To IB or Not to IB…
To assist students and their parents in making a realistic decision about pursuing the IB program,
we offer a profile of attributes of a successful IB student. You will notice that there are no hardand-fast requirements for entry into the program.
The successful IB student would display these attributes:
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Be self-motivated and family supported. The desire to succeed comes from the students.
Have a desire to challenge himself/herself intellectually and academically. A student
who is comfortable with “getting by” or superficial learning will not be successful.
Be a competent reader. Students should read at or above grade level.
Speak and write the English language clearly and effectively. English is the primary
language of the IB program at Good Counsel. The program demands clear and effective
communication skills in all areas.
Possess or be willing to acquire analytical and critical thinking skills. Much of the IB
curriculum requires investigative and discovery learning.
Have proficient written and oral skills in French or Spanish. It is intended that Good
Counsel IB language students will have completed 4 years of study in a second language.
Possess or be willing to acquire good time management and stress coping skills.
Be open to new ideas and tolerant of different beliefs.
Participate in school and community activities.
Students willing to strive for these characteristics may thrive in the program. Both students and
parents need to realize that the IB Diploma program or IB Certificate program is not for every
student.
Due to the very nature of the IB program, an internationally recognized curriculum and
examination program, each student’s performance will be assessed in large part on pre-established
standards set by the International Baccalaureate Organization and that failure to meet these
standards could result in poor or failing grades. Additionally, the students must be aware of the
fact that he/she must take the IB exam in May of the final year of each IB course in which he/she is
enrolled. Although IB teachers are committed to helping all their students succeed, they will not be
able to dilute or slow the curriculum to accommodate students unwilling to maintain the necessary
pace or rigor. All IB students must be prepared for the IB exam(s). However, this is not to say that
only “A”, honor, or high-IQ students will succeed.
A student who has demonstrated adequate past performance, who is highly motivated and
who has acquired good time management skills should succeed in his/her IB course(s).