FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is The IB Program Only For “Gifted” Students?

Although it certainly helps to be “bright,” anybody can join the IB program.  Many students who successfully complete the program come from “gifted” programs at their middle schools, however successful completion of the program is not always connected to students coming from “gifted” programs.  Quick learners may have an easier transition into high school and the IB program, but the most important factor is the students willingness to work hard. The four most important factors leading to success in the IB program are: attending class, asking teachers questions and for clarification about material presented, completing homework and actually turning in the homework on time. 

2. Can I Fit This All into My Schedule?  (I want to do choir, seminary, and soccer.)  

Fitting in “everything” can be difficult, however with some forethought and planning, many IB students successfully participate in athletics, music/drama, Granite Technical Institute classes and LDS seminary.  There are often a few students who are able to “do it all,” but it takes planning and flexibility. Often, by a students junior year, they are able to prioritize. This is a life skill that takes practice, discussions and an open mind.  Taking online classes in the summer to complete some graduation requirements and/or taking early morning seminary for some students may be necessary for students wanting to be involved in multiple academic programs. The IB faculty at Skyline does an amazing job at making schedules work in a way that students can pursue their interests.

3. How Hard Will I Expect to Work?

Students who participate in the IB program can expect to work hard.  This is a college preparatory program. How hard a student works varies a great deal depending on (1) the classes you take and (2) previous exposure to challenging classes and (3) how efficient students are with tackling homework.  Students who ask questions and do not leave a the school at the end of the day unless they have resolved any unanswered questions about a lecture or topic will be much more efficient understanding and grasping new concepts.  On average, students report 15 hours/week as sophomores, 20 hours/week as juniors, and 15 hours/week as seniors.  

4. Do IB Students Have a Social Life?

Yes.  IB students carry on vigorous social lives.  They make friends both inside and outside the program.  They date and “hang” with friends just like all other teenagers.  Most successful students learn how to budget their time early on in the program. Reviewing material from class is the best way to stay on top of the subject matter from class.  

5. Will this Program Get Me Into an Ivy League Type of School like Harvard or CalTech?

This is a very common question that students and parents ask when contemplating their participation in the IB Program.  You should know that these types of schools have acceptance rates between 6-12%. Acceptance into highly selective schools is incredibly competitive. Colleges are looking for students who are prepared, understand rigor in course work and are able to find solutions to problems they encounter. Selective universities understand the demands and criteria required to earn an IB Diploma.   

6. Where Do IB Students Go to College?

The largest group of IB students from Skyline goes to the University of Utah.  Almost 1/2 of the IB diploma graduates matriculate there every year. Then a small number go to other schools in state.  BYU and Westminster are the next two most common destinations, but far behind the U. About 1/3 of our diploma graduates matriculate at competitive, out-of-state colleges.  The class of 2011 (for instance) had students matriculate at Princeton, NYU, Harvard, U Penn, Yale, MIT, U Chicago, U Cal Berkeley and several great Tier 2 schools (top 50 but not top 20).  You can find more information here.

7. What Percentage of Students Finish the Program?

About 60% of the students who begin the program as freshmen will finish as seniors with the full diploma.  Many students who do not complete the “whole” program will take some IB classes certificates. Our retention rate has improved significantly as  students, parents and faculty come to understand how to be successful in the program. 

8. How Much Does the Program Cost?

Freshman Pre-IB students have a $50 annual fee and Sophomore (Pre-IB). Junior and Senior IB Diploma students have a $100 annual fee.  Students can expect to pay about $850 in testing fees their junior and/or senior year. 

9. What is the Ethnic/Religious Makeup of the IB Cohort?

We are proud to have a diverse IB program here at Skyline.  About 60% of the students are white, about 30% Asian, and about 10% Hispanic/Black/Polynesian.  

10. What is the Connection Between the IB grade(s) and the Class Grade(s)?

For each IB class, you will receive an “in-class” grade just as you would any high school class.  A, B, C, D, or F for each quarter. But at the end of each course (one or two years) IB will give you a grade of 1-7.  These grades are mostly disconnected from the in-class grades. However, IB teachers usually tack a significant portion of your in-class grade to work that will be submitted to IB.  There is some connection between the two. 

