<p>Hey, I'm a sophomore in high school and we are starting to register for classes next year...and I am soooo confused! I was wondering if it would be better to take IB classes or AP classes if I plan on going through with a direct med program in college..?</p>
<p>If you’re looking to get into a BS/MD program, IB, in my opinion, is the way to go (only if you’re doing the diploma). Though, most programs don’t really have a preference per se, as they usually take credits from both (provided that you’ve passed the respective exams and/or internal assessments). I would say go with IB sciences in that instance. Bio and Chem especially. Both (at least in my school) are two years, and it really shows that you’re dedicated to the sciences if you can push through both years. As a future BS/MD applicant myself, I was a little late on taking both IB chem and bio, and so now I’m set to take four sciences for next year. As for AP, it is only one year, and I’ve heard it is harder to get a 7 from an IB HL course than it is to get a 5 on the AP exam.</p>
<p>if you’re not going to do a diploma programme (which you wouldn’t be able to start in sophomore year anyways), taking IB classes when APs are available is a largely useless exercise, especially given your path of studies (IB sciences are not particularly strong)</p>
<p>While they may be useless to you, a lot of these programs are extremely competitive and even request your senior schedule. If they see that you’re only taking useless electives and not even courses that are remotely rigourous…the adcoms for these programs might think that you really don’t really take a lot of things seriously.</p>
<p>My advice? Contact the college program directly and ask which they take more seriously. Look around for current students and ask them which was more helpful. My school does not offer the IB Program, only Advanced Placement, and from what I understand IB is certainly more of a pain in the rear end to accomplish. I’ve never heard of a significant advantage for either track.</p>
<p>You can search for extensive debates on this topic, but the gist is that AP is better for the kids with lopsided interests, since IB stresses a well-rounded education. If you want to focus on science, I recommend AP just so you can focus on those classes (though IB is by no means easier if you’re taking HL, Higher Level).</p>
<p>I am currently an IB junior. It is just as challenging as it is made out to be, but it is more do-able than many people lead on. If you want to learn and be forced into a world of independant and thought then go for IB. I cannot promise you will get good grades though and if you are the whiny type this isn’t for you. If you are more concerend with good grades and want to look good then AP works for you. I have taken and passed AP exams and they are much easier than IB tests. </p>
<p>Only you can decide what works for you!</p>
<p>Last year, my school split because a new school opened. We all had the choice of going IB or AP… </p>
<p>some people I have talked to seem to think that IB is so much harder than AP, IT’S NOT. Although I haven’t done IB, I have friends in it, and it’s no more challenging than the 6 AP courses I currently have. </p>
<p>If you KNOW that you want to go into a med program, then you may be better off taking AP. That way, you could take the sciences you need, and not have to worry about taking IB History or English. AP will enable you to focus on the courses that you need, and you don’t have to take ones that you are not interested in. At a school that a lot of my friends go to, IB English is VERY difficult, whereas IB Biology is not that hard. I realize that this can vary from school to school. </p>
<p>At my school and the one that a lot of us went to last year, we have some sort of an “IB/AP battle”. The IB-ers think that they’re SO much better than all of us… honestly, it gets on my nerves. It’s two separate programs!! </p>
<p>Let us know what your decision is!</p>
<p>Also, just to toss it out there–from what I can tell, IB program kids get into the same colleges that AP kids do. You just have to do well in what you take.</p>
<p>If you’re interested in the sciences…I would highly suggest doing IB for the rigor of the programme, but only if you’re pursuing the diploma and also able to double-block with an AP science course, self-study for the AP exam, etc.</p>
<p>I’m a junior IB student in IB Physics HL. Personally, I can’t speak for biology or chemistry…but IB Physics HL is almost a joke compared to the AP Physics courses. If I were seriously interested in science, I would definitely be in AP Physics right now.</p>
<p>This really depends on how IB and AP are delivered in your school. There are great IB programs, and some that are not so great. You really have to do your homework. If you are most interested in science, which program at your school has the best teachers?
A few general points: IB is more restrictive in terms of course choice (assuming you are going to pursue the diploma). (By the way, IB is only a two-year program, so you can begin it in your junior year–I think IBfootballer may be thinking of some IB magnet programs which begin in freshman year, but the first two years of those are really pre-IB). I think it’s also true that AP is (marginally) better if you’re hoping to get a lot of advanced placement and accelleration in college. This is because some colleges will give credit for any AP exam, but only for Higher Level IB exams.</p>