FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How is learning in the IB classroom different from learning in an Honors or Advanced Placement class?

IB assesses in a variety of ways, requiring students to use multiple intelligences including visual-spatial, kinesthetic, and interpersonal intelligences. AP and Honors classes have not historically assessed students in such a wide variety of methods. Unlike a typical AP or Honors curriculum, the IB curriculum is interdisciplinary. For example, the Theory of Knowledge course is designed to help students draw connections between all their subject disciplines and provide real-world learning experiences.

IB encourages deep, analytical thinking and appeals to students who may not thrive in a traditional test-centered, textbook content-based environment. Instead, IB classes give students an opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and understanding by utilizing their particular strengths. For instance, the IB approach to history moves beyond the textbook and brings in discussions of the arts of the time and how the social, economic and political climate affected the period’s art. Utilizing art forms as a means of history study provides a tremendous benefit to students who thrive in a more visual environment.

Why might a Regents student succeed in this program where they wouldn’t in an honors or AP program?

AP and honors courses typically value content knowledge as a prerequisite. A student may enroll in an IB course without the same content knowledge of a student entering an AP or honors course and be successful by working hard. More content material may be taught in IB courses rather than presumed to already be there.

What are the pros and cons of enrolling in IB or AP courses?

It depends on the student, his/her strengths, interests and goals. All prospective IB students and their parents should attend the IB informational meeting in January and read all materials included on this website.

Are IB students assessed differently than other students?

IB students are assessed in similar ways to non-IB students. They complete daily homework assignments and long-term projects and also sit for quizzes and tests. Teachers calculate grades using the standard 100% scale and students continue to receive quarterly grades. However, IB courses require students to complete certain assessments that will ultimately be assessed externally by an IB examiner. These assessments include written assignments, oral presentations, projects and labs. Completion of these assignments is necessary to earn the IB Diploma.

What level of writing is required for IB students?

Written communication is an important way to communicate one's ideas. All students will improve as writers in their IB classes as special attention is paid during the first year of the program to write persuasively and without bias. IB students learn to recognize regional and national bias as they become more aware of its presence in their writing pieces.

When is the extended essay due for diploma candidates?

The extended essay, a 3,500 - 4000 word personal research project, is due in late November of Senior year.

Why do students take some of the IB courses over two years?

Students enrolled in certain IB courses need 240 hours (or two years) of instruction prior to sitting for the exam. This is similar to New York State’s requirement for Global History and Geography which currently requires two years of Global History prior to sitting for the NYS Regents examination in that subject in 10th grade.

In certain cases, the first year or the second year (or both) of the IB courses are co-seated with AP courses and students may sit for an AP exam (or two) as well as fulfilling the IB course requirements.

Can I take individual IB courses or do I have to study the whole Diploma?

You can take individual IB courses; however, the strength of the IB Diploma Programme is in the Diploma itself. Students who enroll in individual courses will receive an IB certificate noting the courses they took and the marks they earned. As with AP course completion and exam scores, students are able to earn college credit or advanced placement with successful IB course and exam completion.

When do IB students begin taking IB courses?

The IB Diploma Programme involves the final two years of secondary school; i.e., grades 11 and 12. These are the only years in which students are permitted to take Diploma Programme courses. However, to help prepare students for the two-year IB Diploma Programme, some schools enroll students in their locally developed “pre-IB” programmes for the high school years, leading up to the final two years. We do not currently offer this option to Clarkstown students.

How many IB exams are there and when do students take them?

The IB Organization (IB) offers curriculum and exams in more than 50 different courses for schools to choose from. Generally, students can only sit for exams in courses offered by their IB-authorized school, which is typically between 12-15 different courses.

A student pursuing the full IB Diploma will take six IB exams, including one literature course taught in the student’s native language, one foreign language, one social science, one experimental science, one math, and one arts course. The arts course can be replaced by a second social science, a second experimental science, or a third language. Of the six exams, three are taken at the standard level (after a minimum of 150 teaching hours or one year) and three are taken at the higher level (after a minimum of 240 teaching hours or two years).

IB students are expected to take their examinations at the conclusion of the two-year Diploma Programme. However, the IB permits students to take one or two standard level examinations at the end of the first year of the Diploma Programme. The remaining exams are taken at the conclusion of the second year of the Diploma Programme. Higher level exams can only be taken at the end of the second year.

Can I take an IB exam without taking the IB course in that subject?

No. Part of the student's final IB grade comes from work completed in the classroom. It is impossible to take an IB exam without having participated in the IB course in that subject.

