The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma is something very difficult to attain and students put in a great amount of effort into this program to receive one. An IB Diploma comes with many benefits in college, however, many students claim that the diploma is not worth the time.

The International Baccalaureate Organization promotes that student will become more culturally aware, be encouraged to think independently, and be able to engage with a diverse population of people. This can be done through the extensive courses IB offers, along with Theory of Knowledge (TOK). This class is a mandatory aspect of the IB curriculum and it allows students to think beyond what they are taught.

IB Senior Nazir Crump says, “In obtaining college credits the IB diploma is equivalent to taking a whole bunch of AP classes, but the rigor of the classes will give you an advantage in college, since, at least at Seminole high school, the IB teacher follow the curriculum strictly.”

The rigor of the program also contributes to building a student’s work ethics. IB is a pre-college program and students, after completing IB, often feel more prepared for college classes. The rigor in high school can make the adjustment much easier for students.

Anonymous says, “I will admittedly say that IB was very beneficial and that even though people complain about the curriculum being really difficult, it really does prepare you. The program is rigorous, but when I came into AP, [my prior experience in IB] made it so easy. If I had to come into high school just doing the AP track, I don’t think I would feel prepared about going to college at all.”

However, some argue that the intensity of the classes takes away from a student’s ability to participate in their community. Students enrolled in non-IB courses often have more time available to them for other activities outside school.

The IB curriculum does account for this with its involvement of CAS (creativity, action, service). CAS experiences allow students to engage themselves in a range of activities alongside their academic studies. The scope of activities required for CAS allows students to invoke creative thinking, physically exert themselves, and volunteer. Seeing as CAS is a required component of IB, students may be more motivated than others to get involved in outside activities.