Olympia IB–DP Program: Solid academic foundation for students to conquer the top universitites all over the world

Nowadays, a lot of students can obtain high IELTS/TOEFL/SAT standardized scores, constitutue a variety of significant medal achievements in their exams or have impressive performances in extracurricular activities to increase their opportunities of entering the world's top universities. However, many of those excellent students still encounter considerable difficulties, struggles and pressures when applying, adapting and developing at universities. The reason is that they lack the following critical skills to thrive in an international university environment: 

• Ask and explain the humanity’s big questions, stimulate the knowledge and interdisciplinary thinking skill. 

• Discuss and deepen multi-dimensional perspectives, elicit critical thinking skill and philosophical arguments. 

• Intensively read and write with an academic research mindset. 

One of the most successful educational programs in training these skills for high school students is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB-DP). The IB-DP program is intensively and comprehensively designed for students aged 16-19 to equip themselves with essential knowledge and skills needed for higher levels of education in their future careers. 

A study conducted by IB in the United Kingdom in 2021 has shown that IB-DP students' chances of entering the top 20 best universities in this country are 3 times higher than that of students in A Level program. The IB degree is also recognized by more than 5000 Universities in more than 100 countries and territories. That is a testament to the superiority of this program in preparing a solid foundation to help students confidently "knock on the doors" of the world's top universities. 

The qualities that each IB-DP student achieves after attending this program include: 

• Extensive knowledge in diverse fields. 

• Thrive physically, intellectually, emotionally and morally. 

• Improve academic English skills. 

• High adaptability and integration ability to become global citizens in the future, always ready to study in the rigorous environments of the world's top universities. 

• The ability to actively explore and discover the nature of knowledge, thanks to the unique subject of this curriculum: ” Theory of Knowledge”. 

Unlike traditional classes where students only passively listen to lectures and take notes, when studying in the IB program, students will practice the necessary competencies to master their own learning, thereby maximize their unique potential. Teachers play a supportive and inspiring role, allowing students to actively lead the lessons, which is a special feature of the inquiry-based learning method applied in the IB program. 

Olympia is the first bilingual school in Vietnam approved by the IB Organization to implement the IB World School program. The expert appraisal report from IB shows that: 

• Olympia is very strong in developing global thinking skill and language competence for students. 

• Olympia's infrastructure system provides highly interactive experiential learning spaces and conditions. 

• Olympia teachers are experienced in developing and teaching international curriculum. 

• Olympia has a network of prestigious domestic and international partners to help develop their expertise and expand opportunities for students’ experiential learning and international exchange. 

• Excellent interdisciplinary learning plan, classroom design, control system and professional development for teachers. 

As a result, students graduating from the IB-DP program at Olympia will become global citizens with all crucial qualities and competencies to conquer the world's top universities.