George Mason high school is known for its International Baccalaureate diploma. However, the requirements of the program lead students to rethink about if they should strive to take on the challenge. The well-known question of many students: is the IB Diploma worth it? The IB diploma has a plethora of benefits aside from the challenging work students have to complete and the tests they have to take to receive the credit. The IB diploma develops strong academic, social and emotional characteristics in students. “Well the IB diploma allows students to become very well-rounded. An IB education isn’t about just learning facts and figures and how much can we cram in your brains over two years, it is about teaching kids ways to think,” Mr. Coast …show more content…
The trick, and why some students have not been successful is time management… I’ve had IB Diploma candidates that were three sport athletes,” said Mr. Coast. In addition, research suggests that IB students are more likely to complete an undergraduate degree than their peers and pursue graduate work. They are also stronger on leadership skills, tutoring students, working with university faculty on research projects, and taking part in community service. However, the most important benefit of the IB Diploma is that it prepares you for college because you go from high school courses, many of them being honors, to classes with college level expectations. “[The IB Diploma] does allow for students to study on their strengths, but also allows them to expose themselves to collegiate level thoughts and work prior to going off to college. It is a two year program… so we have [students] for two years to scaffold them to what a college experience entails and what is expected of them by college professors.” Additionally, with the IB diploma you can earn college credit if you earn 24 total points on your six tests and extended essay. Not to mention that when colleges see IB courses on your transcript, they are