What would be better, the IB program or a magnet?

Is the IB program worth it?

• I'm currently in grade nine pre-IB. I had an 88 average in pre-IB math and a 92 average in pre-IB english last semester, while I'm in pre-IB science right now. My math and english teachers were VERY easy, neither of them checking most of the homework and my english teacher giving the class extended deadlines for every single assignment. I've heard various complaints from older students at my school that IB isn't really worth the stress and time consumption - I get stressed very, very easily. I'm a perfectionist (as has been concluded by numerous teachers over the years) and have been diagnosed with anxiety issues. Now, I'm planning on completing pre-IB, but I'm unsure as to whether or not full IB classes are for me. As well as the IB program, I chose my high school for its visual arts specialization because this is the career path I'm fairly certain I want to follow - I know, at fourteen years old it's difficult to know for sure what you want to do with your life, but it's something I've always wanted to do. I even have an older cousin who is in arts college right now, and I recently learned that she is studying to become what I want to be, and she has offered to let me stay with her for a short period of time to see what the college is like and if I like the idea of following in her footsteps. My parents completely support any decision I want to make, but they want it to be a well informed decision. So, any current or former IB students out there willing to offer me some advice? I want to have a visual arts focus, but I also want to keep my options open. Before high school I kept an A average through four years of gifted classes, if that helps (although the classes themselves were not much different from the standard curriculum :/ ) Thanks for your help!

• Answer:

  IB, IB, IB, good, was smart enough to ace it, wasnt smart enough not to take it... lets put it this way u wanna ace it, u do ur work and a little more...that easy, stress comes when procrastinate, just like what im doing now, answering yahoo questions while ive got a test tomorrow... as for is it worth it, id say hell ya... it prepares u for college classes as it counts for college credits, so ur first year would be easy.. it prepares u for college stress, or as i just explained, students stress themselves out... it make u think outside the box as most questions in exams are never the same as the year before... math tests are 25% never been taken before, not saying u cant solve them, they just force u to think... ur EE will help un in university as while ur writng papers, others well be wondering what the heck to do. CAS is fun, and it forecesu to have fun wither u like it or not. TOK is similair to the epistimology courses u take in uni... some unis give extra points for IB applicants, i cant find the complete list right now but i remember harvard being one of them... good luck, and remember, IB isnt as hard as it seems..