Does the IB Diploma Programme satisfy state requirements?

Yes. Students who succeed in receiving the IB Diploma will also earn an Advanced Designation Regents diploma. Even if students do not satisfy all of the IB Diploma requirements, they will generally meet the school’s requirements for a Regents or Advanced Designation Regents diploma.

What if a student is interested in a science course not presently offered as a part of North's IB Programme? Would this student be better off taking AP classes instead?

Presently, CHSN only offers Standard Level IB science courses. These courses are taught during one year with final examinations taking place at the end of that year. A student can complete their IB science requirement in the 11th or 12th grade. A student can then opt to take an AP Science senior year, but the AP Science does not fulfill IB Diploma requirements.

How is the IB Diploma Programme different from other pre-university academic programs?

The IB Diploma Programme is a comprehensive, two-year curriculum and assessment system that requires students to study courses across all disciplines. Within this structured framework, the Diploma Programme provides a great deal of flexibility, accommodating student interest and abilities. All students explore the connections between the six major subject areas, study each subject through an international perspective, reflect critically on what it means to be a knower, pursue one subject in great detail through independent research, and have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills through local and community outreach.

Assessment of student achievement happens in a variety of ways throughout the course of the two-year programme. It includes assessment of student work both by outside examiners as well as the students’ own teachers. The assessment itself undergoes careful review and moderation to ensure that a common standard is applied equally to the work of all students across the country and internationally.

Is a lot of extra homework involved in the Diploma Programme?

IB courses are typically more challenging than regular high school courses and so students will be asked to do more homework. The challenge, however, is not always in the amount of homework assigned; rather, it is in the quality of the assignments and the extent to which students engage those assignments. The added benefit here is that students take greater responsibility for their own learning while they acquire the valuable skills of time management and organization.

Diploma students do not have to forego other important parts of high school life. In fact, students are required to be involved in a combination of activities including sports, student government, clubs, theater, music, community events, and other extra-curriculars which are incorporated into the Diploma Programme through the “CAS” (Creativity, Action, and Service) requirement.

The IB Diploma Programme sounds like a lot of extra work. What are the advantages of enrolling in an IB programme?

Students with IB Diplomas who now attend universities report that their involvement with IB has given them the tools needed to succeed at the university level and to make the most of their post-secondary education. In particular, students comment on their sense of preparedness, self-confidence, research skills, the ability to manage their time, and the willingness to be actively engaged in their own learning. Even more importantly, they have developed a sense of the world around them, their responsibility to it, and the skills with which to embrace the complexities of life. The IB often employs a variety of phrases to describe these traits and abilities: “learning how to learn”, “life-long learners”, “critical and compassionate thinkers”, and “informed participants in local and world affairs”.

How does the IB’s Diploma Programme compare with The College Board’s Advanced Placement Program?

Both programs provide students with rich and challenging curricula and both enjoy national college and university recognition. IB is additionally recognized by international colleges and universities.

To decide which program is right, students are encouraged to compare their own interests, abilities, and goals with the requirements of both programs. The AP and IB program coordinators at Clarkstown North will assist students in reaching their decision.

How can my child enroll in the IB programme?

Contact Ms. Andrea Miranda, the IB Diploma Programme Coordinator at CHSN, to schedule a meeting. Ms. Miranda is best reached by email: amiranda@ccsd.edu.

Can students with special needs participate in an IB programme?

Yes. The IB has established policies for accommodating students with special needs. A publication detailing these policies is available on the IB website (search for keywords ‘special assessment needs’). Parents who wish to request testing accommodations for their child should contact the IB coordinator in who will make an application to the IB on behalf of the student. Parents and students will be notified of all accommodations that the IB makes available to the student.

What do colleges and universities think about the Diploma Programme?

Colleges and universities throughout the country view the IB Diploma Programme as providing outstanding preparation for university work. Additionally, many of the most selective institutions have established policies that recognize the work IB students have completed and some also offer scholarships to IB graduates.

We encourage you to visit the University Recognition link on this website. There you will be able to research the IB recognition policies of post-secondary institutions throughout the world.

Will taking challenging courses improve students’ chances for scholarships and admission to universities?

Yes. At a time when increasing numbers of college and university applicants are presenting equally impressive GPAs or percentages, admissions officers must look for other evidence that the student will succeed in the challenges of the new academic environment. Admissions officers look for such factors as the quality of the courses represented on the transcript, the balance of courses across all disciplines, the record of the student’s research abilities, and the details of school and community involvement – all requirements of the IB Diploma Programme and AP course participation.