If My Student Enters IB, Will They Be Able to Have a Well-Rounded High School Experience?

If my student enters IB, will they be able to have a well-rounded high school experience?

In short, the answer is a resounding YES! In addition to being involved with family, community, and church activities, many IB students at SFHS hold after school jobs. Most are involved in extracurricular activities including academics, arts, and athletics. Over the past seven years, IB students have participated in the following:

Academic Bowl Anime Club

Beta Club Band

Dance Debate

Drama Equestrian Club

Future Business Leaders Fellowship of Christian of America Athletes

First Vote French National Honor

Gamers Club Society

Habitat for Humanity Improv. Troup

German Club Key Club

Latin National Honor Literary Club

Society Math Team

Mock Trial Mu Alpha Theta

National Art Honor Honor Society

Society National Honor Society

S. A. D. D. Science Olympiad

Spanish National Honor Student Government Society

Thespian Society

Football Cross Country

Wrestling Track

Soccer Volleyball

Basketball Lacrosse

Golf Swimming

Hockey Baseball

Regardless of what you may have heard, IB students do more than just study!

What is the IB Diploma, and does it really matter?

The IB Diploma is recognized by over 850 colleges & universities in the United States and Canada. Most major colleges & universities have admissions policies that cover 95% of the students earning the IB Diploma. The Board of Regents for the State of Georgia established IB Credit Policies in 2008.

The IB curriculum is internationally recognized for its rigor and quality. One of the major components used in the college admissions process is the rigor/quality of the academic program of study. The SFHS IB Diploma Program is one of the most rigorous and challenging academic programs offered at South Forsyth High School. South Forsyth High School is one of only twenty-six schools in the State of Georgia to offer the IB Diploma.

Research shows that academic rigor increases student performance on standardized tests including the PSAT, SAT and ACT—tests used to determine student qualifications for college admissions.

What is the course sequence for students seeking the IB Diploma?

Here is an example of what an IB student would take during the diploma program:

Junior Year:

IB History of the Americas HL

IB English HL

French 4, Spanish 4, German 3, or Latin 3

IB Biology SL or IB Physics

IB Math Studies SL

2 Electives

Junior Year Exams: IB Biology and IB Math Studies

Senior Year:

IB 20th Century History

IB English HL

IB French HL, IB Spanish HL, IB German HL or IB Latin SL

Theory of Knowledge

IB 6th Subject Elective

US Government and Economics

1 Elective

Senior Year Exams: English, Foreign Language,

History, 6th Subject

South Forsyth High School

International Baccalaureate Diploma Program

What is the IB Diploma Program and Is It For Me?

South Forsyth High School

585 Peachtree Parkway

Cumming, GA 30041

Dr. Jason Branch, Principal

Mrs. Brandi Cannizzaro, IB Coordinator

Phone: 770.781.2264 x100448 Fax: 770.888.1224

E-mail:

What is the IB Diploma Program?

What do IB students at South Forsyth High School study?

IB Diploma Program students study six subjects in five areas during their 11th & 12th grade years:

v  Literature and Composition

v  Foreign Language—French, Spanish, German, or Latin

v  Mathematics—Math Studies SL or Mathematics HL

v  Experimental Sciences—Biology or Physics

v  Humanities—History of the Americas

v  Arts/Electives—Visual Arts, Psychology or Music

In addition, students take an interdisciplinary course call Theory of Knowledge during their senior year, which challenges the students to question their basis of knowledge and understand “how they know what they know”

IB students complete a program called Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) which involves participation in community service, and for example, theater production and sports. Students are expected to document 150 CAS hours during their 11th & 12th grade years.

Finally, IB students are required to write an Extended Essay of up to 4,000 words. This is an independent research project mentored by SFHS teachers that is meant to acquaint students with the kind of independent research and writing skills expected of them at the university level.

What does my student need to do in order to enter the IB Diploma Program?

Although teacher recommendations are an important part of the registration process, the final decision is the student’s with guidance from parents. No student who has taken the prerequisite courses and wants to be in the IB Program will be denied admission to the IB Program by South Forsyth High School. *Students planning to join the IB program in 11th grade may attend SFHS as an out-of-district student beginning in 9th grade..

The IB Diploma Program at South Forsyth High School begins in the 11th grade. Students planning to enter the program are strongly encouraged to pursue Honors or AP classes in the 9th and 10th grades. Students also have the option of taking AP courses during 11th and 12th grade, where available.

Prospective IB students must have successfully completed the following:

v  Level IV of French or Spanish or Level III of Latin or German by the end of 11th grade.

v  Students complete Accelerated Math I, II, and III or Math I, II, III, and IV prior to taking IB Math Studies.

v  Students interested in taking AP Calculus should complete Accelerated Math I, II, and III by the end of 10th grade. Students would take IB Mathematics HL in 12th grade.

Is there a cost for the IB program?

Yes. Unless there is a demonstrated financial need, students are expected to pay the costs of their own exams & assessments. For the class of 2009, the total cost for 6 subject area exams, the Extended Essay, and the Theory of Knowledge research paper is $635. Forsyth County Schools currently pays and will continue to pay for all administrative, curricular, and instructional costs related to the IB Program.

SFHS IB Class of 2008

Average SAT Score:1316

Critical Reading:649 Math:667

Average ACT Composite Score:29

Average Overall GPA:3.995

Top 10% of Class: 32 IB Diploma Candidates

Colleges and Universities attended by IB Graduates 2002-2008

Amherst College

Auburn University

Baylor University

Berry College

Boston College

Brigham Young University

Clemson University

College of Charleston

College of William and Mary

Converse College

Davidson College

Duke University

Elon College

Emory University

Flagler College

Florida State University

Franciscan University

Furman University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia State College & University

Georgia Perimeter College

Georgia Southern University

Georgia State University

Harding University

Iowa State University

Loyola University-Chicago

Kennesaw State University

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Mercer University

New York University

North Carolina State University

Oglethorpe University

Ohio State University

Oxford College of Emory University

Presbyterian College

Randolph-Macon College

Rhodes College

Savannah College of Art and Design

Spring Hill College

Tulane University

University of Alabama-Birmingham

University of Georgia

University of Illinois

University of Miami

University of Mississippi

University of North Carolina – Wilmington

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill

University of Notre Dame

University of Rhode Island

University of South Carolina

University of the South

Valdosta State University

Vanderbilt University

Warren Wilson College

Washington and Lee University

Wofford College