Benefits of IB:
The International Baccalaureate research department frequently works with colleges and universities throughout the world to see the outcomes and impacts of their programmes. They focus on three main areas: competencies and skills, equity and access, and higher education outcomes. These are the key findings from 2021:
Competencies and Skills:
A study in Australia, England, and Norway, using propensity score matching, found that IB students had higher levels of critical thinking than their non-IB peers. They also found that the difference in ciritical thinking skills were more pronounced in senior years, suggesting that this difference was a result of partaking in the diploma programme (Hopfenbeck et al 2020).
Then another study conducted in Australia, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S. utilized the World Values Survey to compare the global mindedness of IB students to their non-IB peers. It was found that IB students had higher levels of global mindedness than non-IB students. It was also found that this difference was more pronounced senior (second) year, suggesting that it was due to the diploma programme (Gándara, Reeves, Schmenner 2021).
Equity and Access:
A study conducted over several years investigated the post-secondary and secondary experiences of U.S. IB students in public schools that predominately serve low-income households. It was found that IB students had higher average GPAs and SAT scores and higher college retention and graduation rates compared to their non-IB peers. Additionally, the diploma programme alumni reported that IB had prepared them for college coursework, specifically in the areas of time management, writing, study skills, and critical thinking (Aldana, Mayer, Ee 2020).
Higher Education Outcomes:
In a quantitative study, researchers analyzed the post-secondary outcomes of U.S. IB diploma students and found that 84.6% of diploma candidates enrolled in university straight out of high school while only 66% of all U.S. high school graduates enroll in university right after high school. They also found that 90.$% of IB diploma candidates would return to their university the next year, while only 80% of all U.S. students would return to their university the next year (Pilchen, Caspary, Woodworth 2020).
A study conducted in the United Kingdom investigated the post-secondary outcomes of students enrolled in U.K. universities with an A level qualification or an IB diploma. They found that students with IB diplomas were three times more likely to enroll at a top 20 higher education institution (compared to A level students). They also found that, post-university, IB diploma holders were 38% more likely than A level peers (non-IB peers) to engage in future studies (Duxbury et al 2021).
Competencies and Skills:
A study in Australia, England, and Norway, using propensity score matching, found that IB students had higher levels of critical thinking than their non-IB peers. They also found that the difference in ciritical thinking skills were more pronounced in senior years, suggesting that this difference was a result of partaking in the diploma programme (Hopfenbeck et al 2020).
Then another study conducted in Australia, Japan, Germany, Mexico, Spain, and the U.S. utilized the World Values Survey to compare the global mindedness of IB students to their non-IB peers. It was found that IB students had higher levels of global mindedness than non-IB students. It was also found that this difference was more pronounced senior (second) year, suggesting that it was due to the diploma programme (Gándara, Reeves, Schmenner 2021).
Equity and Access:
A study conducted over several years investigated the post-secondary and secondary experiences of U.S. IB students in public schools that predominately serve low-income households. It was found that IB students had higher average GPAs and SAT scores and higher college retention and graduation rates compared to their non-IB peers. Additionally, the diploma programme alumni reported that IB had prepared them for college coursework, specifically in the areas of time management, writing, study skills, and critical thinking (Aldana, Mayer, Ee 2020).
Higher Education Outcomes:
In a quantitative study, researchers analyzed the post-secondary outcomes of U.S. IB diploma students and found that 84.6% of diploma candidates enrolled in university straight out of high school while only 66% of all U.S. high school graduates enroll in university right after high school. They also found that 90.$% of IB diploma candidates would return to their university the next year, while only 80% of all U.S. students would return to their university the next year (Pilchen, Caspary, Woodworth 2020).
A study conducted in the United Kingdom investigated the post-secondary outcomes of students enrolled in U.K. universities with an A level qualification or an IB diploma. They found that students with IB diplomas were three times more likely to enroll at a top 20 higher education institution (compared to A level students). They also found that, post-university, IB diploma holders were 38% more likely than A level peers (non-IB peers) to engage in future studies (Duxbury et al 2021).
AP versus IB:
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