It’s important to acknowledge that being an IB-student does not preclude you from taking AP exams. I took many AP exams even though I was an IB-diploma student because frankly it was easier to get credit with AP exams. It worked out well for me.
I enjoyed the experience and preparation the IB program gave me, and got nice college credit from the AP exams.
All I know is that IB is the hardest thing I’ve ever done and they made my AP classes I took as a lowerclassmen look easy because the IB diploma program is so rigorous. I’d also say IB because of the added requirements for the program that are far beyond ap: 150 CAS (creativity, action, service) hours, Works in Translations, Theory of Knowledge class, the Extended Essay, Internal Assessments in alllll classes (basically an independent research project and paper and somehow I have to do a math one?), IOP presentations, IO presentations, etc, IT GOES ON.
But yes you can also take APs as electives or self study them. Our to-be school val who’s now off to Germany to be an exchange student self studied AP chem using a crash course book and got a 5. Since AP’s are one year courses and IBs are two year courses IB’s teach a lot more in depth topics
The 5.0 for IB is given both years and since you have to take 7 classes that’s 28 5.0s added to your gpa if you go by semester which would boost your gpa waaaaay more than AP @Spencek
Another point is that IB is INTERNATIONAL. It goes beyond teaching American curriculum and it really widens your global perspective. IB history, for example, forces you to study other countries rather than focus on the US like AP classes do. We study third world countries and their effects from the cold war instead of the usual US vs USSR stuff you learn in middle school. We use an australian textbook in math so it’s a lot more metric system stuff and we have to get out of the habit of rationalizing denominators since the US is the only country that does that… In English we study American lit but also British, Russian, Arabic, etc. We read and analyzed communism in its purest form while studying the communist manifesto and I really enjoyed it because the US system perceives communism to be the root of all evil even though it doesn’t exactly explain why; it’s just something we’re taught from the beginning to hate but actually learning about it was enlightening.
Hello guys, this is a question related to the rigor. I have a question about my courses. Right now I am taking 5 APs which will not be changing, 1 dual enrollment and 1 college prep course, and 1 study free period. I was wondering, will taking a college prep level course lower my chances and GPA at a competitive college? For the course, this is the only level for it and there are no honor levels for this course. I really like the course but maybe it is not smart for me to do it. So, should I drop this course and take an honors one instead? I am not taking any science courses this year, but if i drop my college level course, I can take human anatomy honors. Please what would you do and I appreciate any advice.
Thank you