Our Programs

IB FAQs

 
 
For more background information about the IB, visit the IBO website at www.ibo.org; for more information about the IB program at Wilmington Friends, please contact the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid, 302.576.2930, or admissions@wilmingtonfriends.org.
 
Q: How do colleges and universities view the International Baccalaureate (IB) program?
 
The IB diploma is internationally recognized as representing one of the highest standards - indeed, it is often recognized as the highest standard - in college preparatory education. IB is consistently weighted in college admissions and in the awarding of college credit for course work. More than 1,000 colleges and universities in North America have written policies on how they weigh IB. In most cases we have encountered, the Diploma is weighted heavily in admissions, and credit is awarded based on individual IB scores in each academic area. So students not pursuing the full Diploma are able to earn credit for individual courses.
 
Among the colleges and universities in the United States—there are many more around the world—that have policies granting credit for IB course work:
         
Amherst College
Bowdoin College
Brown University
Bryn Mawr College
California Institute of Technology
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Dickinson College
Earlham College
Emory College
Georgetown University
Gettysburg College
Goucher College
Harvard University
Haverford College
James Madison University
The Juilliard School
  Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ohio State University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Pomona College
Pepperdine University
Princeton University
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Rice University
School of the Arts Institute of Chicago
Stanford University
University of California-Berkeley
University of Chicago
University of Delaware
University of Michigan
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
University of Pennsylvania
University of Virginia
Vanderbilt University
Yale University
     
 
 
Q: What is the philosophy of the IB? What are the goals for participating students?
A principal reason for Wilmington Friends becoming an IB school, and going through the rigorous authorization process so smoothly, is that the philosophy of IB aligns very well with the philosophy of the school. Description of the IB philosophy and program (from www.ibo.org):

The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IB learners strive to be:
  • Inquirers
  • Knowledgeable
  • Thinkers
  • Communicators
  • Principled
  • Open-minded
  • Caring
  • Risk-takers
  • Balanced
  • Reflective
Click to read the full IB "Learner Profile."
 
Q: Is the IB right for me (the student)/my child?
The IB's academic expectations are within the grasp of the majority of students at Wilmington Friends School. The program is designed, as the IBO states, for students who are "highly motivated," and probably the most important consideration is whether an individual student demonstrates and operates at a high level of motivation and organization. The student's priorities are an important consideration. For example, some of our three-sport athletes or students with major commitments outside of school choose not to do the full Diploma; others in the same situation choose the Diploma program and strike the balance without worry.

Q: Do all students at Friends receive the IB diploma?
No. Many students, including some who are extremely capable, choose not to pursue the IB diploma, although they may choose to enroll in individual IB courses.

Q: How are students selected to take IB courses?
Any student may enroll in an individual IB course. To participate in the IB Diploma Programme, a student must go through an application process that involves his or her advisor, the grade-level team, parents, and the WFS IB coordinator.
 
For more information about the IB at Wilmington Friends, please contact Assistant Head of School for Academics Eddie Gallagher. For more background information about the IB in general, please visit the IBO website at www.ibo.org.
   
   
101 School Road, Wilmington, DE 19803
302.576.2900   |   info@wilmingtonfriends.org

Statement of Nondiscrimination as to Student Enrollment
Wilmington Friends School admits students of any race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students of these schools. Wilmington Friends School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, national and ethnic origin in administration of their educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school administered programs.