Skyline’s International Baccalaureate Diploma program confirmed candidates are now entering the final homestretch in their Herculean quests.

Twenty-three strong, these intellectual crusaders have recently concluded their world literature papers, theory of knowledge essays, and especially daunting extended essays.

The extended essay called for students to write 3,000-4,000-word essays in an area of their choosing, preferably in a higher-level class they are taking. Humanities topics ranged from debates at the heart of American domestic policy debate like gun control to explorations of Sylvia Plath’s psyche and works. Natural science topics were just as esoteric with topics raging from approximation methods applied to the N-body problem to protein/genetic material analysis. In short, these essays would make very exemplary college papers. Indeed, all the conventions of professional papers like including acknowledgements and extensive background research, referencing professional papers in the scientific community, and comparison of results to preexisting intellectual literature were all present. In fact, math adviser Hearan Shim described Jack Li’s paper as “almost graduate level work…exceptional” while Jenna Kovalsky had her history paper evaluated as college junior work by her panel conference partner.

However, the work involved was the epitome of tedious. Science essays typically went over 20 pages as calculations, in-text citations, tables, diagrams, and other miscellaneous features were not allowed to contribute towards the word count. Others lamented on how although they were happy to find more ideas to elaborate on; the more they typed, the more they would also need to come back and edit.

The theory of knowledge essay was superficially less imposing than the extended essay with only 1,200 to 1,600 words required. Yet, students were expected to write the essay on their own time in the face of minimal guidance from the enigmatic Mr. Braman. Furthermore, the nature of a theory of knowledge paper, which involved addressing the nature of concepts like when one should trust their senses to bring them truth and what role ethics plays in knowing, was certainly unfamiliar ground.

Despite all their milestones, these burdened students still have yet to finish the fight. For science students, the Group 4 Project, which many have put relatively little effort into in an attempt to prioritize tasks, is approaching like an inescapable storm. Others are in the process of completing their Math Studies projects or creative-action-service hours.

Considering the above, it is no understatement that IB Diploma is a marathon with 100-meter dash intensity. Certainly, many candidates have lamented that the diploma is a Pyrrhic victory that involved significant cuts on sleep, social life, and time to be creative on our own. Although the education community as a whole claims that IB Diploma is just what is needed to challenge students, it is important to remember Thoreau’s wise admonition: “If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears”. In the end, every diploma candidate will have to come to terms with their experience for themselves.