Just what is the International Baccalaureate Programme, anyway?
The International Baccalaureate Programme is a rigorous, broad-based curriculum and assessment Programme for high school juniors and seniors. It leads to the International Baccalaureate diploma which is respected and recognized by top colleges and universities here and abroad.

The IB Diploma Programme exposes you to the two great traditions of learning - the humanities and the sciences. It requires that you complete nearly 1,200 hours of classroom work in six specific areas: English, a second modern language, experimental sciences, mathematics, the arts and electives, and a wide range of courses on individuals and societies.

In each of these courses you'll be assessed in your knowledge, earning a single score of between 1 and 7 in each subject (twenty-four points are required to receive the IB diploma). Your IB examinations will be administered and graded by the International Baccalaureate itself, and your work will be judged against set, objective standards that are applied equally to all IB scholars worldwide - one reason why the IB diploma is so widely respected.

As an International Baccalaureate scholar at St. Scholastica Academy, you'll be challenged every step of the way by your fellow scholars and by SSA’s master teachers who are continually upgrading their own knowledge and skills. But that's only the beginning.

You'll also explore the world of knowledge beyond the classroom through research, artistic and athletic experiences, and independent study. You'll complete 150 hours in the CAS (Creativity, Action, Service) portion of the Programme which takes you outside the classroom and continues your education you as a whole person.

You'll study the Theory of Knowledge for two years in a required interdisciplinary course that's a key part of the Programme, designed to help you learn about learning. With the help of a mentor, you'll write an extended essay of some 4,000 words based on independent research.

And when you successfully complete your International Baccalaureate Programme, you'll have a secondary education that ranks with the best the world has to offer.

In addition to the IB Full Diploma, SSA also offers IB Certificates to students unable to participate in the Full Diploma Programme.  The Certificate application process is the same as for the Full Diploma.  However, the interview during sophomore year is only necessary for students intending to carry three or more IB subjects during their junior year.

Further information about the International Baccalaureate Organization is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ibo.org/diploma/.

How does the IB Programme fit in at St. Scholastica Academy?
By adding special features to our classic liberal arts curriculum, SSA’s International Baccalaureate Programme becomes part of our long tradition of Benedictine excellence in education. Your course of studies at St. Scholastica Academy will take place in the rich framework of the Benedictine tradition, with its emphasis on a holistic, value-centered approach to life and living.

Since the sixth century, Benedictines have been educating women to be scholars, scientists, and theologians.  Today, as they have for more than a century, the community of Benedictine Sisters of Chicago and the faculty of St. Scholastica Academy continue to respond to the needs of women. (Studies published by such prestigious institutions as Harvard, Wellesley, and the American Association of University Women confirm the value of the single-gender education SSA has always provided).

The International Baccalaureate Programme at St. Scholastica Academy adds an outstanding new element to this heritage - one that we invite you to share with us.

When should I apply for admittance to the IB Programme?
The IB Programme is intended as a two-year course of study during junior and senior year. However, placement in SSA’s Pre-IB Programme as a freshman allows you to take two years of honors level courses in preparation for the IB Programme itself.

You'll be admitted to the Pre-IB Programme on the basis of standards including: test scores on SSA’s placement test, standardized tests taken at the elementary school level, and the recommendation of your principal or eighth grade teacher.

Then, during your sophomore year, you must formally apply for admittance to the International Baccalaureate Programme which begins in your junior year. You'll need to have a satisfactory grade point average to be considered, and you and your parents or guardian will be interviewed by SSA’s principal, vice-principal and IB coordinator. Other factors will be taken into account as well, including your attendance record and the degree of motivation and discipline you bring to your studies.  

Will my tuition costs go up?
The only additional cost for participating in our IB Programme is a registration and per-examination fee (just like AP exams), billed separately from tuition during the examination year. 

What will an International Baccalaureate diploma do for me?
No one can promise that you'll be accepted at the college of your choice, or that you'll qualify for advanced standing. But by providing you with an outstanding college-prep education, your IB diploma can put you ahead of the crowd … today … and tomorrow. You'll have a head start on life in our fast-moving world — the Programme teaches you how to think, how to adapt to change, and how to deal with new information — not just how to memorize facts. You'll have an advantage when competing for admission to top colleges and universities, here and abroad. You may be admitted to college as a sophomore — and with a year at college costing up to $30,000 or even more, that can make a huge difference to you and your parents.

What Admissions officers at top colleges and universities say about the IB Programme.
“It should be noted that students who…obtain a full IB diploma and achieve a six or seven in their three higher level subjects may be eligible for sophomore standing.”
Marlyn McGrath Lewis
Director of Admissions,
Harvard and Radcliff Colleges

“We have found that students coming from IB Programmes are very well prepared to meet the academic challenges at Loyola University, Chicago. Students can also gain valuable college credits from their IB work.”
Robert Blust
Director of Undergraduate Admissions,
Loyola University, Chicago

“The IB Programme is recognized internationally, and the University of Rochester holds the demanding IB curriculum in the highest regard. We welcome applications from students who performed successfully in the Programme.”
Marcy Kraus
Associate Director of Admissions,
University of Rochester

“The IB courses are rigorous … an excellent preparation for college. The full IB diploma is one of the most valuable academic Programmes available to students …”
Sheppard Stanley
Associate Director of Admissions,
Northwestern University