** A partial quote from Mr. Curtin in this article did not fully reflect his intent and has been corrected. We regret the omission of context and any confusion it may have caused. We remain committed to accurate, fair reporting.

In preparation for college applications, many high school students choose to enroll in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. The IB program is an internationally recognized curriculum that aims to help students develop a global mindset and a well-rounded academic background. Some students who plan to study abroad believe the  IB program is worth it for them because colleges outside the US accept IB credits instead of AP credits. Meanwhile, other students think that the IB program is overrated because of its inflexibility and heavy workload. In this article, we are going to analyze whether the IB program is worth it or not. 

The IB program teaches students advanced thinking skills and learning methods that prepare them well for college. The IB program has a lot of assignments, such as Internal Assessment (IA) and Extended Essays, that require a lot of writing and critical thinking skills. Mr. Curtin, the IB Program Coordinator, explains the unique aspects of the IB program:“What’s unique about the IB Program is its extended essay experience, which gives students an opportunity to do research with guidance from adult supervisors”. Because research papers and assignments are common in college, the extended essay helps students be prepared for college. Additionally, the IB program teaches students time management skills. “Teachers would give you projects that are due later, so you need to manage your time well and not procrastinate,” Yamlak Belete ‘26, a senior IB student remarks. 

Moreover, the IB program helps students develop a global mindset and lays a good pathway for students planning to study abroad. The IB Diploma program is recognized by leading universities around the world, including those in Canada and the UK. “I am doing the IB Program mainly because of my interest in going to college outside of the US, and many colleges outside of the US accept IB credits,” Milenn Kini ‘26, another IB student, expresses her view about the IB program. Even if you are not planning to attend a college outside the US, the IB program still gives you the option to attend a college internationally. “I wanted to do the IB program to become a more globally minded person,” Yamlak Belete ‘26 says.  

Meanwhile, there are also downsides to the IB program. The schedule of the IB program is not as flexible as AP. IB has a strict course requirement, which includes the Theory of Knowledge class (TOK). “The IB program can be more restrictive in terms of scheduling, as students can’t always take the courses they want,” Mr. Curtin comments. The strict schedule can hinder students from exploring their interests. 

Furthermore, the IB program involves a challenging and busy workload. “It can be really stressful, especially during the 1st quarter of your senior year because the extended essay is due during that time,” Yamlak Belete ‘26 acknowledges, “it could be difficult because we take the exam in senior year, which means you have to memorize materials from a two year period.”  “It is very time-consuming, so it could be stressful if you don’t plan things well,” Milenn Kini ‘26 says. 

All in all, whether the IB program is worth it or not depends on your personal goals. For example Yamlak Belte 26’ suggests to list out “ the pros and cons and think about what your focus wants to be.” Moreover, Mr. Curtin concludes and reaffirms that “​​There’s no absolute right or wrong, just get as much information as you can and make your own decision.”