What is the International Baccalaureate Program? A two-year international curriculum taken during Grade 11 and Grade 12 Class of 2010 IB Diploma Ceremony. • Highly regarded by national and international universities • Assessed by examiners world-wide using internationally recognized standards developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization in Geneva, Switzerland • Results in an additional internationally recognized high school diploma (if all aspects are successfully completed) • Develops higher order cognitive skills with focus on the student’s ability to think analytically and critically, to integrate and apply their learning, to work collaboratively and to communicate what they have learned in writing and orally • Requires study in six subjects (students have various options in the sciences/ arts/languages – see hexagon, at right) • Develops skills appropriate to each subject area through varied assessments – labs, research papers, presentations • May result in college and university credit and/or access to Honors programs What are the common aims of Sacred Heart and IB educators? Success in the 21st century requires intercultural understanding and respect. Global citizens must be able to think critically and value multiple-perspectives. At its heart, the IBO like Sacred Heart education, is motivated by a desire to create a better world through education. Both Sacred Heart education and the IB Organization encourage students to become active, compassionate and life-long learners. Sacred Heart articulates these aims through its Goals and Criteria and the IBO articulates these aims through the IB Mission & Learner Profile (for complete document visit www.carrollton.org). Simply put, both strive to educate global citizens who are inquirers, knowledgeable, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, caring, risk-takers, balanced and reflective. Above, IB Biology student creates DNA model. “IB is well known to us as excellent preparation. Success in an IB program correlates well with success at Harvard. We are pleased to see the credential of the IB Diploma Program on the transcripts.” – Marlyn McGrath Lewis, Assissant Dean of Admissions, Harvard University Why do universities value IB students? • IB students are more likely than others to enroll in and graduate from selective higher education institutions.* • Based on their experiences, IB students possess a broader range of skills that enhance their ability to adapt and contribute to university life. • IB students demonstrate a level of emotional and intellectual maturity for managing the demands of challenging coursework and make meaningful contributions. • They have extensive experience engaging in independent research and presenting what they have learned through presentations, papers and other projects. • They think critically and draw on diverse perspectives that reflect an international outlook. • Participation in the IB Diploma Program shows that students have excelled in multiple and diverse academic challenges and is a strong predictor for success in university.* *IB Analysis of data obtained from the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) for students taking examinations in May 2000 and May 2001 and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) of National Center for Education Statistics. What are the requirements for an IB Diploma? Students apply to the IB Diploma Program in the Grade 10 year and pursue IB studies during Grade 11 and Grade 12. Students are required to take IB classes across the curriculum as indicated by the IB Hexagon, right. In addition to the rigorous course of studies, students are required to complete the Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) and an Extended Essay (4,000 words). Above, IB Art students work on an environmental mural. Broad Spectrum of Subjects IB Diploma Program students choose to study six subjects – one from each of the subject areas highlighted in the IB Hexagon, right. The IB Diploma Program is about more than the six subjects students study. At its heart are three core requirements that are integral to the curriculum and they make the IB Diploma Program unique. The IB curriculum lends itself to focused, discipline-specific investigations. Faculty supplement class discussions with guest lectures. Above is the IB 20th Century History class with author Huber Matos. • Theory of Knowledge (TOK) – an internally and externally assessed interdisciplinary component that explores the different concepts of knowledge found in the subject areas. Because IB Diploma Program students study six subjects simultaneously, TOK teachers can, for example, ask their students to compare a historian’s approach to problem solving with that of a scientist or an artist. • Extended essay – an externally assessed independent research assignment of 4,000 words in one of the six subject areas. This is one of the ways in which IB Diploma Program students can specialize in a certain subject area and prepare for university studies. • Creativity, action, service (CAS) – requires that students actively learn from the experience of doing real tasks beyond the classroom. Students can combine all three components or do activities related to each one of them separately. Internationally Recognized Standards The IB Diploma Program is widely recognized for its high academic standards. Assessment is varied and takes place over two years, with final examinations in each subject. Student work is assessed by an international board of examiners, who are themselves rigorously trained and monitored by International Baccalaureate Organization (IB). Subjects are scored on a 1-7 scale with additional three points available for theory of knowledge and the extended essay. Students who display proficient levels of performance across all six subjects and achieve a minimum of 24 points (out of a possible 45) are awarded the diploma. All others receive a certificate for each of the subjects completed. Carrollton and the IB: An Excellent Educational Experience Now in its eighth year at Carrollton, the IB Program continues to grow and yield excellent academic results. Last year, 62% of the senior class participated and 100% of the IB seniors earned their diploma; an excellent result when compared to the international average of 78-80%. Currently, 82% of the Class of 2014 and 92% of the Class of 2015 are enrolled the full IB Diploma Program. For the first time, 100% of the Class of 2015 is particpating in IB coursework. Subject Scores 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 Carrollton Average World Wide Average Carrollton Alumnae Speak… I earned 33 college credits … even for something as simple as college housing or parking, it’s by credit, so having sophomore standing gave me an edge. And as for building relationships with professors, I got to skip some of those introductory classes and have smaller classes, which is a luxury here at such a large school. IB credits allowed me to explore other opportunities. In my first semester at UF, I was chosen to travel abroad to Brussels, Belgium. I took a course with two seniors and a master’s student on Turkey and the European Union. I also met a few members of the European Union’s Parliament, French diplomats, Turkish Students in Belgium, and a president of an NGO European Union of Turkish Democrats. But the best part of this program was that I established a personal relationship with the professor Dr. Sinan Ciddi who also writes for The Economist. -Chloe Burke ’10, student at the University of Florida I think that the papers and projects that we had for the IB such as group 4 (science lab), the history and English internal assessments and the extended essay were the things that prepared me most for college. Having to pick a topic that I am interested in or want to defend was something that was always very hard for me but the practice of choosing my own subject and arguing it effectively was something I wouldn’t have gotten the opportunity to do without IB. -Dorothy-Anne Hector ’08, student at Georgetown University I recommend the IB program without reservation. The workload prepares you for the demands of college and its emphasis on timemanagement and organizational skills are invaluable. Its integrated approach is essential to success at university. There is a great deal of science in design. From market research on behavioral consumption to understanding the proportions of the human torso for clothing, I am always drawing from the skills I honed in IB visual arts and IB Biology as well as all IB subjects. – Carolina Valdes-Lora ’09, student at Parsons and part-time employee of Ralph Lauren, Global Creative Services Department, Visual Team for Rugby International Baccalaureate Diploma Program