Modesto High School IB Program: Making College Attainable and Manageable Since 1994

By Abigail Power

My name is Abigail Murphy Power, and I am a proud fourth-generation graduate of Modesto High School. I’m also happy to share that I am a proud IB Diploma Graduate of Modesto High School, Class of 2013. I can honestly say that I have this program to single-handedly thank for both my preparedness for the curriculum at the University of California, Berkeley and now for handling complex dilemmas in daily business as a working professional. The International Baccalaureate Program is the most in-depth, comprehensive program that high school students can take to prepare for their academic future and it’s available for free at Modesto High School, the oldest and most established high school in our city.

Do you like school, but don’t love critical reading or in-depth research? The IB Program might not be your cup of tea and that’s ok! Do you love to read, research, critical think and have the hopes of attending a four-year university? The IB Program may be just what you are looking for! The IB Program encourages foreign language, diverse studies of mathematics, and methods of art through their four-year freshman to senior year curriculum. The Modesto High School IB Program is reaching out to interested 7^th and 8^th grade students (even current high school students!) who would like to enroll or learn more about the opportunities of taking International Baccalaureate courses. The IB Program is similar to AP classes offered in other schools in that there are year-end tests and college credits given, however, the IB Program is internationally recognized and purposefully structures all classes at a college level to prepare students to enter university with the skills needed to tackle graduate theses, foreign language fluency, long form testing structures, and complex scientific and mathematic problems through its strict schedule.

As a graduate of this program, I cannot recommend the IB Program enough. It can be challenging, but it’s tenfold more rewarding, fun, and engaging than you could imagine. Graduating from UC Berkeley was manageable, attainable, and an exploratory, engaging experience because of the tools that the IB Program (and even more so it’s incredible teachers) gave me during my years at Modesto High School. Learn more at the information nights below.

IB Information Nights for the 2025-26 School Year: