Recruiting of students for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program occurs in the fall of the year. The IB coordinator conducts informational sessions at each of Chesapeake’s middle schools and makes application packets available for all interested eighth graders through middle school guidance departments. In addition, an IB information night at Oscar F. Smith High School in December provides specifics for interested students and their parents. To apply for the program, a student must submit an application by January 15 and participate in a writing sample session at Oscar Smith High School. The IB Admissions Committee reviews each application paying particular attention to the applicant’s academic strength, degree of motivation, and well-roundedness. Items such as the following are reviewed:

• Student grade point average (GPA) from 7th grade and the first semester of 8th grade (B or better preferable)
• Four teacher recommendations (8th grade teachers) as follows:
1. English
2. Mathematics
3. Social studies
4. Science
• Enrollment in honors and high school equivalent courses such as Honors English 8, Honors Social Studies 8, Honors Physical Science 8, Algebra I or Geometry, and the first year of any foreign language.
• Writing sample results
• Standardized test scores (at or above the 85^th national percentile preferable):

The selection process, as well as the application, are modeled after ones used to select students in other IB schools across the United States, models that have proven to be effective in identifying students who can succeed in this rigorous program.