Frequently Asked Questions

What are the biggest differences between the IB Career Program and the IB Diploma Program?

A: The first and most obvious difference is the amount of IB coursework required to take part in the Diploma Program. Both programs have rigorous core requirements in addition to the coursework, but the DP requires that a student take a minimum of six classes while the CP requires a minimum of two. The Career Program is well suited to those students who are already interested in a particular career, and completion of a career pathway is a requirement of the CP. The Diploma Program (DP) is our most rigorous academic pathway for those students most interested in pursuing challenging post-secondary coursework in college and university and beyond. Both programs provide excellent preparation for college and careers, but one is more focused on careers and the other is more focused on advanced academics.

What is the IB Middle Years Program? Do I need to sign up for a class?

A: All freshmen and sophomores are participants in the IB Middle Years Program (MYP). Students who have been enrolled in City Schools of Decatur for a while were part of the IB Primary Years Program at the 4/5 Academy, and the MYP began at Renfroe. The MYP culminates sophomore more with the Personal Project. Students will receive guidance and feedback on their Personal Project during Advisement, a weekly half-hour period for which all students are automatically scheduled. You can learn more about the MYP at http://www.ibo.org/programmes/middle-years-programme/.

Why would I want to sign up for individual IB classes instead of doing a "program"?

A: Our offerings at DHS are designed to meet the individual needs of our students. Some students do not want or need the academic rigor of the Diploma Program, nor do they have a particular career focus at this time. Signing up for individual IB courses allows students to tailor their schedules to create an appropriately challenging academic program suited to their strengths. One limitation to signing up for individual courses is that not all IB courses are available at the Standard Level outside of a program (e.g., IB World History and IB Language and Literature must be taken at the HL level if not taken within a program).

I'm coming from Renfroe and took Spanish. Should I continue with Spanish or start a new language?

A: Maybe, maybe not. Starting a new language certainly gives you exposure to not just the language but also the culture surrounding it. If you have a passion for French, German, or Roman culture, changing to a new language might be tremendously rewarding. However, starting a new language means you might not graduate high school with as high a level of fluency. Additionally, IB Diploma candidates who do not continue with Spanish are locked into their world language being an SL exam (i.e. Spanish is an HL option), which might then mean you must take another subject at HL and/or prevent you from taking a different SL option.