Catching up With a Franklin Diploma Programme (DP) Graduate

Come join us as we chat with a proud Franklin graduate about her experiences in the DP Programme.

Intro:

Hi everyone! My name is Emmely Talulkar, and I am currently a third-year student at the University of Florida, studying Psychology and Health Education and Behavior. I graduated from Franklin Academy in 2022 from the Diploma Programme and was lucky to grow up surrounded by amazing teachers and classmates during my high school experience that helped me get to where I am today. I love what I study currently, and my goals for the future are to become a counseling therapist or to go into academic research and become a college professor. When I am not busy studying or enjoying college life, I love playing soccer (and am currently in a co-ed soccer team), I love dancing in the UF salsa/bachata club, and I recently found a love for crocheting.

Can you share your experience of being an IB Diploma Programme student in high school? What motivated you to pursue the IB programme?

My DP experience was a roller-coaster of emotions, but it was an experience that I am extremely grateful for and proud of. The people in my cohort became a family to me, and I made some of my closest bonds during high school when I started the program. The curriculum was challenging, but I have always been a person to love challenges, and I felt that I was able to achieve much more through my high school time through the challenges and coursework of DP. These challenges were also what motivated me to join the IB program in the first place, in addition to the fact that all my best friends were also going to be there by my side through the journey.

How did the IB curriculum challenge you academically, and what strategies did you develop to manage the workload effectively?

When I started IB, we were studying virtually, and the course-load was intensive. We were learning a lot of material regularly, material that was often more advanced and more interesting than usual classes, and the type of assignments were different from what we regularly saw in the first 2 years of high school. We had to be responsible when making sure we stayed on top of everything. At first, most of us were extremely bad at effectively managing the course-load, but we learned how to measure the time it took to do assignments and learned that working together and collaborating was most efficient. Everyone had their strengths and helping each other with our own strengths was what kept us going.

Many students find the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge components of the IB Programme to be particularly demanding. How did you approach these aspects, and what did you learn from them?

 
I learned that sometimes, the best way to get to the other side is going through, and in this case, making the experience more pleasant was what helped me enjoy the process. For the Extended Essay and the Creativity Activity Service [CAS] project experiences, that were connected to Theory of Knowledge [TOK], I decided on topics and projects that I was extremely interested in and cared about, which made it easier to want to work hard on them. I wrote about a psychology topic I was really interested in researching about, and I made my project something extremely personal, like making a 365-paper crane time capsule with handwritten notes to myself. Work sometimes is time consuming, but finding how to make them more handle-able makes them easier to digest.

In what ways did the IB Diploma Programme prepare you for the transition to college or university? Were there specific skills or experiences from IB that you  found particularly beneficial in higher education?

First and foremost, the thing I always say about IB is that it helped me so much with credits when coming into college when it came to my specific majors, which are enough to help me finish 2 majors in the same 4-year span that is expected for completing one. Second, colleges see IB as a huge steppingstone to get admitted, and I believe I was able to get into one of my dream schools because of IB. Aside from these, the challenge that IB gave me prepared me for the challenges and rigor that college brings. I learned how to write a research paper, and how to conduct experiments. I learned how to think critically and to work under pressure, which has become extremely important in college. Ultimately, was the steppingstone when getting ready to live my independent life.

Reflecting on your time in the IB programme, what were some of the most memorable or impactful learning experiences you had? How did these experiences shape your personal and academic growth?

I believe one of the most memorable learning experiences for me was completing my CAS project. I worked to create 365-paper cranes and created a visual diary of the process of making them. The really special part about them was I wrote myself letters to be opened by my future self as a motivator and as a guide for the obstacles that our life journeys bring. Taking the time to think about each letter made me reflect on my own journey and time in high school, and reminded me of how much I have grown, and how much I still needed to grow as an individual.

Aside from that, academically, I remember having an activity in my biology class where we were able to look at living organisms under the microscope and it reminded me how much I love having those hand on experiences. You can learn all you want from a book, but nothing prepares you for the excitement of doing what you love actively and daily.

Looking back, is there any advice you would give to current high school students considering the IB Diploma Programme? What insights or tips would you share with them to help them succeed in the programme and beyond?

For those considering IB, I think the best thing to be is honest with you. IB is not for the weak, but each and every student is strong enough if they work hard enough for their goals. Nothing in life that is important is easy, but when you walk on that stage on graduation, IB stole around your neck, you realize that you are capable of doing anything you put your mind to if you try hard enough, and you realize that you are not the same person that you were when you started.

That’s extremely special. I was different when I graduated compared to when I started, and I am different now than when I graduated 2 years ago. You just have to keep moving forward. Hold on to those around you, they are the ones that will get you through the hard times, like exams and heavy weeks, and they are the ones you get to celebrate with, like when you get your diplomas.

Lastly, you must never forget to take care of yourselves, not just now, but in all stages of life. It is easy to be consumed by the things you must do, that you forget to do the things you want to do. Finding balance is the ultimate test, don’t fail it like I did. Learning now will save you so much time when you have to face the real world, and in many cases, facing it alone. I wish you all the best of luck in your journeys, and I hope you all can achieve what you put your mind to!