• Commonly Used Terms in the IBO World
     
    IB – the abbreviation for International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. This program is a rigorous two year liberal arts curriculum for 11th and 12thgraders

    Pre-IB – course work taken in grades 9-10 that will prepare students for the Diploma Program. These courses are not sanctioned by IB and are not mandatory for admission to the Diploma program. They meet NYS requirements and satisfy all graduation requirements.

    IBO – abbreviation for International Baccalaureate Organization which is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

    Advanced Placement and IB – AP is a nationwide program administered by the College Board. This program allows the student the potential of receiving credit for a college level course pursued in high school. Colleges and universities have individual policies to convert the scores to college credit. AP classes offer study in a single subject area. The Educational Testing Service in New Jersey scores the exams. Many of our IB students will take several AP exams.

    Anticipated Candidate – a student who is in the first year of the Diploma program.

    Diploma Candidate – a student who is in the second year of the Diploma program.

    Diploma – students will earn a full IB diploma by completing the course requirements and meeting the score requirements on exams in the six subject groups as well as completing the TOK course, extended essay and CAS requirements. Wilson diploma winners qualify for the full tuition scholarship at the University of Rochester provided they are accepted.

    Certificate Candidate – a student who has registered for one or more IB classes but does not meet all IB Diploma requirements. This student can receive college credit for scoring well in the IB course(s).

    Groups 1-6 – The six groups refer to the areas of instruction that all Diploma students must study to complete a liberal arts based curriculum. Many times the six groups are referred to as the IB hexagon.

    SL (Standard Level) – refers to an IB class with a minimum of 150 classroom hours of instruction. In North America, this translates into one or two academic years of instruction. Students will study three of the six groups at the SL level

    HL (Higher Level) – refers to an IB class with a minimum of 240 classroom hours of instruction. In North America, this translates into two academic years of instruction: Students will study three of the six groups at the HL level.

    EE (Extended Essay) – minimum 4,000 word piece of scholarly work submitted the senior year. A teacher advisor is selected/ requested by the candidate during the junior year.

    Testing Costs – There is no charge for taking IB classes; however, there is a cost for each exam. The IB exam costs are comparable to AP. The Rochester City School District will cover the IB exam costs for all diploma candidates.

    TOK (Theory of Knowledge) – a seminar class which explores the relationship among the various disciplines and ensures that students engage in critical reflection and analysis of the knowledge acquired with and beyond the classroom. Successful completion of this seminar is a requirement of the Diploma program.

    CAS (Creativity/Action/Service) – a minimum of 150 hours of extracurricular activities that are creative and action and service oriented. Students will keep a journal of their activities and reflect on their experiences as a requirement for the Diploma program.

    Internal Assessment – the portion of a candidate’s grade that is assessed /determined by the classroom teacher. Usually accounts for 20%-25% of overall grade. Internal assessments may be moderated by IB.

    External Assessment – the portion of a candidate’s grade that is determined by an out of school moderator. This portion of a candidate’s grade usually is between 75-80%.

    EE advisor – A teacher who will guide students with the content of the Extended Essay.

    Graduation – Students enrolled in IB meet all local and state graduation requirements.