11. What are the Prerequisites for Entering the Skyline IB Program?  

Skyline IB is a self selective program. The only entrance requirements are an interview and writing a short essay.  It is recognized that students come to Skyline with diverse exposure to academics in their middle schools. We recommend that students have had taken some Honors classes in middle school and that their grades reflect an interest and motivation to learn.  Students that haven’t taken any challenging classes in middle school need to be aware that the level of work and the teacher expectations of learning is much higher than most middle school experiences. Students need to know the difference between saying, “I’m going to do 20 hours of homework a week,” versus actually committing to do it. Starting a second language in 7th or 8th grade is advised for students taking French or Spanish. Students may begin with Mandarin as a Freshman if they do not have the language background or are not interested in taking an online language class prior to their Freshman year. 

12. What is the difference between AP and IB?

Several things: (1) AP is compartmentalized into individual classes; the IB diploma goes for the “whole student” approach.  (2) AP stresses memorization of facts; IB goes for analysis. (3) AP covers the material broadly, but shallowly; IB goes narrow, but deep.  To be fair, AP is not only about regurgitation, and IB certainly requires a fair amount of regurgitation.  But teachers that have taught both report these differences.

13. Do Student be Taking any AP Courses as Part of the IB Program? 

Students typically take as few as 3, and as many as 8, AP courses as they pass through the IB program.  Several of our IB classes are co-seated with AP (AP and IB in the same classroom). These include AP Biology with IB Biology HL1, AP Calculus BC with IB Math HL1 and AP European History with IB European History HL1, among several others.  In addition, most of our IB students also take AP US History and AP Government, among others. Taking these exams offers the student additional opportunity to “show off” to colleges and to earn more college credit. This “double-dipping” is one reason why we have several students matriculate at colleges that award them the equivalent of two years of college credit upon entrance.  

14. What is the Agenda of the International Baccalaureate Organization?

We don’t get this question too often, thank goodness.  But there some who believe that the IB program is part of some vast international conspiracy.  I’ve worked with IB for over 10 years now, and have yet to see any evidence of such a conspiracy to convert the world into a socialist, atheist utopia.  IB wants to generate fantastically well-educated, self-aware, well-rounded young people.  

Beyond that, IB does specifically want to make the world a more peaceful, charitable place.   If promoting a less-violent world and ideas like universal brotherhood is a subversive conspiracy, then IB is guilty of the worst kind of conspiracy (and we happily promote that conspiracy).   Please visit ibo.org for more information.  

15. What if I’m Already Done with a Language Level Three (or more)? 

For students that have grown up speaking a native language other than English, IB has several options for you.  We’ve had several students test at a language level much higher than the “B” level outlined above. Many students in this situation choose a language as their sixth IB class. 

16. What is the daily schedule at Skyline?

Classes begin at 7:30 AM and release at 2:10 PM.  Skyline is on a standard A/B block, where students take four classes each day (periods 1A-4A then periods 1B-4B).  Thus, the students take eight classes total. 

17. What is this Theory of Knowledge Class?

TOK is a class that encourages students to explore basic questions of epistemology.  That is, “How do you come to know anything and how sure are you of that knowledge?” We explore the four “ways of knowing” which are: emotion, reason, perception and language.  Then we look at how we come to know things like the theory of gravity and the morality of murder through those four lenses. 

18. What is the Extended Essay?

The EE is the 3500-word research paper which students being the second half of their junior year and finished in the first half of the senior year.  Students may choose virtually any topic. Great papers I’ve had in the past include, “PTEN Tumor Suppression Gene and Prostate Cancer,” “Theories of Childhood Suggestibility,” and “Vampire Archetypes in 1900 and 2000; A Reflection of the Changing Hero Archetype.”

19. What’s In It For Me?

1. A fabulous college preparation.  2. Development of a set of academic and life skills, and the self-awareness to use the skills appropriately.  3. An awareness of the world and your place in it. 4. College Credits at some Universities (The University of Utah awards 30 credits to students who earn an IB Diploma).  5. Solid preparations for students who enroll in rigorous selective schools. 6. Recognition on the Common Application 6. Great friends. 

20. What are the Typical Class Sizes in IB?

IB Classes tend to be smaller than the average Skyline HS class.  It varies a great deal, but the IB classes tend to be in the upper 20s, while the “regular track” classes are usually in the lower 30s.  This may change as the program grows.

21. What is the Pass Rate for the IB Diploma?

We are proud to have a ~90% pass rate for those sitting for the IB diploma.  Nine in ten students that finish all the course work and sit for the exams earn the diploma.  That is much higher than the world or US average, especially for a public school. We have significantly higher-than-average course scores as well.