Why IB Diploma Program is preferred by the top Universities?
In order to challenge themselves academically and stand out from the cenroltors with college-level curriculum, many high school students enroll in International Baccalaureate (IB) classes as an alternative to Advanced Placement (AP) courses in order to prepare for university admissions.
It takes a lot of individual study and self-discipline to complete the Diploma Program, which can include up to twice the amount of coursework as your school's core curriculum. Not just the arts, humanities, or sciences, but every subject area, including two languages, requires strong performance from you.
Participation in extracurricular activities like sports and volunteer work is also necessary.
The greatest method to highlight your strengths as a candidate for universities is, if you perform well, to obtain an IB qualification.
There are three reasons for this:
1. It demonstrates that you are a challenger.
Admissions officers immediately form an opinion of you as a student and gain insight into your character when they see that you have earned the IBDP qualification on your application. They are aware of your diligence and your courage in the face of difficulty.
It is more difficult for these colleges to understand your academic trajectory if you apply with a high school diploma from your country. Even if you may have received solid grades throughout high school, they may not be able to determine what you had to do to earn those marks because they can't make an apples-to-apples comparison.
Universities are aware of the strict requirements for IBDP and what it takes to finish the DP with high marks: persistent effort and commitment. They look for applicants who possess these traits.
Even some universities claim to have greater standards for IB applicants.
According to UCLA University, students who take advantage of HL IB courses are better prepared to succeed in college and more competitive candidates for admission,
2. It demonstrates your depth of expertise.
By requiring students to select courses from a variety of academic topics, the IB provides a well-rounded education. Students thus gain a broad liberal arts viewpoint, which is highly valued in the admissions process of US universities.
This is so because US institutions promote "intellectual exploration," which means you'll study a little bit of everything for the first two years before deciding on a specialization or major.
According to the University of Chicago, "IB courses are incorporated into the entrance review process since USC recognizes the extraordinary rigor of such a curriculum, students who undertake an IB curriculum are well-prepared for the rigors of university academic life."
3. It demonstrates your versatility as a person.
This is hardly surprising given that the IBO's programs are all designed to produce students who are well-rounded. They achieve this by ensuring that students demonstrate success in both academic and extracurricular activities.
Because the IB curriculum includes all of these components—community involvement, leadership, research, and significant projects—it benefits US colleges.
In Conclusion
The high school curriculum you choose today will have a big impact on what and where you study in the future. The International Baccalaureate has a good reputation in the US, as you already know. For admissions and other considerations, such as providing course credit, advanced standing, scholarships, and financial aid, nearly all US colleges take IB Diploma Program results into account.
Even though taking the DP can be advantageous if you do well on it, your curriculum will prevent you from being admitted to a US university.
Because they are evaluating a candidate's overall caliber, admissions officers won't compare high school curricula. More than simply your grades are taken into account when applying to US colleges.
All kinds of high school graduates get admitted to Ivy League universities. Even students who have not yet acquired their credentials have entered!
The most crucial thing is to strive to go above and above what is required by your curriculum if you want to attend a good university in the US but taking the IB isn't an option. Take additional classes or more challenging subjects to make you work harder to achieve a decent grade. This will force you to better manage your time.
Make sure you approach extracurricular activities with the same sense of initiative. You must demonstrate that you go above and above in all you do if you want a chance at admittance!
In the end, that's what will set you apart in the university applications.
Blen wishes you good luck!
