<p>Hey! I'm confused. Help. Please and thank you.lol! :)</p>
<p>IB courses:
I've heard that IB courses are harder than AP courses. Does this mean it will carry more weight with colleges, too? What kind of schools offer IB courses. So far, I've seen only international students mention it. Is it an international thing or is it offered in the U.S?</p>
<p>AP courses:
Can you actually self study for AP courses? How does that work. Do you just take the exam without any evidence of actually taking the course?</p>
<p>Ha.. at my school IB is easier than AP.. people get weighted points for some IB classes were all you have to do is show up and u get an A. I think the AP tests are harder than the IB ones, i took a practice IB test in French class cause it was an IB/AP class.. it was SOOO much easier. My Bio teacher says IB test is easier, my English teacher says IB is more foregiving on your essays if u make mistakes, my french teacehr thinks the IB test is easier too. IB classes are honor classes basically, colleges will look at it the same as AP classes. Some schools offer both AP and IB courses, some dont. My high school's IB.. ugh. (i chose not to do IB by the way, but it was just the way scheduleing works at at my school.. badly) Just depends on how your school runs the program. At some colleges, ie.. university of CA system. you can enter with a sophomore status if you get the IB diploma.</p>
<p>At my school, IB is the hardest. AP is a joke. My school is the IB magnet for the county, so the rest of the county comes here if they want to take IB. </p>
<p>I'm not technically in it--sophomores are considered "pre-IB"--but I have advanced past the normal curriculum and I'm taking two full fleged IB classes this year, Spanish III and Pre-Calc.</p>
<p>From my understanding, IB is more of a final product thing than passing a test. It changes the way you look at and understand the world around you. There is a lot more philosophy behind IB than there is behind AP. AP is just "You're advanced, so take me..." while IB is more "Do you want to really understand the world? Well sit down with an open mind and I'll teach you..."</p>
<p>Ehh, more practically, I see AP as much more focused, while IB tends to be broad in its approach to learning.</p>
<p>I agree with Visirale that: "There is a lot more philosophy behind IB than there is behind AP. AP is just "You're advanced, so take me..." while IB is more "Do you want to really understand the world? Well sit down with an open mind and I'll teach you..."</p>
<p>At my school, the AP and IB classes are almost identical except the IB kids obviously have a lot more essays and projects that they need to do in order to turn in to the IBO. Both AP and IB are weighted the same at my school but I think they are trying to change that (not in time for my graduating class though :( ) Personally, I don't really care about being in IB, I don't love it and I don't hate it, but my friends who have quit IB and are in AP are happy they did and my friends who are still stuck in IB like me hate it. I think I would stick with AP if I were you ... unless the IB program weighs a lot more than AP at you school... :]</p>
<p>Or, like I did, before IB starts your junior year, you should get some AP courses in your sophomore year, and honors courses in your freshman year. In my junior year, I had 1 AP course, all the others being IB, and senior year was all IB. IMO, at my school some classes AP is harder, whereas some IB.</p>
<p>In my school, no IB courses are offered - only APs. But, I came on cc and heard a whole bunch of things about IB and had no clue what they were - so thanks for the info. Are any of you considering self studying AP courses? Is that even possible and if so, how does it work? Thanks again. :)</p>
<p>yes, self study is possible. Get a txtbook and go thru it yourself. Its quite common with blow off courses like psych. Then just take the test at your school with other kids, you may have to tell your counselor first though.</p>
<p>I agree with Visirale and fhshortie08. I mean, IB literally has a philosophy class you are required to take for the IB Diploma. I really like IB (except when I'm up at 3 doing HW...then not so much), its holistic approach and international bent. Plus the IB Diploma, the likes of which AP does not have, really pulls everything together. To get it, you take 7 IB courses, take 6 IB exams, do at least 150 community service hours, and write a 4,000 word research essay.</p>
<p>Yes, you can self-study for AP. I know several people who are doing that, without taking the course itself. There are tons of books out there that prepare you for the tests; just make sure to ask around to find the best quality one.</p>