What is IB really like for the student on a day-to-day basis? For the brave sophomores who have completed the spine-chilling IB interview, you might be wondering just what exactly you are getting yourself into. If you are a freshman just considering it (sign up for gov next year!), you might be looking for some IB info beyond Mr. O’Brien’s logistic-packed lectures. And if you are a non-IB junior/senior wondering what those-kids-making-political-jokes are actually doing in IB, you are about to find out. I interviewed current IB juniors (including myself) to expose the program for all of you.

The Banner (Kate Clark): Straightforward, blatant response: how hard is IB?

Dan Olivieri: Yes.

Becca Shapiro: It’s hard, no doubt. But junior year will be hard whatever course you take. IB just has a lot of homework and studying you need to do at home to succeed, and it definitely gets annoying sometimes, but it’s not impossible.

Maddie Feldman: It’s as hard as you make it. If you want to take HL math and 3 other HL classes, then you’ll probably have it harder than someone taking studs [Math Studies SL, easiest math class in IB] and ab initio [language from the beginning]. So… Sorry, no straightforward response.

The Banner: There is a lot of weird IB lingo. Can you clarify?

Maddie Feldman: “Internal Assessment” – varies for every class. For science, they’re labs. For psych, it’s doing an experiment.

“External Assessment” – the exam at the end of the course. Since most classes are 2 years, a majority of the external assessments take place at the end of senior year.

“Extended Essay” – a research paper that’s due at the end of senior year. It isn’t just something you can do in one night, though; they expect you to be working on it from about November of junior year! And some kids who opt for the historiography “online” course with Mr. Santa Maria will be done by the end of junior year, but you have to be writing a history paper.

“CAS” – literally stands for creativity, action and service. IB has requirements for its students to each have at least 2 activities with a minimum of 10 hours per activity in all of the 3 categories. They want well-rounded kids!

“Group 4 project” – a lab that you and 3 other students – hence the “4” – will create and perform. The other students you are paired with will be from the other 2 sciences, with one kid who’s a repeat (since IB only offers chem, bio and physics).

Quincy Wolfson: “Group 4 project” – the thing where no one knows what to do, but they want the grade because their science grade could use a little help so they do it anyway, but still procrastinate because they’re IB students.

The Banner: Do you still get to see or spend time with non-IB kids?

Quincy Wolfson: A little. Mostly ‘cause of extracurricular activities.

Dan Olivieri: You do get to spend time with them, but you have to work for it and try intentionally to hang out with them.

Maddie Feldman: I definitely still see other “non-IB” kids; a lot of my friends don’t do IB. But I still see all of them at lunch! But don’t worry too much about this – you’ll keep the relationships you want to.

The Banner: Who are some of your favorite IB teachers?

Hugh Downs: Mr. Powers [Biology], because he is as cool as ice, and Dr. McKenna [History of the Americas] because he has good fatherly wisdom.

Maddie Feldman: I couldn’t get enough of Mr. Santa Maria last year in Gov (every sophomore even considering IB should take Gov next year!) and had to have him again, even for an online class.

Quincy Wolfson: Tiburzio [Math Studies]…. cause she’s judging Mr. Harriton…

Nate Yee: McKenna and Mr. Gauvin [Chemistry] are the best.

Becca Shapiro: They’re all pretty much awesome, but I have to say McKenna is one of the greatest people ever. Mr. Occhiogrosso [Math HL] is very funny. Mrs. Kohne [Latin] is fantastic.

The Banner: If you are not too great at science and math, can you still do well in IB?

Quincy Wolfson: Math studs [easiest IB math available] all the way.

Julia Udicious: Definitely! In fact I would even say IB is designed so that you can focus on your favorite subjects. If science isn’t your strength, you can choose an HL elective like psych or art and an SL science. And there are 3 different levels of math to choose from.

Quincy Wolfson: Like studs. Studs for studs.

The Banner: What is so international about the International Baccalaureate program?

Quincy Wolfson: Well, like, it’s in the name and on documents, so it has to be official…

Kate Clark: Well, the IB program/diploma was initially designed for kids who want to go to college overseas. Most colleges around the world know what an IB diploma is and value the rigor of it. Nowadays, most American colleges in addition to international universities understand and value the IB diploma. So, a decent majority of kids in IB don’t plan on going to college overseas, but are still in IB. So, in conclusion, the international-ness comes from the fact that if you take IB, even a college in Western Norway will be able to understand your transcript.

The Banner: What is so great about an IB diploma?

Kate Clark: Well, IB believes that once you get your IB diploma, you have become a “worldly citizen.” That means, you can speak at least one other language, are balanced/principled/inquiring/whatever, and are knowledgeable and aware of the present and past world around you. Although this all probably sounds weird, it’ll probably help you navigate the real world once you graduate, in that you don’t just learn about stuff, you learn about how that stuff applies to the world today. Also top American/international colleges think it’s cool that you took it and you can get some college credit for it.

The Banner:  Are you guys a cult? Do not beat around the bush with this question, please.

Becca Shapiro: Yes.

Kate Clark: No. Well, go to Dr. McKenna’s room during RAM – that is when we act like a cult, by playing guitars on counters and talking about the values and limitations of communism.

The cult of IB has spoken: on lingo, friendships, teachers, difficulty, and not-so-top-secret inside information. Whether underclassman or upperclassman, IB-bound or not, you’ve just gotten one step closer to the daily lives of those crazy guitar playing, Extended Essay writing, ‘studs’ taking students.