Tackling the IB by Elizabeth

Tackling the IB by Elizabeth - March 2014 Scholarship Essay

International Baccalaureate Program. Three words with a tremendous amount of meaning and memories. Beginning in sixth grade, with IB Middle Years Program. An advanced academy with uniforms and a few hours of homework every so often. Not too bad you say? That was just the beginning. Once high school began someone put a twist in the story.

A few hours of homework every so often turned into at least three to four hours of homework every night. Not only that, but adding that on top of long term projects including a 4000 word essay. Group projects, history tests, three hours of sleep a night, and falling asleep in class was my life during high school. Those two weighted classes didn't seem so bad after all six classes became weighted, and then a seventh class got added onto the schedule. Our motto became: “sleep, grades, social life…choose two”, because we knew we couldn't have it all, there was just no time for it.

This was the best four years of my life. The proudest moment, it’s now senior year, a couple months before IB exams, and I have adrenaline pumping through my veins as I gather materials so study for the tests. IB is the most rigorous academic curriculum in the United States, a worldly curriculum that I challenged myself to take up. My greatest achievement is participating and not quitting, I have lost many friends to the stress of this program, those who couldn't handle it had to drop out and most of the time that involved them having to switch schools back to their boundary school as well. I am one of the few who persevered and am still here today. Not only that, but I have kept my grades at A’s and B’s with one C on my entire high school transcript. I’m proud of my accomplishments, and this program has impacted me immensely. When I receive my diploma, colleges will look and give me college credit for the courses I achieved their standard grade of. It has also prepared me for college work wise. Previous graduates come back to visit and always talk about how the IB Program had prepared them for their next big step. Most importantly though, IB has impacted me with long lasting friendships. In my high school, IB is practically a school within a school; you go to class with each other, for your entire high school career. I still have one of my best friends from the seventh grade who I am sitting next to writing this paper as she applies for her own scholarships. IB has given the best gift of all by giving me the gift of friendship. All of these impacts I can take with me to college, I can continue what I have now, and continue to have positive impacts and recognize them. The IB Program has been and will always be my greatest accomplishment.