OpEd: Nobody Cares That You Did IB

Every year, University of Toronto welcomes thousands of fresh faces, all bragging to their friends and family about being accepted into one of Canada’s most prestigious universities. “All that hard work paid off!” they gloat — until they realize that the quiet kid named Michael who skipped more than half his classes and had a 2.1 GPA also got in.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an international program aimed at fostering the education of students and preparing them for post-secondary education beyond what most systems normally provide. Does it achieve this goal? It depends who you ask. But does it actually mean anything? Absolutely not. All it does in reality is promote depression, empty wallets, and inflated egos.

IB graduates believe that the 3300$ they paid for a piece of paper and a false sense of security makes them superior to their peers, but when was the last time a fellow student, or even a professor, asked if you’d done IB? The only time it’s brought up is when an IB student themself shoehorns it into conversation. Newsflash: nobody cares! Unfortunately, it can’t be helped. These students simply must bring it up as a way to cope with the crushing sense that not even their mother loves them.

In the end, The International Baccalaureate did nothing but waste away the golden years of student’s lives and feed superiority complexes. All those wasted nights completing IB projects only stunted these students’ growths—while others are out partying, IB graduates sit alone in their dorms, rocking back and forth in their chairs unable to accept that the hellish program just wasn’t worth it.

Just remember: if an IB student tries to brag about their diploma, remind them of the weed-out class they’re currently 2 points away from failing. As UofT students, no matter the academic history, we’re all equally screwed.