This year, the Class of 2026 officially embarks on their IB Extended journey, marking a significant milestone in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program. With proposals completed and advisors assigned, excitement and anticipation are among students as they dive into for many their first solid extensive essay.

The Extended Essay, often referred to as the “EE,” is a big part of the IB program, offering students the opportunity to explore a topic of their choice in depth. Spanning up to around 4,000 words, the essay challenged students to engage in critical thinking, develop research skills, and showcase their ability to write academically all while being able to manage deadlines. This will all extremely help in college as a multiple thousand essay is common.

For juniors, this process began about a month ago with brainstorming and discussions with our EE team aimed at narrowing down research topics. After submitting their draft of their proposals a few weeks ago, they received feedback and were assigned an advisor based on their chosen subject areas. Advisors will play a crucial role throughout the process, providing guidance, feedback, and support as students begin their research.

Many students have chosen topics that align with their passions, future career aspirations, or curiosity about a particular subject. As it would be pretty hard to write such a long paper if there is no passion or motive for a subject.

Stay tuned for updates as the juniors progress through their Extended Essay journey.