By Sophia Mu ’27, Commentary Editor

Newark Academy was the first school in New Jersey to implement the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program in 1991, and it remains the only independent school in the state to offer it. Instead of stacking up as many Advanced Placement (AP) courses as possible, students at NA select from an array of courses at the Standard Level (SL) and the Higher Level (HL). Checking off the diploma requirements can become a bit of a puzzle, yet half of the student body opts to complete the program.

I recently caught up with Christina Silva ’26 to discuss her IB experience, as well as recent IB Diploma NA graduates Veera Jetley ’25 and Abby Hsu ’25 to gather their wisdom about the program.

What initially drew you to take the diploma?

“There is a very big environment of taking advantage of every opportunity you have,” says Veera. One of her siblings forwent the program and felt obligated to explain to colleges why she did not complete it. This ultimately influenced Veera to pursue the full IB Diploma. However, Veera admits she would have pursued it regardless of the school culture because of her diverse interests.

Abby and Christina agree that the IB Diploma demonstrates a well-rounded curriculum by incorporating various subjects and projects. However, those who already know the path they want to pursue may feel limited by the subject requirements.

What are the advantages or disadvantages of the diploma over APs?

Because of the influx of IB classes, NA has relatively few AP classes. The differences between these college-level courses lie in the skill sets used for the IB or AP exams. Christina attests to the IB’s emphasis on writing skills. Meanwhile, Veera notes, “The IB is great for people who want to learn how to research, create a paper, write well, learn how to interact with—not just read—a text, and engage in great discussions with classmates.”

Three core components of the IB Diploma—Theory of Knowledge (TOK), the Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS) project, and the Extended Essay (EE)—allow students to think critically while engaging with the community and further exploring an interest. However, Veera mentions that NA already has so many clubs, student organizations, and service opportunities where students can actively practice IB concepts. The freedom to research any subject one would like is the pinnacle of intellectual curiosity, one of NA’s core values.

Anyone may complete a CAS project or Extended Essay without having to fulfill all of the diploma’s requirements. Therefore, students can reap the benefits of the IB Diploma’s co-curricular projects while maintaining a more career-focused curriculum.

Scheduling conflicts do occasionally arise with the IB’s stringent requirements, especially for STEM-oriented students hoping to double up in sciences. Abby ran into a scheduling issue during her senior year, taking Advanced Physics with Calculus over IB Physics due to the lab period taking another slot in the new schedule.

Additionally, NA offers fewer IB science and math courses, forcing students to choose one of two IB math courses over Multivariable Calculus, Linear Algebra, Statistics, and more. Veera also mentions enjoying AP math courses far more than the IB equivalent. Due to these issues, most students pursuing STEM may benefit from forgoing the diploma to take more challenging and relevant science and math courses.

Do you have any regrets about taking the diploma?

Ultimately, nobody regrets taking the IB Diploma. Veera cites her newfound skill set as good preparation for college course rigor. She does recommend, however, that students take the IB Diploma for the skills they will acquire, since earning college credit can prove quite difficult.

Christina lauds the program for not only the interesting curriculum, but also NA’s IB teachers who “actually want you to learn the material, not just get a seven on the exam.” Even taking IB classes without completing the diploma can impart valuable lessons to students.

While the IB Diploma is a great way to enrich one’s academic career, the program is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Whether students pursue some elements of the IB Diploma Program or all of them, NA offers a multitude of opportunities and courses that can equally benefit students.