Toward the end of the third quarter, senior high school students who are part of the International Baccalaureate program, also known as IB, take their oral tests. This test is in the form of oral presentation in front of IB examiners.

Due to COVID and the optional choice of taking the test, less than half of IB students are participating in the oral exam.

“I didn’t want to sign up to do it.” said IB senior at Tracy High School Jessica Mayorga. “Since we’ve been doing distance learning all year it’d be uncomfortable to present in front of them in person.”

The students who are not participating in the test were given the same prompt as the testers, but will not need to present. Instead, they record themselves talking about their prompt and then turn it in to their teacher.

“I feel as if not having to present in front of people, but have it recorded and only the teacher sees takes the stress off,” said Mayorga.

Alitza Aguirre, another IB senior student at Tracy High, will be taking part in the testing.

“Not going to lie, it is stressful knowing that I’m going to be presenting in front of people, but I feel it will be good for me.” said Aguirre.

The test will be taking place on Tracy High Campus starting Feb 16. Each student is assigned their own time and date on when they will give the presentation.

“It makes it more nerve racking when there’s a said date and time on when I’m supposed to do it,” said Aguirre, “It would’ve been different if we’ve been doing in-person schooling this whole time to practice presenting, but I haven’t done it in so long I’m just going to have to wing it.”

Aguirre opens up about her experience with IB classes confessing, “Unless you want to go to an Ivy League school to be a doctor or study science, IB is just added unwanted stress.”

Mayorga also adds, “I’ve taken IB English classes for the past two years of High School, and with the added stress that comes along with it I feel like it’s not worth it, and I won’t see any benefits from it.”

IB students are studying classes that are supposed to help prepare students for college courses. For some High School students the amount of work that goes into IB classes can be too much to bear. With taking IB classes, it can help students get into some highest ranked universities.

The students who are taking the IB exam, will receive their score at the end. This score will determine if they will receive their IB diploma or not.  The diploma lets colleges know that you are a strong student and willing to take on academic challenges.