Is the IB Diploma Worth it?

Do you have to take pre-IB courses in order to be eligible for the IB Diploma?

• I am going to be a freshman next year but I'm still considering whether or not to pursue the Diploma. I am an advanced, straight-A student and I feel confident that I'll meet the Diploma requirements with hard work. However, I don't want to overwhelm myself as a freshman by taking all pre-IB courses. Do you have to take pre-IB courses in order to be eligible for the Diploma? Once in your junior/senior year, you have to take all IB courses for the Diploma, correct? Which classes are considered Standard Level and which are considered High Level?

• Answer:

  There are no requirements for embarking on the IB Diploma program. I think the only circumstance where that would be appropriate would be if you had so little knowledge in one of your subjects that you couldn't keep up, but that sounds unlikely. You have to take six courses at IB, they're as follows: -An A1 Language - a literature course in your first language -An A2 Language - a foreign language (may be taken at many levels, depending on your ability) -A Science -A Humanity (Geography, History, Economics) -Maths -Another science, humanity or language, or an art Community service, an extended essay (4000 words) and a philosiphy course must also be undertaken. www.ibo.org for more info YOU choose which subjects you want as your highers and which as standard. You normally have 6 periods a week with your higher, and 4 per week for your standards.