The International School Nido de Aguilas

International Baccalaureate

 

 

The IB Diploma Program is a rigorous two-year standardized global curriculum that students may choose in Grades 11 and 12. Nido de Aguilas has offered the IB Diploma since 1982, and today, over 50% of our Grade 11 and 12 students are enrolled in the full IB Diploma Program. Our students’ IB Diploma scores are consistently above the worldwide average. We have an experienced IB Faculty with an average of 9 years experience teaching in the IB Diploma Program. Annually, teachers attend IB Workshops to learn of curricular updates and to improve their craft as IB educators. Our IB Coordinator ensures that students complete all required coursework and register for the external examinations. There is an additional cost for these examinations, the payment of which the school will help coordinate along with the registration. IB Diploma candidates are examined both internally at Nido and externally by the IB Organization for the awarding of IB Diploma results.

IB logo
IB Diploma Program logo

Students must apply for acceptance into the full IB Diploma program at the beginning of the second semester of Grade 10, prior to the course registration process the following year. Admission to the program is based on a student’s academic record, including having a record of academic honesty. Students transferring from IB programs with good standing in those programs may be able to continue in the IB program at Nido. Students admitted to the IB Diploma program must be willing to work consistently and diligently throughout the duration of the program. Many of the courses will require homework during vacation periods, and students must show self-motivation in the execution of Creativity, Action, Service (CAS) and the Extended Essay.

IB courses are open to non-Diploma students, and all Nido HS students are exposed to the IB curriculum during some part of their academic career, as many upper level courses are taught at the IB level. It is possible to earn the IB Diploma at the same time as the Nido/US diploma and the Chilean National Plan Diploma.

IB Diploma & University Admissions

 

 

The IB Diploma is widely recognized by universities throughout the world due to its reputation for offering a rigorous and balanced curriculum. In many countries, the IB Diploma is accepted as being equivalent to a local high school degree, and students can apply to some universities based on their IB Diploma results. It is in the interest of each student wishing to be competitive at selective universities to take challenging courses while at Nido. The IB Diploma fulfills this interest.

In the United States, some of the best colleges and universities may offer second-year standing to holders of the IB Diploma and many offer university credit for individual courses; additionally, colleges and universities look for evidence of demanding courses on students’ transcripts, and IB courses are recognized as such. For Chilean nationals, universities increasingly are offering special admission to holders of the IB Diploma. In many other countries, especially in Europe, the IB Diploma may be required for entrance into university, and students are advised to check their national requirements in their early High School years. Students wishing to enroll in the IB Diploma Program or needing further information about IB courses should consult with Kurt Supplee, the IB Coordinator. 

IB Diploma Requirements

 

The IB Diploma has the following requirements, as illustrated by the IB Diploma Hexagon shown below:
  • 6 subjects, 1 from each from groups 1-5 groups plus a course from group 6 or an additional course from groups 2-4 as shown in the Hexagon image. Of these subjects, 3 must be at Higher Level and 3 at Standard Level.
  • An interdisciplinary Theory of Knowledge course designed to provide coherence by exploring the nature of knowledge across disciplines, encouraging an appreciation of other perspectives.
  • 18 months of participation in Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) activities and projects, with a minimum of 150 hours to ground academic learning in real-world experiences.
  • An Extended Essay of up to 4000 words, requiring independent work with the aid of a faculty mentor and providing the student with an intensive research experience on a topic of interest to the student, preparing the student for the research and writing skills he or she will need at university and beyond.

The core elements of the IB Diploma reinforce key elements of Nido’s mission, vision and values to Connect, Explore and Act.

 

IB Courses

 

HL = Higher Level       SL = Standard Level

IB Diploma Model