FMT
It’s officially IB exam season at Taft. From April 29 to May 23, IB exams will be underway in various locations throughout the school, mostly at the Nest. IB exams are a part of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, or IBDP, and are divided into two parts – the Internal and External Assessments.
There’s a total of 57 IB courses, all at SL (Standard Level) and HL (Higher Level), but the ones taught here at Taft are as follows: Physics, Sports, Exercise and Health Science (SEHS), Business Management, History, Mandarin, Language and Literature, Anthropology, Biology, Spanish, Math, Digital Society, Global Politics, and French.
Do IB exams and the program in general deserve the hate they get, or are they worth more?
“IB makes you think outside the box,” said Brian Will, the Department Chair for Language and Literature here at Taft. “It’s a journey with the student.”
“I can only speak for the English aspect, but I’ll say that it’s a very challenging course to take. It’s rewarding, though, because there’s access to all different kinds of texts, like novels, plays, films,” said Darren Tuggle, another Language and Literature teacher.
“The exams, I think, enable students’ voices more widely rather than having it just be Chicago-centric. It allows them to explore their own style. And there’s the college credit bonus,” continued Tuggle.
You may hear the Internal Assessment referred to as an “IA”. The External Assessments are the exams you take at the end of the school year, so right about this time. IB exams are recognized for college credit in a very similar way to how AP tests are.
“Taking the IA is more difficult. It’s simple to do a good job on it, but it’s challenging to do a great job. Doing a good job is attainable,” added Will.
The thing is, IB exams are more writing-based and focus a lot more on applying ideas and concepts appropriately, while AP tests are proving what you know and have learned in your respective class.
“AP is broadly recognized. IB has the potential to be more rewarding,” continued Will.
“I think both AP and IB are pretty similar,” said Sofia Trujillo, a junior. “I’m not too excited about having to take the exam. The only one I have this year is for Math, since it’s the only one year program I have this year.”
Cramming and late-night crash courses are something that Taft students are no stranger to at this time of year. But it’s important to find balance when stressed with the workload.
“I tend to take breaks in between doing homework. Depending on when it’s due, I try to split it into days, doing certain parts every day,” continued Trujillo.
Eagles, hold on! The finish line towards the end of the year is nearing! It’s important to stay motivated, and work to close the year up good, exams or not!