What is International
Baccalaureate?
A forty year old program developed in
Geneva to answer the issues of
accountability and rigor in education.
A program that asks students to be:
Inquirers!
Thinkers!
Communicators!
Risk-takers!
Knowledgeable!
Principled!
Caring!
Open-minded!
Well-balanced!
Reflective!
Requirements of IB
6 areas of assessment
 3 of which are Higher Level or two years
 3 of which are standard level or one
year
 Extended Essay (4,000 word) research
paper
 Theory of Knowledge
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Who Can Do IB?
Eligibility
 All students may begin this program if
they meet the grade 9 and 10 prerequisites
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Option B: Individual Subject
Certificates
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All students are invited to participate in IB
classes.
 A non-diploma student participating in an IB
class completes all internal and external
assessments for that course.
 Therefore, it is strongly suggested that student
should sit for the IB exam. Students who
choose to take exams and pass will receive
certificates from IBO in a given subject.
Core of IB
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Extended Essay: 4,000 word research
paper in an area of study taken by the
student: done over 18 months.
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CAS: 150 creative, action, service hours
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Theory of Knowledge: critical thinking
class focused on ways and areas of
knowledge
Areas of Study
1. English
 2. Foreign Language
 3. History and Social Sciences
 4. Science
 5. Mathematics
 6. Elective
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Electives offered for IB students
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Second Science or Language
Economics
Psychology
Business Management
Music History
Computer Science
Design Technology
Theater Arts
Visual Arts
Health, Sport and Exercise Science
Dance
Online options which are an extra charge
paid for by the parents are:
 Economics HL
 Mandarin ab initio
 Spanish ab initio
 Film HL
 Philosophy HL
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What Do Colleges Think?
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University IB policy
JMU recognizes the International Baccalaureate diploma and
individual IB courses by awarding credit on IB Higher Level
examinations. Typically, credit hours will be awarded for each
Higher Level examination on which a score of five, six or seven
has been earned. Some Standard Level examinations will also be
considered for credit. The university encourages the completion
of the IB diploma and will give special consideration for admission
to students who have completed the IB program. The grading
scale is from one to seven with seven being the highest score.
To view IB credit chart please visit:
http://www.jmu.edu/catalog/09/general/admissions.html#IBCours
es
What Do Other Colleges Think?
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University IB policy
The College of William and Mary accepts test scores on
Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate
examinations for credit from incoming students.
Typically, a score of 5 on an AP exam or a score of 5, 6,
or 7 on a Higher Level IB exam will earn a student credit,
a score of 4 on an AP exam will often earn a student an
exemption. CLICK HERE for a list of AP and IB courses
and credit awarded for each.
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Skidmore College will grant four semester hours of credit
for each Higher Level Examination in the International
Baccalaureate Program on which a student earned a
score of 5, 6, or 7, up to a maximum of 16 credits.
Why take IB?
Confidence
 Time management
 A different way of thinking
 Something to talk about in interviews
 Learning to think like a writer,
philosopher, scientist, psychologist,
economist, musicologist, business
analyst---
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A SCHOLAR
Cost
All students may take classes at the IB
level.
 In order to assess and have Internal
Assessments and Examinations scored,
there is a cost of $98 per area.
 The total cost of the IB Diploma is $786
to be paid over the two years. The
registration of $100 is paid the first year.
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What Grads have said?
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The other day, I was thinking about my yearbook quote of "Still
Wondering if IB was Worth it", and now, just about a month into college,
that answer is definitively yes. Not only did CAS actually make the
application process easier, it made my transcript look all that more
impressive. The HS coursework has prepped me for college so well that I
feel like college is actually significantly easier. In my business class, we
are reading a book that we used as summer reading for IB Business &
Management, and in addition to that, I am ahead of the game in just
about every aspect of that class. On a different note, I just finished up a
meeting with my academic advisor and confirmed that I got 24 cred-its as
a result of my IB/AP coursework, all of which I attribute to my IB studies,
because without the IB courses, I never would've scored as well on the
AP tests. Consequently, by winter break of this year, I will have enough
credits to be considered a mid-year sophomore. I just wanted to relay
this information to you so you can relay it to the other kids in IB who are
in the shoes I was in a little while back. Without a doubt, it was worth it.
Kevin Cotter WMC class of 2011 (Northeastern University)
What grads have said?
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The benefits of IB may not seem apparent in high school (extended essay can be more
overwhelming than academically liberating at times), but once I stepped through the gates at
Barnard -- and Columbia -- I knew I was prepared for anything. As a history major, analytical
reading, strong writing, and public speaking are absolutely NECESSARY to succeed and do
well. There are no standardized tests...you cannot quantify intelligence. Yet this academic
approach was nothing new to me. When I read over the syllabi for my literature courses,
history seminars, biology labs, and art history lectures, the assignments are all essays,
papers, short answer midterms and finals. BEEN THERE, DONE THAT! So many students
get flustered over writing five or even seven page papers in a night. They don't think it is
possible to read 100 pages a week just for one class. I am not saying that papers and reading
are easy tasks; on the contrary, this isn't high school anymore, this stuff is deep!! But IB has
taught me skills to manage my time and energy. IB stresses critical analysis; by reading texts
actively, I read right the first time and save time by not needing to read and reread for the
answer. IB stresses efficiency; I know my strengths and weaknesses so I prioritize my work to
make the most use of my time. Thus I can enjoy college with a low level of stress and a high
level of happiness. And the icing on the cake? Barnard gave me 30 credits for my diploma.
That's a whole year. That's early graduation. That's $40,000 i just saved too....not so bad
when you think about it!
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But most of all, IB is truly about the love of learning.
More of your grads!
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“Successfully completing the IB program was probably the best
way I could have prepared myself for the college environment.
The program brings with it a greatly increased workload similar to
that found in college courses, and the skills I developed to
effectively handle such requirements are the same that I find
many of my current peers struggling to learn now. Having written
the Extended Essay, for example, being asked by a professor to
write a five-page paper seems trivial to me, whereas many of my
classmates experience a great deal of stress about the process.
Going to college requires a number of adaptations, and I am glad
that, in addition to learning to live on my own and be more or less
independent, I did not have to learn to work effectively or manage
my time, because I had already done so in the IB program.”
Question and Answer

IB Seniors are here to answer any
questions you may have about the
practical aspects or the emotional impact
of IB on their lives. Feel free to ask them
anything (within reason).
Thanks for your kind attention. If you have
further questions, please write to me,
Debbie Gonzalez,
Thanks
for you kind or call my
dgonzalez@wmrhsd.org
attention.
extension, 3775, or contact your
counselor.