<p>Okay, so this debate has been raging IRL, and I think we should settle it here.</p>
<p>I'm well aware that the average IB kid slaughters the average AP kids. That's because any idiot can sign up for AP.</p>
<p>What I'm talking about is maybe the top 5-10%. I mean the kids who come out of high school with 15+ tests that are mostly 5s with some 4s mixed in. How do these kids compare with the top 5-10% of IB?</p>
<p>us AP kids prefer the flexibility to go around SELF STUDYING.
and doing college courses while we're at it.</p>
<p>AP teaches you knowledge, IB teaches you skills.</p>
<p>^ Hm supereagle. I don't 100% agree. As a student of both, I would say that IB is harder and the IB kids are, without comparison, smarter (at least at my school). The IB kids have so much extra stuff than the AP knowledge, like IAs, EE, CAS, etc. Also, IB more or less goes and covers a wide variety of knowledge (in a more simplistic way than AP, but more topics) in SL, but then usually gets pretty specific on the same topics in HL. So, I would say the IB kids have more against them and the top 5-10% would probably be "smarter"</p>
<p>IB and AP are both hard in my school but IB kids are stupider because the smarter kids dont want the extra work of IB so they take AP.</p>
<p>people always talk about how the IB kids have to do CAS hours. keep in mind that many AP kids do those things too, but don't do it because it is part of a program.</p>
<p>On the contrary supereagle10, AP teaches you how to ace a test at the end of the year. IB teaches you knowledge and skills.</p>
<p>Not to say AP is bad, but that's the truth.</p>
<p>I prefer AP because if you aren't good at a certain subject but great at something else, you can just take the appropriate AP class.</p>
<p>the thing is secret77, those kids don't have to do the tedious recording and evaluations that go into every hour that you do</p>
<p>I'm sure the kids who took 15+ AP's with 4's and 5's could compete with the top 5-10% of IB. Honestly a really stupid question. Both programs are recognized by colleges for a reason, and credit is handed out sparingly at the top schools because colleges know both programs have their shortcomings.</p>
<p>/thread</p>
<p>
[quote]
I'm well aware that the average IB kid slaughters the average AP kids. That's because any idiot can sign up for AP.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What are your biases? Have you taken any AP courses or are well aware of those who do? Do you realize that different programs are stronger or weaker in different schools? Your premises is that the average IB kid slaughters the average AP kid, presumably with the assumption that any idiot (and there are at least more idiots in the AP program than the IB program). This is an unsound argument. </p>
<p>
[quote]
What I'm talking about is maybe the top 5-10%. I mean the kids who come out of high school with 15+ tests that are mostly 5s with some 4s mixed in. How do these kids compare with the top 5-10% of IB?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>The top 5%-10% of the students in the AP program (in terms of scores) are likely to have all 5's in a good amount of AP exams. </p>
<p>We do have to consider what we are comparing though. I have had no personal experience with the IB program, but it seems overly restrictive. As for the course content, that obviously depends on the school.</p>
<p>AP=PC
IB=Mac</p>
<p>I am (slightly) biased, since I am an IB Diploma candidate, but I think IB wins hands down. I took AP Calc B/C last year because I was a year ahead and I couldn't take my HL math exam junior year, so I think got a fair perspective on AP v IB in that area. I basically crammed for the exam with one study session and a practice test and pulled off a five just because I figured out how to do the problems as AP wanted them done. At the same time, I don't think I have a prayer of a 7 on the IB HL exam. Simply put, even though IB courses at certain high schools may not seem as rigorous as others, the exams are much harder.</p>
<p>On the whole top 5-10% debate, it is a flawed question, because the top 5-10% of IB are the top in the world, whereas the top of AP are only the top of the country, so obviously IB would be stronger. The top 5-10% in the US in IB, however, is a different matter, which is again skewed by the smaller number of IB students compared to AP students.</p>
<p>I think it's different in America, because IB is actually a select program. Here, in international schools, AP is often not an option except for calculus.
IB is very tedious, but it depends on how you choose your courses. You can load yourself with 4 higher levels or just lay back and take 3 highers levels.
But it's way harder to get 6/7 on the exam, which is pretty much what you need to get credit in college. (AP, you only have to get 4/5) Sure it's rigorous, but some kids applying to American unis actually regretted it.
As another IB diploma candidate, I think IB prepares you better with the CAS, EE, TOK etc. Especially TOK. It's confusing to study "how we know what we know" but it's better than just cramming 10 APs into your schedule.</p>
<p>I swear IB kids are such whiners. AP and IB are the same thing basically. IB kids are always going on and on about them having no life... Correct me if I'm wrong but don't IB kids have a class called Theory of Knowledge where you just talk?</p>
<p>In my school district there are 7 academies and they rank like this (Official)</p>
<p>Math and Science
Health Sciences
Law Academy
IB (Oh no 4th! but IB kids refuse to believe that)
Language
Technology
Preforming Arts</p>
<p>
[quote]
-AP will grant one more credits toward college than IB
-AP is cheaper than IB
-AP is more flexible and has more subject areas
-AP is more indicative of college success in the U.S.
-AP lets students take whatever classes they want
-AP is more nationally recognized
-AP is older than IB, and thus more established
-AP requires critical/analytical thinking
-AP can begin in 9th grade, unlike IB
[/quote]
</p>
<p>From another person on another thread</p>
<p>
[quote]
Another consideration to keep in mind is that the more selective colleges often give college credit only for IB classes taken at the “Higher Level” (”HL” in IB lingo). IB students take three classes at that level and the rest at the Standard Level (”SL”). Some colleges give credit only for IB exam scores of 7 (the top); some for lower scores. Thus, even the most outstanding students may only get college credit in three areas, while AP students could end up with credit in many more subjects, depending on how many AP classes the student takes, how he fares on the exams, and what the college’s credit policy is. Some parents and students report that they have to jump through more hoops for IB credit than for AP credit, especially when students are not at the most selective colleges
[/quote]
</p>
<p>What about the fact that someone of any age can take an AP exam (there's a 14 yr old 8th grader in my AP Calc BC class), but you have to be a certain age to take the IB exams? This really screws over some kids, especially if they get ahead in math or a foreign language- a friend of mine was way ahead in French, took AP/IB French language in 10th grade when he was 16 (but had to take the AP exam, couldn't take the IB exam), and took AP/IB French Literature in 11th grade when he was 17 (but- even though he's an IB diploma candidate- he had to take the AP exam last year, and can't take the IB exam until this year, 12th grade, when he'll be 18).</p>
<p>yea lolol. im takin 5 aps this year. as a freshman.
dam ib has nothing like that.</p>
<p>although i wish we could take TOK.</p>
<p>I think people should try IB before cutting it down. it's definitely harder than AP as an overall program.</p>