well, i gota admit it, i didn’t take IB at my canadian HS. Is this extremely detrimental to admission in to top schools like HYPS? i mean, my weighted average is 97-98%, and thats the highest weighted avg, i think, for all the boys in my grade.
I head IB ain’t that useful. true or not?
<p>IB is not a scale tipping factor in admissions as many IBers make it out to be, but it is known to be a rigorous academic course. If you took APs in place of it, it's perfectly fine. There's been debates now and then about which one's harder, AP or IB, but generally the difference is in the program structure, rather than class difficulty. </p>
<p>So you can generally think of IB in similar ways as AP: both give you a look at college level courses. </p>
<p>IB, IMO, is certainly useful for getting a student ready for college, etc. The IB track also ensures that you've taken the hardest course load possible. </p>
<p>And no, it's not detrimental for HYPS admission.</p>
<p>In my opinion, IB only puts u on the hardest track if you take full. I know many partial IB friends who are having a super slack grade 12 year. I'm talking 2 core subjects and everything else is useless. </p>
<p>And no, my school doesn't offer AP.</p>
<p>I just have a different perspective of my peers then, because at my school, the tiny amount of IB students are those that are all crazy about top-tier universities, so close to all take IB classes in full. </p>
<p>What exactly does your schedule look like?</p>
<p>lets put it this way... im refering to the IB full diploma program by the way. The IB full diploma program is known to be the 'most rigourous course'. given tht, it doesnt mean u cant have an as rigourous curriculum. The ib program is more than just classes, because unlike AP (at least i think), theres courseworks u need to do throught the program, and exams in the end to take. furthermore, theres the TOK classes u need to take, the CAS requirement to fulfill (ECs basically), and the Extended essay (research paper) to be done. So if a student take it, i guess he will qualify as 'most rigourse course availible'. HOwever, the right amoust of AP, honours, will be just equivalent in terms of rigourous level. Its definitely not a big factor in HYP since all applicants wil be taking rigourous courseload, but for less competitive schools, it might work in their favour a little.</p>
<p>I'm an IB Diploma student and let me tell you, my schedule really is full. </p>
<p>Non diploma students with just a few IB courses really slack off though, and for them, high school life is pretty easy.</p>
<p>Our school doesn't really offer AP...</p>
<p>I think if your school offers the full IB diploma, and you don't take it, it kind of looks like slacking to colleges. However, most US schools only have AP and there not looked down for this. If your school has it, and you just take a few IB classes where you choose, it doesn't look good. Just my thoughts :)</p>
<p>IB does not automatically mean that you will get into top colleges or top colleges will rate you higher than students who didn't go IB.</p>
<p>It's possible to have a more rigorous schedule by taking non IB classes than by taking IB classes. For instance, a student who is very interested in science may wish to load up on science and math courses to an extent that is not possible in an IB program, which requires that the student take IB courses in humanities, social sciences, the arts, etc. </p>
<p>In my city, I saw a student get into Harvard who had a strong interest in computer science, interests that he couldn't pursue in our local IB program, which had no computer courses. He went to an AP-intensive high school, took a heavy AP load, maxed out early on their computer sci classes and then started working professionally as a programmer. His grades,scores and clear demonstrated passion for computer sci got him into Harvard.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, students who had done well in IB, but had no demonstrated passion, did not get into Harvard that year.</p>
<p>A student who avoids IB simply to slack won't help their chances. A student, though, who loves a subject that they can't do in enough depth in IB, who therefore chooses another program and pursues their interest in depth while getting good grades, scores and taking a rigorous courseload may be boosting their chances to a highly selective US college.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>due to ur description, it might actually be to my adv not to take full ib then. if I had taken full ib, i wouldn't have been able to take a business course, at least not in grade 10 anyways. and i would've missed accounting all-together. however, the problem with this is, partial ib students could've taken those courses. dang. another thing with full ib, is that you can't take one of the science courses, unless you do it in summer school. I'm taking all of them.</p>
<p>my courseload: no spare classees, taken all business related classes in the school, 1 semester of keyboarding (which is bad, i know, but its over), and all 3 sciences and every other academic core. </p>
<p>My resume is going to be focused on my business ec's, anyways</p>
<p>I think that unless a person has a strong strong hook, if they go to an IB school and don't do full IB, it looks bad. Which looks better on an application: calculus or AP calculus. Same deal. For the most part though, IB makes college a breeze, something that AP cannot claim.</p>
<p>No. IB is definately NOT a scale tipping factor when it comes to most college admissions (the colleges that you are looking at). You'd be better off with AP. If you're doing IB for a 'hook' or college credit then you are in for HELL because you get none of that. IB should be done out of your own conscious will. Because seriously, if you don't honestly like the IB then you're just killing yourself. There is absolutely no reason to go through the pain that is IB unless you genuinely like it.</p>
<p>And I happen to like it. XD The college I want to go to will give me money and lots of hours for it. Plus they say college will be easier, so I'll be well prepared for the honors classes.</p>
<p>Ash, I never thought of it that way. I don't know if it looks bad or not.</p>
<p>I think what he's saying, though, is that he's taken neither IB, nor AP. Instead, he's taken courses in his interest area (business) as well as all 3 sciences in from grade 10-12 (in Alberta, gr. 10 you're introduced to all 3 by taking Science 10, then in grades 11/12 you can take Chem/Bio/Physics 20/30)</p>
<p>well you can still try your chances at those schools by expressing your strong passion in your interest.however bare in mind that you will be competing against IB students in your school when they apply to the same school as you.</p>
<p>this isn't an AP vs IB debate. This is an issue of take the "most rigorous courseload." The OP didn't take the "most rigorous courseload" and that is going to hurt chances for acceptance at a top school.</p>
<p>IB IS a scale tipping factor if it's lots of IB vs. no IB, just like lots of AP vs. no AP.</p>
<p>It might be possible to demonstrate why you didn't, and that might be acceptable, but at my high school, all the stupid kids took business classes.</p>
<p>"...all the stupid kids took business classes."</p>
<p>ROFL</p>
<p>oh well it doesn't matter now. besides, i make myself feel good by thinking that if i had indeed gone into IB, i'd probably never even considered business as a career option. I would've gone into med. Also, i think my app looks better with business EC's than the typical IB student with a load of non-correlating EC's.</p>
<p>I don't know which IB kids you talk to, but all of my IB friends have correlating EC's on top of their courseloads...</p>
<p>
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I don't know which IB kids you talk to, but all of my IB friends have correlating EC's on top of their courseloads...
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</p>
<p>What part of "consoling himself" didnt you understand? ;) .. just kiddin.</p>
<p>I'm an IB diploma. One of the best things about IB is that you learn how to juggle a million and one things at the same time. I had my extended essay and a Theory of knowledge essay and CAS (creativity, action, service) log all due today. Doing the full diploma forces you to be well rounded. Also, most grads I've talked to say that college is easier than IB diploma. And IB is a big factor at some colleges. When I visited Amherst the addmissions person told us that they put IB in one stack and everyone else in the other.</p>
<p>HOLY POOP ON A STICK!!! Was that a final draft of the EE? If so, that's killer to have it so EARLY!!!</p>
<p>And yes, IB is IT. I;m just sad that they don't offer it at more schools.
However, I think one major distinction vs AP and the others is the commitment. All 6 classes, all 6 tests, all 6 assessments, TOK, the extended essay, all 150 CAS hours. (And that year of credit you get at a UC : ) </p>
<p>It def. takes a different kind of person to do IB, its like an abusive spouse.
IB beats the crap out of you, but at the end of the day you go crying back to it, saying "I love you, baby."</p>