IB vs AP vs Gifted/Honors

Pre-College Issues High School Life
261

<p>Then drop out and take AP. Seriously, if you don't like the program then there's no need to take it.</p>

<p>I personally feel that high school is meant to prepare you for college, not to teach you stuff that you're going to learn in college. You may or may not agree with that. IB does a very good job of preparing you for college. The ToK, IAs, EE, all the writing, etc. helps you become more open-minded and well-rounded, traits that are necessary for success in college (in my opinion). The six subjects may be spread apart and unrelated but I feel that this doesn't matter because there is no need to zone in on the subject of your major until you get to college. On the contrary, I feel it actually adds to the whole well-rounded thing.</p>

<p>All my opinions of course, just my personal take on it.</p>

<p>And you make some good points but none of them have anything to do with "teach[ing] you how to BS."</p>

262

<p>There's definitely something to it. Why else would IB grads start most non-elite colleges (at least ones in Florida) as sophomores?</p>

263

<p>DONT DO IB!</p>

<p>AP is prob the best. IB is worth nothing. Honors/Gifted, that really depends on how the colleges accept your school’s policy</p>

264

<p>turn back time and do both, like hermione granger</p>

265

<p>IB gets you less college cred and way more schools accept AP vs IB credit</p>

266

<p>I think AP is better only because it’s much more flexible and gives students more options. There aren’t any unecessary (in my opinion) requirements like the EE or the CAS. There’s only a very manageable test in May and there’s a good possibility of getting college credit.</p>

267

<p>In terms of raw benefits it would seem that AP is indeed more beneficial, more potential for college credit for less work. However IB has personally made me a stronger student and a more well-rounded person. IMO of course, but that is where the benefits of IB kick in.</p>

268

<p>hahaha that doesn’t sound like a lot to you? think about that in the context of everything else you do in your life ie imagine spending most of your summer at sailing camp for instance you come back aug 1 and you have a 4,000 page paper to write + college applications + sports practices + summer work (probably 2 reading and 2 writing assignments).</p>

269

<p>AP is more widely offered, more widely accepted, and more widely taken in America.</p>

270

<p>IB is definately harder than AP. I am in AP right now. My school dropped almost all AP classes for IB. I am signed up for IB next year, know tons of people who have been in IB and AP. They all say IB is way harder than AP. I am in AP right now and it is not that hard. IB seems very hard because of all the IB prep we are doing - like the dreaded personal project. IB is a higher level than AP, so if you have IB, take it, if you don’t, take AP. AP is analytical, then IB is analysis and 10x the work and thinking.</p>

271

<p>And by the way, a lot of college freshman come back to visit and say that IB better prepared them for college and now college is easier because of IB. And if you can’t keep up with the work, take IB in the classes that relate to your major, then take honors or AP in others. I may not take the whole IB diploma, colleges want to see students challenge themselves and take the highest level of classes offered. At least that’s what my guidance counselor said. But IB is no doubt harder than AP. AP is so easy!</p>

272

<p>I suggested this on another thread somewhere, but here’s the general rule:</p>

<p>If you plan on getting a university degree outside the United States, do IB (greater recognition/more credit). If you plan on staying inside the United States for college, do AP (also greater recognition/more credit). Also, if you plan on majoring in math/science/engineering, do AP, and if you plan on majoring in humanities, do IB.</p>

273

<p>I felt a bit obligated to pitch in, so I’ll throw a few things out there. </p>

<p>I’m currently an IB Junior, and I’ve experience both AP and IB classes respectively. I took two APs as a Sophomore [my school does not allow Freshmen to take APs], and aced them; got 5s on the AP Exams. I found one to be extremely challenging, while the other was a complete joke. </p>

<p>As part of the IB Middle Years Programme, Sophomores are required to complete an IB Personal Project. For me, it doubled as my graduation project, so no complaints from me. I got a perfect score, but to be honest, it was a BS requirement. A lot of my peers agreed that their projects were more fluff than actual substance. It’s not as horrible as it’s made out to be. </p>

