courses that they will begin taking.
“I believe all students should be challenged at the highest level of rigor and exposed to a new way of thinking,” said Jennifer Cento, and English teachers who is also the IB coordinator.
This program challenges students and helps them develop to their full potential. Taking IB can be a risk but also a huge benefit since all of its courses are weighted on a 5.0 scale, and colleges look at a students’ weighted gpa.
“Since I do play a sport as well as take IB classes, my plate is pretty full. I had to learn how to time-manage well and keep myself from falling behind,” said Gegaj.
Time management is key when taking this advanced program. Students need to keep up with their challenging courses to maintain a strong gpa, as well as continuing to participate in their extracurricular activities outside of school.
“I think IB will be very beneficial in the classroom because not many students take it so the class sizes are smaller and more one-on-one with the instructor,” said Giles.
Since the IB program has smaller class sizes, the students are open to more opportunities like educational field trips and beneficial community service, in addition, they are able to form closer relationships to students who are as driven and focused as themselves.
“The program provides an internationally accepted qualification into higher education and is recognized by many universities worldwide,” said Cento.
With the International Baccalaureate program being the “gold-standard” to secondary schools, universities favor it. When a student takes the program, they are 21 percent more likely to be accepted into one of the top ten prestigious universities such as Yale, Harvard, or Princeton. Doing the IB program may sound too difficult or time consuming but it is very beneficial to students in the long run.