Today, we will discuss Newbury Park High School. It is a public high school located in the Newbury Park area, west of Thousand Oaks, and is part of the CVUSD (Conejo Valley Unified School District).

The school's true signature is its IB (International Baccalaureate) Diploma Program. It operates the oldest and largest IB program in the area. At first, I thought, "IB? What is that?" I had heard of AP, but IB was new to me. Upon researching, I found out that it is indeed a very rigorous program.

IB (International Baccalaureate) is an internationally recognized high school curriculum. In Korea, you might think of it as a different track, like regular admission vs. rolling admission. It is a curriculum that genuinely focuses on critical thinking, writing, and research skills. It's not just about doing well on tests; you also have to write a 4,000-word thesis (Extended Essay), complete service hours through CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service), and participate in discussions.

The IB Diploma Programme (DP) at Newbury Park High School is concentrated during the last two years, 11th and 12th grade. Earning this diploma provides similar advantages to AP for college admissions in the U.S., and it becomes a powerful asset when applying to universities in the UK, Canada, Australia, and Europe. Many institutions like Oxford and Cambridge often set admission conditions based on IB diploma scores.

But honestly, it's tough. It's really tough. A friend's younger sibling did IB at another school and said they went to bed at 2 AM and woke up at 6 AM during 12th grade. However, that friend is now attending the University of Toronto. The results were good.

Here's a little catch. When looking at the overall school ranking, it's around 358th in California. Honestly, that's not overwhelmingly high, right? When I first saw that number, I thought, "Oh? Not great?"

But here's the point. The results for students in the IB track are much better than this ranking suggests. The overall average includes all students, so that's why it appears that way, but if you look at the college admission results for those who received the IB diploma, it's a completely different world. So, the lesson I learned while researching school districts is that you shouldn't judge solely based on rankings. You need to look at it by track.

Not only does the school focus on IB, but it also has a well-established AP program. It was named to the 2025 AP School Honor Roll. To receive this recognition, schools must meet criteria for AP participation rates, pass rates, and diversity. This means that students who do not pursue IB can still create a strong curriculum through AP.

There are various clubs for science, math, humanities, and arts, and the sports teams, particularly cross country, swimming, and wrestling, are well-regarded in the area. In fact, it can be a bit lonely in California public schools if you don't participate in sports. All your friends are involved in some team or another. So, having a variety of teams is important.

This topic is a never-ending discussion in the Korean parent chat group, haha. A friend who is part of a group of Korean moms in Thousand Oaks says they debate this topic two or three times a year. To summarize briefly:

Advantages of IB: Broad liberal arts education + writing + critical thinking. Produces well-rounded individuals. Favorable for applying to overseas universities.

Advantages of AP: In-depth study of specific subjects. Students can choose subjects they excel in. More familiar system for U.S. colleges.

Does your child enjoy writing, excel in discussions, and have strengths in the humanities? → IB might be a good fit. Is your child intensely focused on one area like math or science? → AP might be more efficient. Ultimately, the answer varies for each child. If someone says, "IB is definitely better," you should be cautious of that statement. It's case by case.

To be assigned to Newbury Park High School, you must reside in the Newbury Park area. Even if you live in a city like Thousand Oaks, if the school district is different, you will go to another school. This is really important. In the U.S., school districts are often determined by zip codes.

As a result, some families intentionally move to the Newbury Park area, west of Thousand Oaks, to target the IB program. I've heard that among Korean families, there are quite a few who say, "We moved here for our child to do IB."

Honestly, I was a bit moved while learning about the IB program. It's impressive that the curriculum aims to create "thinkers" rather than just raising kids who do well on tests. An 18-year-old who has written a 4,000-word thesis... I only did that in college, haha.

Of course, it's tough, and it's not for every child. But if your child fits this style, Newbury Park High School is truly a great option. I understand why people are willing to move to this neighborhood, even with the high housing prices in Thousand Oaks, because of this school.