International Baccalaureate

Widely recognized as the most challenging and respected pre-university course of study anywhere in the world, the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program helps students develop the cognitive tools needed for success in an increasingly interconnected, global world.

Every 11th and 12th grade student at St. Paul’s take IB courses that provide an appropriate level of academic challenge, with more than half electing to pursue the IB diploma.

The IB Program teaches students to learn the same way they will be taught in college: with a focus on critical thinking instead of memorization; with assessments that go beyond standardized testing to develop students’ ability to write, communicate orally, and conduct research. 

Central to the design of our junior and senior IB program is student choice. Students can opt to take individual IB courses as part of their total course load, or students can choose to be part of the full Diploma Program, where all of their courses are IB.

For more information about the International Baccalaureate Program, feel free to check out the program's own website by clicking the button below.

INternational Baccalaureate Program Website

 

IB alumni earn Fulbright Scholarships

In the three years since St. Paul’s first class of IB students graduated from college in 2011, four of the School’s alumni have been awarded highly prestigious Fulbright Scholarships. Fulbright Scholarships are the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange program, providing one year of study at a university abroad for scholars based on academic merit and leadership potential. They are:

  • Will Krieger ’07, Wesleyan University ’11, Germany;
  • John McCartin ’07, Vassar College ’11, Scotland;
  • Mike Moss ’07, Williams College ’11, Germany;
  • Nate Shane ’09, Wesleyan University, Georgia.

 

The St. Paul’s IB Program Structure

Generally, IB courses are two years in length, running for both junior and senior years. In each course, students take multiple creative IB assessments and receive a score from IB (on a scale of 1-7) in addition to their regular St. Paul’s grades. Our IB courses, arranged in six categories, are: