<p>Has anyone had any experience with applying to school with an IB diploma? Do schools in the USA appreciate how hard it is to get---much harder than APs.</p>
<p>Got into Dartmouth and Duke so far(likelies) without having taken any IB tests. I am not sure how much it counts rather I just took the hardest classes. When I’ve asked admissions people they just act like each IB class is equivalent to an AP class.</p>
<p>Depends on who you talk to. Some teachers insist that colleges will look at IB diploma candidates applications FIRST, but I don’t believe it. </p>
<p>Since a student is usually accepted to a university before they have been awarded the IB diploma, it seems like colleges are looking at the rigor of the coursework. The IB certificate scores and diploma aren’t used in admissions selections, as they don’t come out until the summer after senior year.</p>
<p>Actually, SL classes are not the equivalent of an AP. They are not intended to be a college course (AP’s are supposed to be college material.)</p>
<p>I really don’t think it matters that much, at least not as much as it’s made out to.</p>
<p>YES, they do.</p>
<p>I know the difficulty of the IB program, believe me. While the AP students (at my school at least) are enjoying their carefree senior years, we are doing a million internal assessments, extended essays, and we also have the campuses hardest teachers on top of it all.</p>
<p>Our IB counselor at our school insists that IB is viewed better than AP. He was talking about how we had 4 IB students last year apply to Stanford; all got in…and they were the only ones in our senior class. He also said that some of the Ivies like the requirements for the IB program better because it creates a well rounded student (an overworked student definitely).</p>
<p>It depends on the college I guess. </p>
<p>Believe me, IB student, and OP, I know how hard senior year in the IB program can be. Just cross your fingers that it will pay off in the end.</p>
<p>OP, are you applying from overseas? These responses tend to be addressing you as a US student. If you are international, the IB diploma will give the US colleges an idea of the caliber of courses you have undertaken and I think will assist in your success in applying to US schools. That being said, the IB diploma and your total points do not provide automatic acceptance at US colleges as it does in some European countries. US schools will also look at ACT/SAT scores, extracurricular activities and the like.</p>
<p>The actual diploma is not taken into consideration for college admissions as it is not awarded until after you are into college.</p>
<p>Now if you are a candidate, I would say that they do take that into account.</p>
<p>Yeah, it’s good and all, but I don’t think colleges really know the difference between an IB and AP student unless they have first-hand experience with it like if their kids went through it. You’re kidding yourselves if you think IB classes help you over similar APs. The reason I am in my IB program is because there are more IB classes than AP therefore to take the hardest classes I have to be an IB student.</p>
<p>I have heard that question asked at information sessions with admissions officers from places like Harvard, Johns Hopkins and UNC. Every time, the admissions officers indicated that they consider AP-intensive and IB diploma programs equally rigorous. Where I live, there is an IB program, and a couple of high schools offering AP-intensive courses. I’ve noticed that students get into excellent colleges – including Ivies from both the IB program and the AP-intensive ones. When it comes to Harvard, my alma mater, I’ve seen top students from IB rejected while top students from the AP-intensive program are accepted. Sometimes the opposite happens, too. I’ve seen no evidence that Harvard favors IB over AP.</p>
<p>UPenn admissions told me they look at the IB Diploma as the most rigorous program out there (and doing 5 HLs this year, I agree). IB emphasizes writing a ton more than AP; you can also pick and choose in AP whereas IB is far more restrictive. Doesn’t mean AP isn’t hard, but there are a ton more variables.</p>
<p>IB will prep you for college-intensive writing a lot more than AP will, that is for certain. As for admissions, there are too many factors.</p>
<p>I would say that many US colleges would give special recognition for it, but since most applicants to US colleges are from US high schools, students do not receive their IB diploma until 6 months after their application is reviewed, so the colleges do not often have the chance to factor in an IB diploma.</p>
<p>Also, APs are individual classes and tests; IB diploma is a certain level of achievement in tests and CAS and EE and TOK. Not quite comparable.</p>
<p>IB is hard but I think they just treat it like AP, as far as I know. But they do know how rigorous the program is.</p>
<p>I have a question:
After taking the IB exams, do we need to send our IB scores to colleges? What happens if you get a score that’s below your predicted score?</p>
<p>In US colleges, your predicted score doesn’t matter. </p>
<p>The actual grades on your transcript matter. </p>
<p>Check with individual colleges to see what score you need to get college credit. Some colleges will give no credit for IB classes or only give credit for HL classes.</p>