The IB Program from a Freshman Point of View
At the beginning of every year, more ambitious freshmen join the IB program that Mel High offers. International Baccalaureate (IB) is much different than advanced classes. Madison Mesecher, an IB freshman student, would describe it as “...a rigorous program that challenges its students to reach their fullest potential.”
Mesecher has been in advanced courses before IB though. At her old middle school, there was a program called REACH that encouraged kids to start taking more advanced and faster-paced courses at a younger age. She says REACH taught her to manage her time which has come to help her in IB. Though IB and REACH are similar they can be quite different. “I will say that IB is a lot more rigorous than the REACH program though. IB has a much bigger workload and makes me think outside the box more.”
IB is a more advanced and faster course so finding time to do work can be tricky Mesecher explains. “So, I do around eleven hours of dance per week so finding ways to balance my work can be difficult. I get a lot of my work done during classes, in the car, when I get home, during my lunch period, etc. I always make sure to utilize the days where we get study period and that helps a lot. Mesecher feels that IB is an advanced course, so their will be more work, but she tries to find other time to do her work and utilizes the study periods her teachers give her.
“Why is IB worth taking?” Is the question you might be considering. When you take IB, it gives you such an upper-hand when it comes to making choices about colleges. The international part of IB also offers a useful way to expand your knowledge of other places and countries around the world. Mesecher says, “ I decided to do IB because I wanted a larger advantage when applying for colleges. IB is a global program so I also knew it would be a great way for me to learn about places and cultures other than my own.”
Though Mesecher is only halfway through freshman year, IB has been a great experience for her. “It's a great program that will challenge you and help you be the best version of yourself.” IB is all about pushing yourself and setting yourself up for success in the near future.