Hi everyone, I am currently taking the IB diploma in my school, On the following subjects:
Math HL
Physics HL
Portuguese A2 HL
Spanish B HL
Geography SL
English A1 SL
Would it be a good idea to take some AP examinations in these subjects? Can I take them in Brazil? Is AP generally considered harder or easier than IB? Any place where I can find some past papers? Thank you!
<p>I would recommend that you don't take the AP exams if you haven't taken AP courses (either online or in a classroom). IB is completely different coursework, even though it may be similar material. </p>
<p>Some of the past AP tests (free response questions and practice multiple choice) can actually be found on the collegeboard's site, <a href="http://www.collegeboard.com/%5B/url%5D">http://www.collegeboard.com/</a></p>
<p>math, physics, and spanish are certainly possible, just review the syllabus + pick up a review book. I took calc BC after ib math SL. It took a couple weeks with a review book but I knew everything I needed. (People who have taken the Ib Math HL have gotten 5's in AP calc and say the tests are much easier)</p>
<p>From what I understand, the IB exams are much more difficult than the AP exams. I believe the IB exams, specifically the HL, tend to test beyond what you are expected to know--if that makes sense. If you're doing all those IB exams, I wouldn't bother with AP. But if you do, I think you'll find the AP much easier.</p>
<p>Be very, very careful which AP exams you take. With Physics HL, you can take the AP Physics B exam. IB Physics does not cover calculus, though, so AP Physics C is not a good idea. With Math HL and Spanish B HL, you can definitely take the AP Calc BC and AP Spanish exams. It would definitely be a good idea to take AP exams- after all, most of your IB scores don't come back until after your acceptances. </p>
<p>As far as difficulty goes, it depends on your perspective...I took an AP exam for every IB exam, but it's hard to say. AP is more hard-core facts than IB; IB is more the general knowledge about the subject. IB definitely covers more topics than AP, though, which is probably what makes IB exams "harder." The IB Chem exam, for example, covered everything from stoich to electrochem to environmental chem to fuels&energy to medicine&drugs. The AP Chem exam was just stoich over and over again. The IB Physics exam covered mechanics, thermal physics, waves, electromagnetism, quantum physics, astrophysics, relativity, optics...the AP Physics exams were not nearly as broad, although AP Phsyics B is close. </p>
<p>What is the difference between A1 and A2? I took German B SL and English A1 HL.</p>
<p>A1 is your main language: that means you learn literature instead of learning the language.
A2 is the foreign language: you are learning the language and nothing more.</p>
<p>kristian: My daughter suggested that you look at your specific colleges you might want to attend and see what they accept. Apparently, she found no college that would accept IB SL exams, though they all accept HL, though not in all subjects. And you have to make a certain score (at least a 5 in American universities), but you won't get those back until the middle of the summer, so if you're taking them as a senior, those scores don't help much early on. She strongly suggested looking at the colleges to which you want to apply to see what they will take. She took the HL physics and the AP physics; she did well on the AP physics and will get credit for that, but she won't know about the HL physics until July. Anyway...she did also take a couple of AP exams without taking the specific courses and did well by looking over the review book for them.</p>
<p>OK I understand.... Can I choose not to send my AP scores? Would they also help in admissions or only to give me credit?</p>
<p>kristian: As I understand it, all tests/exams you take with College Board are sent in to your listed colleges. You can't choose to have some scores sent and not others, though I'm not sure why. Makes it easier on College Board, I guess. </p>
<p>I think having taken AP courses definitely helps in admissions, and I suspect the scores help in admissions just by giving more information about you. For instance, if you make an A in your AP class, but only make a 1 or 2 on your AP exam, that tells Admissions something about you and possibly your school. That's my take. I'm sure someone else here will correct me if I'm wrong or can add or clarify.</p>
<p>hey- you're totally misguided about A2... you mean B when you say there is no literature involved.</p>
<p>In my school A1 is Literature based, A2 literature + cultural studies, B for begginers...</p>
<p>By the way, some colleges do offer credit for certain exams. For example, although it doesn't advertise it, Duke offers placement for SL foreign language exams and Math Methods SL provided you have supporting coursework.</p>
<p>I understand now...
A1- your native language
A2- foreign language, but literature/culture included
B- foreign language, speaking/writing only
Thanks!</p>
<p>I only sent my AP exams to one school; I self-reported the scores to other colleges (only the good scores).</p>
<p>warblersrule: I understand self-reporting, but how did you manage to separate out your AP scores from your SAT scores when sending those official records to colleges? I got the impression that any test you took through College Board--that everything got sent. I'm curious as to how you sent your AP exams to only one school..since you were sending your SAT scores presumably. Could all that be separated out??</p>
<p>Warblersrule is correct..schools might use those SL exams as "placement," but not for credit.</p>
<p>definitely look into AP tests...</p>
<p>I hate that schools won't give you credit for Calc 1 (AP Calc AB) in IB, because it's an SL test.</p>
<p>So to the OP:
you can take AP Calc BC, AP Spanish, AP Physics B (? w/o calc), AP Lit, and AP Language</p>
<p>I thought SAT scores and AP scores are sent separately. You can request 4 schools for SAT scores and one school for AP scores. I could be wrong; I'm not sure. :confused:</p>
<p>Thanks, warblersrule. I'm not sure, either, but it was our understanding that when one score gets sent, they all get sent. I think you used to be able to separate them out, but I thought you couldn't do that anymore. I guess at this point (for you and my daughter, anyway)...it doesn't matter.. By the way, I saw that you are heading to Duke. Congratulations!</p>
<p>Regarding the A1 and A2. I meant to say that A2 has no hardcore literature. You can get a dual-language diploma only if you take two A1 languages because A2 is still considered foreign language. B is the easiest. I took two A1s while my friends took A2, and whoever implied that A2 is significantly more than A1 is misguided: A2 (at least what it's supposed to be) should be language based, with a mix of beginning lit and cultural studies. A1 is like your English HL/SL/AP class in another language.</p>
<p>How hard would it have been to do 2 A1's? Do you have to do the World Lit papers and Oral Commentaries in both languages?</p>
<p>Thanks, Jack! I'm very excited about next year. At this point, I'm just hoping for good AP/IB scores. :)</p>
<p>Nope. You have to read another set of 11 (SL) or 14 (HL) books - the books are the so called "classics" in the other language. You have to write a world lit on them, and then do oral commentary. And then the test...has two parts...and it's all commentary...the oral is pretty easy. But the test, the SL test is just a tiny notch below HL in English. I only rec the additional A1 if you are very, very, very fluent (to about High School level in the other language) when it comes to reading, writing, and speaking.</p>