Tracy High students show concern about the prices of IB exams
Senior Katrina Broughton works hard on her IB English assignment.
November 15, 2013
Tracy High honors students have all registered for their International Baccalaureate (IB) tests for 2014. This year the fee waivers are not being accepted to cover the cost for the registration fee. Some Tracy High students and faculty feel the cost is unreasonable.
Senior IB diploma candidate Inyoung Hong feels that the testing is only necessary if you’re pursuing IB diploma.
“The cost is worth it to me. Some people think the cost is too high because they’re only certificate candidates and not going after diploma,” Hong said.
Diploma candidates do not have to pay for the $157 registration fee because they paid the fee as a junior. However, non-diploma students who took an IB test last year do have to pay their registration fee a second time.
This is true of senior Omira Nawid who chose to not take the IB tests this year as a result of the pricing.
“It wasn’t worth it to me. I already paid for registration last year to take the higher level Spanish IB test. I didn’t want to pay for registration again this year,” Nawid said. “I’m going to a community college next year, so if I’m not going to get the diploma, I don’t see the point of spending more money.”
IB coordinator Terri Sorgent explained that it was a federal decision to not accept fee waivers for the registration fee.
“We no longer get refunded by the government when we wave the fee. If we covered the fee for everyone that had a waiver, the IB department wouldn’t have any more money in the budget,” Sorgent said. “However, we are still accepting fee waivers to reduce the price of each test to five dollars. Fee waivers are given to students who are eligible to receive free or reduced lunch.”
Senior IB Diploma candidate Isfar Munir suggested an alternative to IB testing for students not willing to pay for it.
“Some students are better off taking the AP tests instead. They’re more accepted nationally, and they’re a lot cheaper than the IB tests,” Munir said.
Advanced Placement exams are created by the College Board and the price of each test is around $90 with no further registration fee required. However, The IB tests for 2014 are $108 for each exam and an additional $157 for registration.
Also, IB tests only count for college credit if they are higher level tests. The standard level tests that some students are taking will not count towards college credit.
“I understand why it’s so expensive because it’s college credit. Compared to the prices of college classes, the IB tests are fairly cheap,” Tracy High English teacher Brian Musich said. “However, I do understand that it’s a ridiculous amount of money to pay all at one time.”
Senior Chase Armada, also an IB diploma candidate, feels the prices are too high as well.
“I think that IB should lower the costs of the tests. It would definitely encourage more people to take it,” Armada said.
Not only are the IB exams costly, but they are also stressful for some students like Katrina Broughton.
“The exams are really expensive. Not only that, but I’m really stressed out about it. I’m a Diploma candidate, so I have to study really hard for them in order to get high enough scores,” Broughton said.
The cost versus the value of IB exams differs among Tracy High students. The IB tests are rigorous for each student whether an IB diploma candidate or a certificate candidate. Students are scheduled to take IB tests in May of 2014.
