International Baccalaureate

IB Handbook

IB Handout (This document includes a sample course progression for IB Diploma students and all AP/IB courses currently offered at Grimsley.

CAS Guide

Grimsley IB Academic Honesty Policy

Grimsley IB Assessment Policy

Grimsley IB Language Policy

Grimsley IB Special Needs Policy

Information about 2025-2026 tours will be available after school starts.

2015-2016 Will See the 20th Class of International Baccalaureate Diploma Recipients at GHS

by: Harry Bradley 

The 20^th class of students enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program at Grimsley Senior High School will earn their diplomas in the spring of 2016. It may be helpful to explain a bit about the International Baccalaureate program and give some details about its establishment at GHS.

The International Baccalaureate program (IB for short) originated in Geneva, Switzerland and was driven by a need to provide a consistent and rigorous academic curriculum for the children of foreign diplomats as they traveled from country to country. IB was formally established in 1968 and the first program in the United States was started in 1971. International Baccalaureate began as a comprehensive, two-year curriculum that awarded a diploma to successful candidates aged 16 through 19. Candidates had to complete required and elective classes in addition to passing exams in six different subjects: world literature, foreign language, social studies, mathematics, science, and the arts. Exams are graded by teachers all over the world, and the scores can be compared directly against the scores of thousands of other IB students in over 150 countries. Over the years, IB has been expanded to include a total of four programs for students aged three to 19: Primary-Years Program, Middle-Years Program, Diploma Program (which we have at GHS), and Careers-Related Program.

The First IB Class (1997), Courtesy of the Whirligig

Mr. Thomas J. Penland, principal from August 1993 to September 1996, spearheaded the effort to bring IB to GHS. Preliminary discussions about IB began almost immediately upon his arrival. This fact is not surprising as Mr. Penland had a great deal of exposure to IB during his 10 years of experience at an international school in Malaysia. The official application year was the 1994-1995, school year and Dr. Steven Kee was hired in September of 1994 as our first faculty IB Coordinator [administrator]. The application process involved a comprehensive and very detailed self-evaluation of all academic departments and facilities. The proposed curriculum was developed and defined. Specific materials such as books and equipment were all carefully listed, noting those that were on hand and those that were needed. Projected budgets for all needed items were developed as was a budget for operation of the entire IB program for the first few years. Budget information was shared with the Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Jerry Weast, and the Guilford County Board of Education. 

Another significant aspect of the application process involved observational visits to other high schools with IB programs already in place. Mr. Penland, along with other GHS administrators and numerous faculty members, visited no less than eight high schools, mostly in Virginia, but also some in North and South Carolina as well as in a few other states. Official IB Workshops were also attended by much of the faculty. 

By early 1995 all the hard work on the part of the faculty and administration paid off, and it was formally announced that Grimsley had been accepted for the IB program. "The International Baccalaureate (I.B.) program is the most prestigious [and] rigorous program available. It's the only internationally recognized academic program in the world. We can become not only one of the top school systems in North Carolina, but also in the nation and the world!" enthusiastically spoke Mr. Penland upon getting the news that Grimsley had been approved as one of the I.B. schools in the United States for the school year 1995-1996.  [1996 Whirligig, p. 277] Grimsley's program was the first in Guilford County and only the fourth in North Carolina.

The International Baccalaureate program has been an unqualified success at Grimsley. The growth of IB at GHS has been steady, increasing almost every year. During that first year, 10 juniors enrolled in the Diploma Course. [There were no seniors that first year as the program lasts for two years.] Grimsley's first IB class graduated in the spring of 1997 with seven students earning the IB diploma. Moving forward to the spring of 2015, the 19^th class, 55 students earned the IB diploma. Through 2015, a total of 492 GHS seniors have earned the IB diploma. In the fall of 2016, the 20^th class, the projection is that a record number of 82 diploma candidates will take their final exams. Individual IB courses are open to all students at GHS. As of the current school year, approximately 450 students are participating in at least one IB course, which is about 25% of the student body. It is also noteworthy that the diploma candidates in first 19 IB classes earned over $49 million in scholarship monies to apply toward continuing their education at the college of their choice.

