To IB or Not to IB
To IB or Not to IB
The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is often marketed as the natural next step for any student who takes advanced courses and performs well academically. This messaging is common — and it’s simply not true.
IB is not designed for every high-achieving student. It is built for a very specific type of learner.
IB is a two-year, all-in academic program, with students beginning in Pre-IB during freshman year. This program requires students to take rigorous coursework across six subject areas while completing a long-term research paper, philosophy-based coursework, and ongoing service requirements. The workload is constant, cumulative, and highly structured.
Strong grades and test scores alone do not determine IB readiness. Successful IB students are highly organized and balanced across all subjects. They tend to enjoy reading, writing, discussion, and critical thinking — and can manage long-term deadlines, late nights, and a heavy workload outside the classroom without burning out. They are already thinking of “passion projects’ and how they will be strong contributors to college campuses and society.
For many advanced students, AP can actually be the more strategic option. AP allows students to focus on their academic strengths, pursue depth in specific subjects, and maintain flexibility in building a well-rounded extracurricular involvement—while still demonstrating strong rigor to colleges. The AP track allows students to try all types of advanced coursework to see what they enjoy most while building rigor for college applications.
Another important factor families often overlook: IB students compete most directly with other IB students from the same school. In highly competitive IB settings, this class comparison can make admissions outcomes more challenging.
Colleges do not automatically prefer IB. They evaluate rigor in context and care more about performance than program labels.
IB is impressive when it’s the right fit and completed successfully. And if the answer is “not a fit,” there are plenty of beneficial options for students. And…good news- if your student gives it a try freshman year, they may change their mind for sophomore year - without penalty!
The strongest academic plan is one that allows a student to thrive — not just survive.