What are the advantages of enrolling in the IB Programme?

The IB Programme is an internationally recognized program of study.  IB students develop a broader view of the world, become strong time managers, hone their problem-solving skills, develop their research skills, and have the opportunity to earn college credit. IB students typically are very successful at the university level, and university admissions officers value the rigors of the IB Programme.

Do students have a life?

Although time devoted to studying is an important part of the IB Programme, the CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) requirements ensure that students live balanced lives where they express themselves creatively, engage in exercise that promotes a healthy lifestyle, and give back to their communities.  Due to these requirements, IB students are often some of the most active students on our campus.

What scores must a student earn to attain an IB Diploma?

The general guidelines indicate that a student must earn a total of 24 points on their six IB examinations.  Additional points are gained through the Extended Essay score and the Theory of Knowledge score.  A score of 4 is considered passing on an IB examination.

Below are the specific guidelines from IB:

-All assessment components for each of the six subjects and the additional IB diploma requirements must be completed in order to qualify for the award of the IB diploma.

-If a diploma candidate is awarded a grade E for TOK or a grade E for the extended essay, it is a failing condition, and the student cannot earn the diploma, regardless of total points earned.

The IB Diploma will be awarded to a candidate provided all the following requirements have been met. 

a. CAS requirements have been met.

b. The candidate's total points are 24 or more.

c. There is no N awarded for theory of knowledge, the extended essay or for a contributing subject.

d. There is no grade E awarded for theory of knowledge and/or the extended essay.

e. There is no grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.

f. There are no more than two grade 2s awarded (HL or SL).

g. There are no more than three grade 3s or below awarded (HL or SL).

h. The candidate has gained 12 points or more on HL subjects (for candidates who register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades count).

i. The candidate has gained 9 points or more on SL subjects (candidates who register for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL).

j. The candidate has not received a penalty for academic misconduct from the Final Award Committee.

Note the for students considering a retake for the diploma: A maximum of three examination sessions is allowed in which to satisfy the requirements for the award of the IB Diploma. The examination sessions need not be consecutive.

How is the diploma core (TOK, CAS, and EE) assessed and part of the diploma?

The theory of knowledge (TOK) and extended essay (EE) components are awarded individual grades and, collectively, can contribute up to 3 additional points towards the overall Diploma score.  Creativity, Action, Service, the remaining element in the DP core, does not contribute to the points total but authenticated participation is a requirement for the award of the diploma.

Will universities accept IB classes for credit?

Beginning in 2020-21, IB students attending UNC System universities will automatically receive credit for IB Higher Level examinations with a score of 4 or higher and IB Standard Level examinations with a score of 5 or higher. As a result of this decision, IB Diploma students will have increased flexibility and expanded opportunities for their university studies.

What is the profile of a successful IB student?

In addition to being hardworking, self-motivated, and intellectually curious, a successful IB student should also be interested in studying a breadth of topics and examining global issues. All IB students and teachers work to align their practices with the IB learner profile, which is located here.

What is the difference between AP and IB?

IB is a program of study that includes the core of IB--the extended essay (a 4000 word independent research project), CAS (creativity, activity, and service hours), and completion of a course entitled Theory of Knowledge (TOK).  If a student is interested in studying a range of topics in-depth, then IB is a good option for them.

Additionally, IB scores extend over the length of the course and include projects, presentations, one-on-one oral commentaries with the teacher, and out-of-class essays in addition to the final IB exam, an open-ended, essay-based exam.

AP scores are based on the final exam, which consists of multiple choice questions and open-ended questions/essays.

How will I receive my scores?

Along with their final report card, students will receive a printed copy of their personal code, PIN, and the date and time that scores will be available online.  It is very important that students put this document in a safe place so they can access their scores when they are available.

How will I report my scores to universities?

IB does not report scores to universities until all scores are available to candidates the summer after their senior year.  They will also report the diploma status at this time.  During exams in May, students will complete a form indicating where their scores need to be reported.  At this time in the year, students will know where they will be attending college, and scores will be sent to determine college credit.  IB does not send scores to students until after the senior exam session.  The coordinator cannot provide scores to schools because the scores are not viewed as "official" unless they come directly from the IB Programme.

Is it true that you don't get credit for IB courses?  What about quality points?

This is a common misconception spread by some misinformation.  While some universities do not award credit for IB SL courses, they all award credit for IB HL courses.  Think of this as the same thing as a university only giving credit for a 5 (a perfect score) on an AP exam.  Some schools maintain higher criteria for awarding credit, so they may choose to only award credit for a certain type of course or a particular final score.  In order to help our students earn as much college credit as possible, we have them take the AP and IB exam for certain courses (ex: IB History of the Americas students also sit for the AP US History exam and IB Psychology SL students also sit for the AP Psychology exam).  Our IB students typically take a minimum of 5-6 courses that can earn them college credit during their four years of high school.  Some take as many as 12 or more.  We work with students and their families to help them find the balance that is right for them.  Additionally, some courses like our World Language courses tend to provide more credit for IB SL courses. 

AP and IB courses receive the same number of quality points.  Both courses earn students an extra quality point, thus making their GPA out of a 5.0 instead of a 4.0.

How do I send my IB transcript if I graduated several years ago?

You will have to contact IB directly through a form to order additional transcripts. Information about the process can be found here.

How will the scores for any AP course I take be sent to universities?

Each year you take AP Exams you receive one free score reported by designating a college, university, or scholarship program on your first/pre-registration AP answer sheet. The institution you pick receives your official score report, containing scores from every AP Exam you have ever taken, unless you have requested that one or more scores be withheld or canceled.  If you wish to send scores to additional colleges, each report costs $15. Reports with rush processing cost $25 each.  More information about AP exam reporting can be found here.

For additional information, please view the Grimsley IB Handbook.