To put our IB program into both a global and local perspective, consider these figures: As of August 2015, there are 4267 schools in over 150 countries around the world that offer at least one of the four IB Programs. 1676 of these schools are located in the United States and 62 of those are in North Carolina. To narrow the focus a bit more, 876 high schools within the United States offer the Diploma Program which we have at GHS. Thirty-two of those schools are in North Carolina and four of them are in the Guilford County Schools.

 

GHS IB Faculty Coordinators:

Dr. Steven Kee: 1994-2000

Ms. Ashly Newton Morrison: 2000-2005

Mr. Bud Harrelson: 2005-2007

Ms. Dibrelle Tourret:  2007-2011

Ms. Christina Adams Purgason: 2011-2015

Ms. Karyn Collie Dickerson: 2015-2019

Mr. Ben Barnard 2019 - present

 

First IB Graduating Class Snapshot

 

Graduation Year: 1997

Number of Diploma Candidates: 10

Number of Diploma Recipients: 7

Percentage of Diplomas Awarded: 70%

Scholarship Totals for IB Class of 1997: $828,000

Scholarship Totals for IB Diploma Recipients in the Class of 1997: $727, 000

Average Scholarship Monies Awarded to Each Diploma Candidate: $82,800

 

Most Recent Graduating Class

Grimsley High School IB Diploma Class of 2024 statistics
Number of candidates registered in the session:	224
Number of diploma and retake candidates registered in the session:	43
Number of subject entries in the session:	629
Number of candidates who passed the diploma:	35
Average points obtained by candidates who passed the diploma:	30
Highest diploma points awarded to a candidate:	40
Average grade obtained at the school by candidates who passed the diploma:	4.82
Scholarship Totals for IB Diploma Recipients in the Class of 2024	$1,541,500.00
Total number of candidates excluded from statistics:	0

 

 

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A Sample of Colleges and Universities Attended by Grimsley IB Students

 

Yale University, Brown University, Princeton University, Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, Oberlin College, Washington and Lee University, Rutgers University, University of Chicago, University of Virginia, Spelman College, Cornell University, Hampton University, Boston University, Xavier University, Tufts University, Bard College, University of California-Berkeley, University of Southern California, Boston College, New York University, Furman University, George Washington University, American University, Emory University, Savannah College of Art and Design, College of William and Mary, Vanderbilt University, Bowdoin University, Haverford College, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, UNC-Chapel Hill, UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Greensboro, UNC-Asheville, UNC-Charlotte, NC State, Elon University, Davidson University, Wake Forest University, Campbell University, Meredith College, High Point University, Appalachian State University, East Carolina University

 

A Sample of Prestigious Scholarships Awarded to Grimsley IB Students

Morehead Scholarship, Benjamin N. Duke Scholarship, Duke Trinity Scholarship, Robertson Scholarship, Jefferson Scholarship, Park Scholarship, Rhodes Scholarship, Various Presidential and Honors Scholarships

 