<p>The valedictorian last year was an IB Student. Ever since our school initiated our IB program, I believe every valedictorian went through the IB program. Our school has traditionally funded and paid for all expenses pertaining to IB for all of its candidates, until this year [economic hardships and all], and I’ve asked my IB coordinator about the costs: they’re about the same as AP exams. That might deter some, but there’s always financial aid available, and I probably qualify for it. That being said, I don’t particularly think the money factor is that much different between the two. </p>

<p>Classes wise, I’m taking 8 IB classes, more than a couple of which are dual AP/IB courses at my school. Students at my school are allowed to take AP courses if they are IB students, and vise versa, so honestly, as long as an IB student fulfills his 2 - 3 SLs and 3 -4 HLs, he’s free to take electives of his choice. I found that AP World History prepared me for IB History of the Americas [also, note, AMERICAS, which includes Canada, the US, and Latin America], but HotA is significantly more rigorous. It’s so dreaded, it’s often a deterring factor for rising Juniors considering the IB program. We have to complete four “Quarter Papers”, essentially college level term papers using primary documents, etc, while integrating things such as historiography. It’s definitely helped me become a more efficient researcher. IB kids who are afraid of HotA “cop out” and take APUSH or HUSH [the general sentiment at my school]. </p>

<p>For me, Chemistry is an integrated class, as is Psychology, French, and Calculus [BC]. For HL Maths, you must complete what is essentially AP AB/BC Calculus and AP Stats, and some other topics that aren’t covered in those two courses. Internal Assessments are required for each subject area, and really help your brain juices to start flowing as teachers are not allowed to give you direct assistance, and these contribute to your overall final IB grade in that subject area. </p>

<p>I’m overall content with the IB Program at my school. I’m a student who wants to go into Engineering, and I feel that I’m getting an equal if not better overall education with IB. My friend’s sister got accepted to Columbia’s Fu Foundation last year and she was an IB student. AP of course has its perks. My school recently got rid of IB Physics due to a teacher retiring so I’ll be taking AP Physics next year. Our school offers interesting elective APs like European History or Economics of which I hope to take advantage of. It’s definitely nice to get the best of both worlds. Though, I feel like the IB course work is more rigorous than AP, because of what I’ve gotten from taking APs myself and what I’ve heard/seen students in AP do. </p>

<p>A couple last things to note, my guidance counselor’s neighbor is part of Duke admissions. The admissions official has stated that when looking at the rigor of prospective students’ schedules, IB is seen as more favorable, and more rigorous. She wants her daughter to do IB. Of course, that’s just one person’s opinion. A student can get just the same benefits from taking all APs. Also, I believe that at my school, IB classes used to count for 7 quality points, but some AP parents complained about it and now both IB and AP are counted for 6 points. I personally believe IB should be worth more, but that’s my opinion. My school tends to place more emphasis on the IB program, and has been recognized by IBO as having one of the more successful programs in the US. Take what I’ve said with a grain of salt. I’m not trying to convince anyone that one is better than the other. Both have their merits.</p>

274

<p>I wanted to get the IB diploma, but it clashed with my schedule because I wouldn’t be able to do Bio and Chem in the same year :(</p>

275

<p>OMG HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA I remember when this was first out my freshman year and how controversial it is. Just drop this. It’s 4 years old. If you want to read my input, go to like the 1st or 2nd page lol.</p>

276

<p>Just my two cents. Bowing out now. :)</p>

277

<p>Wow this thread took 4 years to end ? ¿ i feel honored to be able to end this argument in 2013 ! ¡ lol whale i am a current junior at my highschool and im taking The IB and yeah its hard … So IB wins ! :smiley: lol.</p>

278

<p>One of the main differences between IB and AP, and the main reason why many say IB is better, is that, while AP requires students to memorize facts and regurgitate them back on to a final test, IB requires students to not only remember facts, but also actually understand the facts and subject by making cause and effect connections between facts and justifying why the relationship is present and why it is a cause and effect rather than just a correlation. </p>

279

<p>That bump tho</p>

280

<p>Lol. No one talks about IB anymore. </p>