Developing students for university through an international high school program in Turkey

This article explores the readiness and development for universities of students who have been educated through an international program in Turkey. It compares the academic performance and skills of students who attended the Ministry of National Education High School Program (MONEP) to students who attended both MONEP and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP). In addition, university students’ perceptions of their overall performance through the programs were analyzed. The results indicated that the MONEP and IBDP students had higher cumulative grade point averages (CPGA), higher individual course grades in their university, and a considerably higher graduation rate; the MONEP+IBDP group was three times more likely to complete their undergraduate program in four years compared to the MONEP group. Focus-group discussions further clarified the differences between the groups’ academic performances and skills. Overall, the study found that the international high school education program seemed to develop a better student profile for university life.