University Acceptance Rates: The Impact of IB

	All Applicants	All IB Applicants	IB Diploma Applicants	IB Certificate Applicants
Brown University	17%	20.8%	21.6%	14.3%
Carlton College	34.9%	84.8%	88.6%	72.7%
Colorado College	51%	92.7%	94.9%	50%
Columbia University	12%	18.3%	18.5%	16.7%
Cornell University	28.5%	49.1%	51.0%	36.4%
Dartmouth College	20.7%	35.1%	33.3%	50.0%
Duke University	22.5%	36.0%	38.7%	15.4%
Emory University	42%	82.1%	82.7%	75%
Harvard University	11%	14.4%	14.8%	11.5%
Howard University	56.1%	93.3%	95.2%	88.9%
Johns Hopkins University	35%	66.3%	68.8%	44.4%
Macalester College	44%	78.0%	72.7%	100%
MIT	16.9%	25.2%	26.2%	11.1%
Mount Holyoke College	51.7%	96%	95%	100%
New York University	25.5%	50.5%	51.8%	45.7%
Princeton University	11.0%	13.1%	13.8%	6.7%
Stanford University	12.6%	16.9%	18.3%	8.3%
Tufts University	26.6%	49.4%	52.6%	14.3%
US Air Force Academy	12.1%	61.5%	68.4%	42.9%
US Naval Academy	11.7%	42.9%	45.0%	0%
Univ of Cal- Berkeley	24%	47.6%	53%	33.1%
Univ of Cal- UCLA	24%	40.7%	47.1%	27.3%
Univ of Cal- San Diego	48%	58.6%	62.7%	51.1%
University of Chicago	41.6%	60.2%	59.1%	80%
Univ. of Colorado Boulder	80%	97.6%	97.9%	95.8%
Univ of Michigan	49%	73.4%	72.7%	74.1%
Univ of Pennsylvania	21%	26.6%	24.7%	42.1%
Univ. of Southern Cal.	30.3%	70.8%	72.2%	68.0%
Univ. of Virginia	38.1%	63.3%	70.3%	47.3%
Vanderbilt University	37.3%	70.3%	73.1%	58.3%
Villanova University	14.5%	88.5%	9.5%	85.7%
Washington University	23.5%	68.5%	66.7%	80.0%
Wellesley College	47%	71.4%	83.3%	0%
Wesleyan University	28%	54.8%	53.6%	66.7%
Yale University	13%	19.5%	18.9%	25%

 

 

What are the advantages of enrolling in the IB Programme?

The IB Programme is an internationally recognized program of study.  IB students develop a broader view of the world, become strong time managers, hone their problem-solving skills, develop their research skills, and have the opportunity to earn college credit. IB students typically are very successful at the university level, and university admissions officers value the rigors of the IB Programme.

Do students have a life?

Although time devoted to studying is an important part of the IB Programme, the CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) requirements ensure that students live balanced lives where they express themselves creatively, engage in exercise that promotes a healthy lifestyle, and give back to their communities.  Due to these requirements, IB students are often some of the most active students on our campus.

What scores must a student earn to attain an IB Diploma?

The general guidelines indicate that a student must earn a total of 24 points on their six IB examinations.  Additional points are gained through the Extended Essay score and the Theory of Knowledge score.  A score of 4 is considered passing on an IB examination.

Below are the specific guidelines from IB:

-All assessment components for each of the six subjects and the additional IB diploma requirements must be completed in order to qualify for the award of the IB diploma.

-If a diploma candidate is awarded a grade E for TOK or a grade E for the extended essay, it is a failing condition, and the student cannot earn the diploma, regardless of total points earned.

 

The IB Diploma will be awarded to a candidate provided all the following requirements have been met. 

a. CAS requirements have been met.

b. The candidate's total points are 24 or more.

c. There is no N awarded for theory of knowledge, the extended essay or for a contributing subject.

d. There is no grade E awarded for theory of knowledge and/or the extended essay.

e. There is no grade 1 awarded in a subject/level.

f. There are no more than two grade 2s awarded (HL or SL).

g. There are no more than three grade 3s or below awarded (HL or SL).

h. The candidate has gained 12 points or more on HL subjects (for candidates who register for four HL subjects, the three highest grades count).

i. The candidate has gained 9 points or more on SL subjects (candidates who register for two SL subjects must gain at least 5 points at SL).

j. The candidate has not received a penalty for academic misconduct from the Final Award Committee.

Note the for students considering a retake for the diploma: A maximum of three examination sessions is allowed in which to satisfy the requirements for the award of the IB Diploma. The examination sessions need not be consecutive.

How is the diploma core (TOK, CAS, and EE) assessed and part of the diploma?

The theory of knowledge (TOK) and extended essay (EE) components are awarded individual grades and, collectively, can contribute up to 3 additional points towards the overall Diploma score.  Creativity, Action, Service, the remaining element in the DP core, does not contribute to the points total but authenticated participation is a requirement for the award of the diploma.

