Should my child study the IB Diploma?
As graduating students from across the world receive their International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IB DP) examination results, the International School of Ho Chi Minh City (ISHCMC) has cause to celebrate with outstanding offers to 90 universities and nearly UD1 million in scholarships awarded to ISHCMC’s Class of 2016.
We sat down with ISHCMC’s Janelle Codrington (IB DP Coordinator), Paul Gordon (College Counselor) and Martin Grist (IB MYP Coordinator) to find out how studying the IB DP prepares students for future success.
How does the IB DP prepare students for success in university?
Universities are seeking students who are innovative, service minded, critical thinkers and independent learners. Students with an IB DP education are uniquely prepared for the highly rigorous university environment, and are highly valued by admissions officers who understand that students have already undertaken a curriculum equivalent to the first year of university.
How does the Middle Years Program (MYP) prepare students for the IB DP?
At ISHCMC we offer all three IB programs for our students—the IB Primary Years Program (PYP) from 2 to 11 years old, the MYP from 11 to 16 years old and the IB DP from 16 to 18 years old. This allows for a seamless transition as students progress through the grades. The MYP curriculum in particular builds upon the learning process through a blend of concepts, skills and knowledge. By using concepts as a way in to learning, it encourages students to look beyond individual facts and see links and connections across subjects. This transfer of knowledge prepares students for the IB DP and also for universities and careers where often there is no one correct answer, and where ‘’knowing what to do, when you don’t know what to do is a vital life skill.
What differentiates the DP program at ISHCMC from other schools?
The DP program in ISHCMC is unique in that it is highly individualized and student focused. The counselors and the DP coordinator work with individual students from as early as Grade 10 in preparation for the IB courses and Diploma. Individual conferences are conducted with every Grade 10 student and every Grade 11 student, along with their parents, to ensure the subjects chosen are an appropriate fit for their chosen universities and courses. Counselors meet with all Grade 12 students in order to assist with university applications.
How do ISHCMC students perform in the IB DP compared to world averages?
ISHCMC is proud to be Ho Chi Minh City’s first IB World School with the longest history of graduating IB DP students. We annually see students going to the top universities worldwide, and believe our students’ excellent IB preparation gives them a distinct advantage in the admissions process. Our students’ acceptances this year include: Seoul National University, New York University, Hong Kong University, University College London, University of Melbourne and University of Toronto. Our students also enter some of the top art programs in the world including SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design), Pratt Institute and Parson’s School of Design.
By: Martin Grist (IB MYP Coordinator), Janelle Codrington (IB DP Coordinator) and Paul Gordon
(College Counselor) from ISHCMC.
