IB vs AP for Stanford Engineering

Colleges and Universities A-Z Stanford University
1

I am going to be a junior this coming school year and so far I have been completely convinced that I should take the AP program at my school. The main reasons are as a sophomore I already took AP Physics 1 (self studied Physics C:Mech with a 5) and AP World. I also heard IB is weaker in the sciences and more focused in the humanities and I am planning to take engineering. Lastly, I feel that there is more shining potential in AP because of weighted classes and the 100 point grading scale. I could probably become valedictorian.

However, lately I have been wondering if IB is a more elite program. In particular, I was wondering which one would be better for me to go my dream school: Stanford. In many ways I find that Stanford is similar to IB in that it requires the WAYS classes which seem similar to TOK. My school is pushing everyone to take IB.

One of the main reasons I want to go to Stanford is because I have heard the school fosters creativity and entreprenuerism. Compared to AP is IB better at this?

2

Questions you should ask yourself when deciding:

What HL courses are available in the IB program, and what AP courses are available?

If you got a 5 on the AP physics C test, that presumably means that you knew calculus as a sophomore. What are the options for taking post-calculus math courses at local colleges for either direction you choose?

Stanford’s AP and IB credit charts are here:
https://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/registrar/students/ap-charts
https://studentaffairs.stanford.edu/registrar/students/baccalaureate-credit

In any case, Stanford is super-selective, so do not count on being admitted there.

3

If I went the IB route I would take Math HL, Chem Hl, Phys HL, Econ SL, English Sl, and Spanish Sl.

If I went AP, I’d take AP Chem, AP Calc BC, AP Phys E&M, APUSH, AP Span, AP Gov, AP Stats or AP CS, AP Microecon, AP Bio, and AP Lang.

4

Theres no post-calc option in either path…so I would have to find an online program to self study Dif Eq in my senior year.