At AHS, the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum is the core of the schools academic and often social culture. These are tougher classes, based on an international curriculum that is designed to produce a stronger education. However, some students at AHS take it upon themselves to embark on the two year IB diploma track, filling their lives with schoolwork, lack of sleep, and stress. Is the final diploma at the end of the two-years worth it?

AHS IB Coordinator, Tameria Wilson feels that while the IB curriculum does have a rather significant workload, the benefits speak for themselves.

“The full diploma, I think, is very beneficial regarding content. Pushing yourself in a lot of directions is very important, and a lot of times there’s at least one of the subject that isn’t your strongest and so being willing to take on that challenge content-wise, is very important,” Wilson said. “It really helps to prepare students for college, just the amount of work, rigor and also the time-management piece. A lot of students that come back after their freshman year in college say that doing the full diploma set them way further ahead than their peers.”

Many students embark on the IB diploma track in hopes that it will help with college acceptance. AHS college counselor, Charlie Laube explains how IB diploma and classes affect college admissions.

“The data, at least from my previous institutions, has shown that even a student with B’s or C’s in the diploma, were more prepared than students coming from just an honors course with A’s,” Laube said. “Just by taking an IB class, students are actively setting themselves up for college. We want students exposed to the most rigorous curriculum that they are capable of taking. So while TOK and the EE are really impressive, just the fact that students have IB on their transcripts tells me something as a reader, that they are pushing themselves with the most rigorous curriculum available.”

AHS senior, Arnold Muasa is in his second year of the IB diploma and argues that completing the IB diploma not only comes with great recognition but also allows students to advance their education in ways not otherwise possible.

“I think that the diploma is worth the work because it is a holistic way of learning that teaches you to think broadly and helps to create a balanced student who sees the world in an insightful way. I feel that throughout the track so far I have become a much more developed and insightful student,” Muasa said. “As I have become accustomed to the diploma by now, in my second year, and I have learned to balance my schedule in order to maintain the workload, and I am happier now applying to colleges that I have stuck with the diploma and feel that more benefits are still to come.”

AHS junior, Bella Williams has just begun her diploma track and believes that the experience will prove worthwhile in later years.

“For me, I definitely think it is worth it because I am getting an introduction of what college might be like, and I am learning a lot about myself, like how I perform under stress and how to manage my time efficiently. ” Williams said.