IB Diploma / Appointment

M

maschneider93

USAFA 2025
Joined
Sep 29, 2020
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***Want to preface this by saying I have not been appointed to USAFA or have lost IB Diploma Candidacy***

This is purely hypothetical, as chances are I will be receiving an IB Diploma come HS graduation, but if I were to receive an offer of appointment, and then it came out that I lost a chance to receive an IB Diploma (failed EE or didn't complete CAS requirements), would USAFA consider revoking my offer of appointment? My application currently states that I am an IB Diploma candidate but I have obviously not completed all of the requirements to receive the diploma as of yet. I believe I am likely to receive it, but it's just another thing that sticks in the back of my mind. o_O
 
As a high school counselor, I'm going to tell you that MANY things can cause a school or service academy to withdraw their acceptance/appointment. My best advice is to do your very BEST to finish all that you start. Do not give in to Senioritis, do not get slack. It's best not to ever give them a reason to withdraw their offer.
 
They don’t care if you earn the diploma or not. For SA’s, earning the diploma is irrelevant. Depending on the SA, you may be able to validate some classes if (1) your get 7’s and (2) your test results arrive early in the summer of your plebe year. Striving for the diploma and being in the program (CAS hours, extended essay, ToK) shows commitment in HS. By the time you find out if you’ve earned the diploma you will be in your plebe summer. They will NEVER know or care if you were actually awarded the diploma. I speak directly from my DS’s experience at USNA
 
ders_dad said:
They don’t care if you earn the diploma or not. For SA’s, earning the diploma is irrelevant. Depending on the SA, you may be able to validate some classes if (1) your get 7’s and (2) your test results arrive early in the summer of your plebe year. Striving for the diploma and being in the program (CAS hours, extended essay, ToK) shows commitment in HS. By the time you find out if you’ve earned the diploma you will be in your plebe summer. They will NEVER know or care if you were actually awarded the diploma. I speak directly from my DS’s experience at USNA
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Did your DS not get it? If so, why not? And you found out in the summer?
 
I know you’re speaking hypothetically, and you’ve received advice about the diploma not ultimately mattering. But you do need to ask yourself this question: Why am I in this current situation of even asking?

If something is going on that could keep you from achieving a major goal, you must do some soul-searching to understand it, address it, rectify it. Because whatever challenges you’re facing now, the conditions will most likely be much, much tougher at USAFA. The demands on your time, energy, focus and emotions are extremely high and often conflicting at an SA. That’s why SAs favor candidates who’ve succeeded in the high-pressure context of demanding academics, leadership roles and varsity athletics. It’s this high-stress stew — and the ability to thrive in it — that prepares one for SA and AD life.

So do some diagnosing now to learn and grow from this situation, and to avoid being in a similar situation should you end up at USAFA.
 
Getting the diploma matters, but for different reasons, because you didn't get an appointment yet, you may end up at a regular college where the diploma puts you on a fast track to finish college in 2-3 years which saves you money, so like I wouldn't just give up the diploma after getting the appointment. Also where do you see that you are an IB dp candidate on the portal I don't see it on mine?
 
JP51 said:
Getting the diploma matters, but for different reasons, because you didn't get an appointment yet, you may end up at a regular college where the diploma puts you on a fast track to finish college in 2-3 years which saves you money, so like I wouldn't just give up the diploma after getting the appointment. Also where do you see that you are an IB dp candidate on the portal I don't see it on mine?
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I just wrote it in my resume.
 
Also if you don't end up going to an SA and instead to a civilian college, the Diploma + test scores can often give you many credits.
For example, at SUNY Binghamton:
Students in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program may receive up to 32 credits. To receive the full 32 credits, the following conditions must be met:

  • The IB Diploma must be completed with a score of 30 or more points; and
  • The student must complete at least three Higher Level exams with a score of 5 or higher.
Diploma holders who meet these conditions receive credit for their individual exam scores plus additional liberal arts elective credit to total 32 credits.
 
I think you may want to continue to pursue the IB Diploma for lots of reasons, including the fact that you made a commitment to pursue it. IMHO the CAS hours, ToK, and the extended essay are great academic prep for anything and show the ability to manage time. The extended essay, in particular, is very good prep for college essay writing. But I'm sure you realize that there is a real possibility that you may not get the grades on the final HL IB tests to be awarded the diploma - in fact, many do not. The HL IB tests are considerably more comprehensive that equivalent AP tests. What I was trying to say is that SAs will likely either accept you or not months before you ever know you were awarded the diploma. As noted above, some civilian schools will give you significant credit for IB diploma. U of Wisconsin comes to mind. I don't know the particulars of USAFA and IB but at USNA, my DS (who is a youngster and was not awarded the diploma), did not receive any validation credits for any of his HL classes because USNA only validated for 7's (highest score) and only for a very small number of classes (compared to AP classes). They really don't care if you were awarded the diploma. They do care that you took the hardest classes available at your school and excelled. Getting an A in an IB class is not the same as getting a 7 on the HL test for that class.
 
I don't think it's a concern for SAs, but it could be for your Plan B, C, D, etc. I read stories this last year about some prestigious schools revoking acceptances. Hang in there and do your best.
 
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