1. What is International Baccalaureate? A forty year old program developed in Geneva to answer the issues of accountability and rigor in education.

2. A program that asks students to be: Inquirers! Thinkers! Communicators! Risk-takers! Knowledgeable! Principled! Caring! Open-minded! Well-balanced! Reflective!

3. 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

4. Who Can Do IB? Eligibility All students may begin this program if they meet the grade 9 and 10 pre- requisites

5. Option B: Individual Subject Certificates 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.

6. Core of IB Extended Essay: 4,000 word research paper in an area of study taken by the student: done over 18 months. CAS: 150 creative, action, service hours Theory of Knowledge: critical thinking class focused on ways and areas of knowledge

7. Areas of Study 1. English 2. Foreign Language 3. History and Social Sciences 4. Science 5. Mathematics 6. Elective

8. Electives offered for IB students Second Science or Language Economics Psychology Business Management Music History Computer Science Design Technology Theater Arts Visual Arts Health, Sport and Exercise Science Dance

9. 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

10. What Do Colleges Think? 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

11. What Do Other Colleges Think? 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.CLICK HERE 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.

12. 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---- A SCHOLAR

13. 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.

14. What Grads have said? 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)

15. What grads have said? 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! But most of all, IB is truly about the love of learning.

16. More of your grads! “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.”

17. 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).

18. Thanks for you kind attention. Thanks for your kind attention. If you have further questions, please write to me, Debbie Gonzalez, dgonzalez@wmrhsd.org or call my extension, 3775, or contact your counselor.gonzalez@wmrhsd.org