IB and College Admissions March 10, 2016
Why Full IB Diploma? Admissions at selective American colleges/universities view students holistically. They want to see students taking the most rigorous academic options available to them. IB helps students connect the dots between curricular areas and provides a robust liberal arts and sciences curriculum. In many ways, models the liberal arts style of US colleges and universities. Minimum requirement for UK, Australia and other educational systems.
Why Full IB Diploma? IB Diploma is the most rigorous curriculum offered at Village School. Village School weights IB courses starting with the class of 2016. Earning college credit with IB.
Full IB Diploma, IB Certificate & Village Track Full IB Diploma Candidate: Most rigorous academic offering at The Village School. IB courses chosen in junior year (11 th grade) and continued throughout senior year (12 th grade) Students take seven courses Three HL, three SL and TOK Student compose Extended Essay 4000 word research paper Students complete a CAS project Community, Activity and Service IB Certificate Candidates: Student is taking some combination of the listings above. Typically not taking TOK, not completing Extended Essay and not completing CAS. Rigorous, but not the most rigorous. Village Track = Taking no IB courses.
How Do Colleges View Full IB? In the context of your school: What is the most rigorous path available? College applications (Common Application and Apply Texas) ask student/counselor to indicate if student is Full IB Diploma candidate.
How Do Colleges View Full IB? Colleges and universities recognize the rigor of the Full IB Diploma and the college-readiness of the students who complete it. Since 2012 (The Village School s first graduating class), 93.1% of tier one acceptances have been Full IB Diploma students. (67/72)
Transcripts Transcript will explicitly reflect students who are IB Diploma Candidates for both junior and senior year o Notation added: IB Diploma Candidate or IB Subject Candidate Grades for all IB subjects and for TOK, but not for EE or CAS
Activity A Look at the Transcripts
What Do Admission Offices Say? Students seeking the finest [high school] preparation available for an American college should consider the International Baccalaureate. The IB offers an integrated curriculum that provides students with the skill needed to be world-class scholars and an educational philosophy that prepares them to be first-class citizens. I do not know of a more comprehensive and appropriate learning model. Jim Crowder Director of Admissions Macalester College
What Do Admission Offices Say? IB is well known to us for excellent preparations. Success in an IB program correlates well with success at Harvard. We are always pleased to see the credentials of the IB Diploma Programme on the transcript. Marilyn McGrath Lewis Director of Undergraduate Admission Harvard University
What Do Admission Offices Say? "One of the advantages of an IB curriculum is its structure and quality. It is a coordinated program, well established, well known and well respected. We know the quality of IB courses, and we think the IB curriculum is terrific." Christoph Guttentag Director of Undergraduate Admissions Duke University
What Do Admission Offices Say?... IB students who attended that university (Virginia Tech) as freshmen significantly outperformed all other freshmen, including students who had taken Advanced Placement courses. Dr. Eugene Carson Former Associate Provost Virginia Tech
Getting College Credit
Highly Selective Universities and IB Credit Highly selective: Schools with less than 20% admit rate Rice University: Policy on IB, credit awarded for HL courses in which a students scores 6/7 on exit exam. (Some departmental review required) Cornell University: Policy on IB, credit awarded for HL courses in which a students scores 6/7 on exit exam. (Some departmental review required)
Special IB Diploma Awards Many colleges/universities go beyond the course credit option for IB SL and HL exams. University of Texas--Austin: Policy on IB Diploma (as opposed to an IB Certificate): Eligible for 24 hours of credit based on qualifying test scores of 4-7 on Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL) exams. Texas A&M: Policy on IB diploma students (as opposed to an IB Certificate): Eligible for 24 hours of credit based on qualifying test scores of 4-7 on Higher Level (HL) and Standard Level (SL) exams. Some course credit will be awarded regardless of a student s IB diploma status, some course credit at A&M subject to the successful completion of the IB diploma.
Special IB Diploma Scholarships University of Tulsa: Total IB diploma points 28+ = Awarded 30 credit hours + $3,000/yr. scholarship for a 3.0gpa or higher (83 average). University of Mississippi: Total IB diploma points 30+ =$6,000 year. Clark University: Total IB diploma points 36+ with a score of 5+ in all six of IB exams receive eight Clark units (one full year of college credit). Total IB diploma points 24+ will receive four Clark units (one semester college credit). More comprehensive list posted on our College Counseling website.
Questions?