International Baccalaureate (IB)

Contact our IB Coordinators: Lindsay Casserly and Andrew Heppenstall with any questions.

What is IB?

It is an international educational model that is taught to a world standard
It is a comprehensive 2-year academic program that replicates the freshman year of college
It encourages students to become: knowledgeable, inquirers, thinkers, communicators, principled, open-minded, risk-takers, caring, balanced, and reflective.

How to Earn a Full IB Diploma:

Successful completion of 3 standard level (SL) courses
Successful completion of 3 higher level (HL) courses
Successful completion of:
- Community, Action, Service (CAS)
- Theory of Knowledge (ToK)
- Extended Essay (EE)

Successful Completion of 3 SL Courses:

Students may take 1 or 2 SL exams their junior year
Standard level courses are single-year classes
Standard level course grades are earned by a combination of internal assessments and exams
THHS offers World Language, Mathematics, and Science at the standard level

Successful Completion of 3 HL Courses:

All 3 HL exams must be taken during their senior year
Higher level coursework is completed over 2 years
Ex. English Honors 3/IB and English Honors 4/IB HL would fulfill the higher level requirement
THHS offers English, Psychology, and History of the Americas at the higher level

CAS:

Creativity, Action, Service is designed to encourage students to be involved in the community around them
Many of the activities students are already engaged in qualify for CAS
CAS credits are earned by involvement in activities such as:
- Ex. Key Club, Mock Trial, OCAD, MUN, drama, orchestra, athletics, scouting, tutorial programs, community service, etc.
IB encourages students to select CAS activities that reflect their personal interests and are geared toward learning outcomes

ToK:

Theory of Knowledge is a class designed to develop the critical thinking skills that are so important for collegiate success
The ToK component of IB is embedded within student coursework both junior and senior years

EE:

The Extended Essay is designed to help students master college-level research and writing skills
IB encourages students to explore areas of personal interest for their extended essay topic
Students select their extended essay topic during their junior year and complete it during their senior year
Students receive the support a mentor teacher to guide them through this process

How Success is Measured in IB:

To earn an IB diploma, students must amass a total of at least 24 points (out of a possible 46)
SL and HL courses are graded on a scale of 1-7 points
Students should aspire to earn a score of 4 points or higher on each exam
Students may also earn up to 2 bonus points for their EE and/or their ToK coursework

Junior Year:

Senior Year:

English 4 HL2
World Language- Spanish, French, or German 4AP/SL (only if needed)
History of the Americas HL2 (fulfills Civics and Econ requirement)
Psychology HL2 (completion of ToK)
AP Science of choice (only if needed/desired)
Mathematics- IB Math SL (if needed) or AP Calculus AB/BC or AP Stats (if needed/desired)

Costs Associated with IB:

IB course and exam fees (comparable to AP fees)
- Covers grading/administration of all assessments

Benefits of IB:

Students are completing collegiate-level work while still in high school and earning potential college credits
IB is (without question) the best college preparatory work a student can do
- Ex. Research writing, study skills, communication skills, time management
Students learn to see themselves as part of a broader global community and engage in issues that impact the entire world
IB success can significantly improve student chances of admission to the university of their preference
The common application specifically distinguishes IB diploma candidacy
The UC schools award a full quarter of credit for a score of 30 points or higher in IB

Benefits at THHS:

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