The IB Diploma Program has a 50+ year record of preparing students for success in college and beyond. Rather than assuming that all students are ready for college-level work when they begin 11th grade, IB recognizes that secondary students are always in the process of becoming their best selves, developing thinking, research, organizational, self-management, and communication skills throughout high school that will help them be confident, effective learners when they move on to post-secondary study. 

IB research has shown the power of an IB DP education. DP students who take four or more IB DP Classes are better able than their peers to cope with demanding workloads, manage their time and meet the expectations placed on them, according to one study 

Analysis of DP students in Canada, the UK and the USA found that the DP’s extended essay improves students’ approach to learning in higher education

Another study that examined outcomes in the Chicago public schools concluded that DP graduates were significantly more likely to enroll in college, to enroll in selective colleges, to stay enrolled, and to perform better than similar non-DP graduates. These outcomes have been further validated by additional research showing that both full IB Diploma students and other students taking IB DP courses are more likely to enroll in post-secondary study, more likely to stay enrolled, and more likely to graduate from college in four years

These larger research studies of IB DP outcomes are mirrored in the experiences of our DP graduates from Central. Students who take part in our DP cohort programs almost always report that they were prepared well for success when they arrived at college. Some quotes from recent full IB Diploma graduates: 

"One thing that I think was really helpful [when I got to college] was being asked to draw connections across disciplines, including things in TOK where you're asked not just to think about each discipline separately but also about how they fit together; that was really important. I think the thing about the Extended Essay that prepared me especially well for college was coming up with a unique approach to a question, investigating it really deeply, and spending a long time on the same paper. That prepared me for the writing that I did in college where you had to write a first draft and then go through a revision process and find sources and come up with your own ideas, and do all of those and just sit with the same paper for awhile. That's an underrated skill. And that's what you're asked to do most of the time when you want to write a good paper." [Lisa, Carleton College class of 2018]

"As an International Baccalaureate Diploma Program alumnus, I was able to enter my undergraduate college career fully equipped for academic success in both my coursework and research at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Not only did the rigor of the IB program make for a seamless transition into the required coursework of my degrees in Entomology and Biochemistry, but my extended essay planted the seed that led to my current research and, likely, my career trajectory." [Michael, Univ of Wisconsin class of 2023]

"I remember that when you were telling us in sophomore year that the IB diploma program would prepare us for writing in college, and I scoffed at this because I thought, why would I write like I will for college if I am in high school? You continued to say that these things were preparing us, in TOK and when I was your TA. Anyways, you were right. I keep thinking, 'wow why are people around me struggling so much to crank out a paper, this isn't very much writing?' And then I realize it's because of IB! :) I am super grateful that I know how to write like two academic papers per week and only get a little overwhelmed. Haha. It really did prepare me for college!" [Amelia, Univ of Minnesota class of 2025]

"Doing IB shaped both how I think about academics and the world around me as well as my high school experience in general. I ended up genuinely enjoying my last two years of high school, which is something that most people cannot truthfully say. My TOK class was probably the most interesting class I took in high school, even online. We were encouraged to push our thinking to a new level, make connections between disciplines that I had never noticed, and interact with each other through discussion. Though the class made me stretch a lot intellectually, I never felt stressed or like I was in over my head. The teacher did a great job of making sure that we were learning the material while still making the class a very welcoming, fun environment, which made all the difference to me." [Lily, Carleton College class of 2025]

"The IB program prepared me to take college level classes and succeed in them. Though the transition from high school to college can be bumpy, I was ready to tackle problem sets, papers, and presentations in college. In particular, the extended essay was great practice for the many research papers I’ve written over the last four years and made tackling these bigger projects much easier. I would recommend the IB program to any student who wants to go to college. I know it can seem intimidating, but in reality, it’s very doable and worth it!" [Astrid, Carleton College class of 2024]

"I loved being a part of the IB community. I was able to work with a cohort of my peers in all of my classes and have meaningful conversations that spanned academic topics. By far, my English classes prepared me the most for university. I learned how to write creatively and how to think analytically about an author’s intentions and my own interpretations within a single text." [Talia, Univ of Arizona class of 2025]