Ike Graduates Find Success After High School, Inspire Others to Follow Dreams

Eisenhower High School conducted a survey on the college experience of the campus’ International Baccalaureate (IB) and advanced placement (AP) graduates. All the graduates continued their higher education at two- and/or four-year institutes.

The goal of the survey was to determine student satisfaction and to determine if changes or additions needed to be added to improve students’ satisfaction.

The survey revealed the following:

The survey revealed the following:

• Average IB Score (out of 45): 28 (A score of 28 is needed to attain the IB Diploma.)
• Universities Attending: UT Austin, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, Sam Houston State University, M.I.T., University of Houston, Rice University, Texas State University, etc.
• Acceptance Into Top Choice School: 95%
• Attending Top Choice School: 74%
• Average Credit Earned From IB Exams: 14.7
• Average Savings for Students From Credits Earned (AP and IB combined): $9,187.16
• Average SAT Score: 1858
• Average ACT Score: 28

A key component to the school’s IB/AP success is the Grads Give Back program. Each year, the school invites graduates to visit their old alma mater to talk to students about their experience in IB/AP courses in high school, how these helped them in college and they relate their own personal college experience. Recently, more than 50 Eisenhower graduates from across the country visited to encourage high school students to pursue a higher education. AISD graduates from the University of Houston to Syracuse in New York participated in the event, which kicked off with an IB question panel. Current IB students received much needed guidance on preparing for college and adjusting to college life.

Aldine ISD offers the whole IB continuum — Primary Years Program (PYP; offered at Kujawa EC/PK Center and Kujawa Elementary School), Middle Years Program (MYP; offered at Wilson Intermediate School, Hoffman Middle School, Shotwell Middle School, and Eisenhower Ninth Grade School) and Diploma Program (DP; offered at Eisenhower Senior High). The IB program is available to all students in the district through the Magnet Schools Program in AISD.

Once students reach the IB Diploma level, they must apply to continue in the IB program at Eisenhower Senior High. The program consists of a rigorous curriculum and six subject areas: Language A, Language B, individuals and society, mathematics, experimental sciences, the arts, theory of knowledge class, CAS (creative, action, service) hours, and an extended essay, which is an independent, self-directed piece of research, culminating in a 4,000-word paper. Each course has both internal assessments that are graded in-house and then moderated internationally by other IB schools. In May, students take essay exams that are shipped out and moderated internationally. Each IB student at Eisenhower must complete all components in order to be eligible for the IB Diploma.

Around the world, only 80% of IB students are awarded the IB Diploma. Many students have applied the IB Diploma toward college credits. Even if a student does not receive the IB Diploma, he or she is still eligible to apply his or her scores to receive college credit.

Below are some additional images from the Grads Give Back event.