Will universities accept IB classes for credit?

Beginning in 2020-21, IB students attending UNC System universities will automatically receive credit for IB Higher Level examinations with a score of 4 or higher and IB Standard Level examinations with a score of 5 or higher. As a result of this decision, IB Diploma students will have increased flexibility and expanded opportunities for their university studies.

What is the profile of a successful IB student?

In addition to being hardworking, self-motivated, and intellectually curious, a successful IB student should also be interested in studying a breadth of topics and examining global issues. All IB students and teachers work to align their practices with the IB learner profile, which is located here.

What is the difference between AP and IB?

IB is a program of study that includes the core of IB--the extended essay (a 4000 word independent research project), CAS (creativity, activity, and service hours), and completion of a course entitled Theory of Knowledge (TOK).  If a student is interested in studying a range of topics in-depth, then IB is a good option for them.

Additionally, IB scores extend over the length of the course and include projects, presentations, one-on-one oral commentaries with the teacher, and out-of-class essays in addition to the final IB exam, an open-ended, essay-based exam.

AP scores are based on the final exam, which consists of multiple choice questions and open-ended questions/essays.

How will I receive my scores?

Along with their final report card, students will receive a printed copy of their personal code, PIN, and the date and time that scores will be available online.  It is very important that students put this document in a safe place so they can access their scores when they are available.

How will I report my scores to universities?

IB does not report scores to universities until all scores are available to candidates the summer after their senior year.  They will also report the diploma status at this time.  During exams in May, students will complete a form indicating where their scores need to be reported.  At this time in the year, students will know where they will be attending college, and scores will be sent to determine college credit.  IB does not send scores to students until after the senior exam session.  The coordinator cannot provide scores to schools because the scores are not viewed as "official" unless they come directly from the IB Programme.

Is it true that you don't get credit for IB courses?  What about quality points?

This is a common misconception spread by some misinformation.  While some universities do not award credit for IB SL courses, they all award credit for IB HL courses.  Think of this as the same thing as a university only giving credit for a 5 (a perfect score) on an AP exam.  Some schools maintain higher criteria for awarding credit, so they may choose to only award credit for a certain type of course or a particular final score.  In order to help our students earn as much college credit as possible, we have them take the AP and IB exam for certain courses (ex: IB History of the Americas students also sit for the AP US History exam and IB Psychology SL students also sit for the AP Psychology exam).  Our IB students typically take a minimum of 5-6 courses that can earn them college credit during their four years of high school.  Some take as many as 12 or more.  We work with students and their families to help them find the balance that is right for them.  Additionally, some courses like our World Language courses tend to provide more credit for IB SL courses. 

AP and IB courses receive the same number of quality points.  Both courses earn students an extra quality point, thus making their GPA out of a 5.0 instead of a 4.0.

How do I send my IB transcript if I graduated several years ago?

You will have to contact IB directly through a form to order additional transcripts. Information about the process can be found here.

How will the scores for any AP course I take be sent to universities?

Each year you take AP Exams you receive one free score reported by designating a college, university, or scholarship program on your first/pre-registration AP answer sheet. The institution you pick receives your official score report, containing scores from every AP Exam you have ever taken, unless you have requested that one or more scores be withheld or canceled.  If you wish to send scores to additional colleges, each report costs $15. Reports with rush processing cost $25 each.  More information about AP exam reporting can be found here.

For additional information, please view the Grimsley IB Handbook.

Press Release: IB Exam Credit UNC System Universities

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Can I Get Credit for That?

AP and IB Credit Policies for Schools Frequently Attended by Grimsley Graduates   NC State- https://admissions.ncsu.edu/apply/credit-opportunities/ Appalachian- http://testing.appstate.edu/index.php?module=pagesmith&uop=view_page&id=27 UNC-Chapel Hill- http://admissions.unc.edu/credit/credit/test-and-placement-credit/ East Carolina University- http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/admissions/placement.cfm Duke- http://admissions.duke.edu/application/overview#credit-and-placement

IB Command Terms

International Baccalaureate Website

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