<p>Im a freshman in high school who just moved back to Georgia this year.I have heard of honors and AP classes my whole life. When I moved back to Georgia, I heard about the IB program. What I want to Know is does taking IB classes make a bigger difference on your college application. Than taking AP calsses.</p>
<p>No. They are equally regarded insofar as “admissability” is concerned. AP is about five times more popular than IB, but most admissions staff at colleges will know about both. Certainly at Yale.</p>
<p>However, it is my estimation that most colleges extend credit for these classes more easily for AP. That is their published credit schemes typically mention minimal AP scores necessary for credit but often don’t mention IB equivalents. It is quite possible that they would recognize IB scores, too, and simply don’t mention it on their Websites. If retroactive credit is of interest to you I suggest you directly contact such schools about IB policies when it comes to time for you to select a school. This is <em>not</em> a reason to avoid IB courses.</p>
<p>Thank you for your help I really appreciate it.</p>
<p>Would colleges (Yale in particular), see taking individual IB classes (without the full program) the same as taking a bunch of AP’s. Getting credit is not my concern, but showing academic rigor is.</p>
<p>IB is intended to be a program. Its difficulty is a function not only of class rigor but of the required service and 4,000 research paper.</p>
<p>Doesn’t Yale only accept 5s on AP tests?
If that’s the case, I suspect they would only accept 7s on IBs; maybe 6s but I doubt that.</p>
<p>Yale accepts 6s and 7s on IB Higher Level tests. That’s another thing about IB - you take some classes standard level, and some higher level. Higher level classes tend to be harder than APs, while standard levels are easier. I would avoid IB if your school offers plentiful AP courses and there is any sort of co-seating. I would additionally advise against a young IB program. The bureaucracy involved is incredible, and for a school not used to it, the program can be disjointed, uncoordinated, and poorly managed.</p>
<p>IB is a great program if it is well run. If you have a choice, you really have to do your homework and find out about it. I agree that if it’s a new program, it may not be ready for prime time. As for credit, a lot of IB students simply take the AP test that corresponds to the IB course they are taking–sometimes this requires reviewing some extra material, but not always.</p>
<p>From what I have heard, although the official policy is that both are equal, IB is given slight preference to. And some statistics from the recent past that show people with lower GPA and IB accepted over people with similar stats, but higher GPA and AP, further confirm this hypothesis. There are entire threads on the issue somewhere on the collegeconfidential. Google Yale IB AP and the forum and you will see what I am talking about. However, I would most definitely agree that a poorly run IB is not recommendable, if well run AP is available as well. IB requires not only inquiring students, but qualified and specifically trained teachers. If the second condition is not met fully, you are, more or less, doomed or a tremendous effort will be needed just to pass. And you do not want your admissions decision revoked just because you didn’t cover half of your predicted grades.</p>
<p>And don’t even think of taking SL certificates…they are meaningless. The idea of IB is the entire Diploma itself. The whole story with the different subject areas, CAS, Extended Essay and all of that didn’t just pop up in someone’s head for the sake of doing work. The perks of the Diploma make it the real simulation of rigorous collegework which universities would like to see. So either choose the IB Diploma, or take AP. I am an IB Diploma person, although I personally prefer AP, for it gives you more flexibility. But IB is fine, too, and probably just a tiny little bit more advantageous when it comes down to colleges.</p>
<p>Good luck. :)</p>