IB vs. STEM

Applying to College
1

<p>I am in 8th grade and I have been accepted into the two best highschools in my district. One of them is the only school in my district that has the International baccalaureate program and the other one is a new school that is opening this year and it is a STEM magnet school (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). Math is my passion in school even though I have straight A's in all advanced classes and I want to eventually go to MIT or Stanford to become an electrical engineer. My question is will these colleges be as impressed with the Engineering focus at the STEM magnet as they would be with the IB deploma.</p>

<p>I feel like I would get better grades in the STEM program and I would get a full year of college credit in the STEM program. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated because I need to decide quickly!</p>

2

<p>IB programs often involve a lot of writing and don’t allow a lot of flexibility in picking courses. The fact that the STEM is new does mean that you may be a bit of a guinea pig as they work out the kinks in the curriculum and colleges may not be familiar with the program, so the guidance counselors will have to do a better job of explaining what it’s about. </p>

<p>Don’t forget to take the commute into account - that could make a big difference. And look at what else the programs offer. How do they fit with your ECs and are there other opportunities like internships that might make a difference to you.</p>

<p>Overall, you should go where you think you’ll fit the best and enjoy it the most. Neither an IB nor a STEM magnet are inherently superior to the other.</p>

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<p>IB is not as great a tool to focus on math and science</p>

4

<p>I would think that if you want to become an engineer that a STEM magnet would be preferable to IB. However, excelling at either will give you an edge for competitive schools.</p>

5

<p>Whichever you think is the best FIT for you. Which will have you more excited about learning? Colleges will not penalize you either way. They want to what you did with what you had.</p>

6

<p>Check whether the IB program offers HL (Higher Level) in math, physics, chemistry, and biology, as opposed to SL (Standard Level).</p>

<p>If it only offers SL in these subjects, it would be a poor fit for a student who is strongly interested in math and science. Although IB programs promote well roundedness, their choice of which subjects to offer HL in does affect whether they are a decent or poor fit for a student who has a stronger interest in particular subjects.</p>

<p>At the STEM magnet, check how advanced the course offerings in math, physics, chemistry, and biology are (should have AP Calculus BC, AP Physics C, AP Chemistry, and AP Biology at least, but a STEM magnet is likely to have more). If more-advanced-than-AP courses are offered, are they offered in a dual credit arrangement with a college, to make it possible to receive placement for them when you enroll in a college as a freshmen?</p>

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<p>The STEM school does not offer ap classes but I would be taking a combined algebra 2 and trigonometry class as a freshman. Would colleges hold it against me if I took college credits instead of ap classes?</p>

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<p>Sorry for so much info but I have been doing some research and it looks like the ib program I would be at would have HL science but not math.</p>

9

<p>Hosley</p>

<p>Since you only have two posts, I hope you’ll forgive my sharing a view on CC in general.</p>

<p>When you ask “Would colleges hold it against me …” Very few if any are able to answer such a question. First, maybe some colleges would, maybe some wouldn’t. Colleges have different admissions criteria, and to be frank, none of us really knows what any particular knowledge as to what a college does, and how much a ‘metric’ like # of AP courses taken factors in at any one place.</p>

<p>So … having just admitted that I don’t know what I’m talking about, I’ll give you an opinion (smile). What colleges claim to care about is how challenging your HS courses were. As a rule, they claim that they want you to take the most challenging courses available in your HS. As a rule, they claim that if your HS doesn’t offer a lot of APs that it won’t be held against you. </p>

<p>In certain cases, they will claim that the number of AP is less important than the actual courses. Example, two years ago, my D was choosing between AP Statistics and Honors Multivariable Calculus (Multivariable is the course you take AFTER you have taken Calculus-C). There is very little question that taking multivariable calc. was a positive. It is the harder course.</p>

<p>Finally, one would think that actual college courses would be viewed as favorably as AP courses. But who knows for sure.</p>

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<p>Still can’t decide, please help!!!</p>

11

<p>In your case, you can’t go wrong either way. Both will give you great schooling. Personally, I would go with the STEM magnet. Here’s why:</p>

<p>1) You say you can get better grades. That’s important. Colleges will evaluate you in the context of your school, so you should go where you feel that you will do better. </p>

<p>2) You want MIT or Stanford. For both you need not only stellar SAT, GPA, SAT subject tests, etc., you also need outstanding extra curriculars. If you want to show interest in math and science you should be doing math and science extra curriculars: science bowl, math team, science Olympiad, science and engineering fairs, summer research, AIME, USAMO, math camps, etc. Now, many of these things, such as summer programs, you will have to seek out yourself (and CC is a great place for that. I am a STEM person myself and would be happy to help you out if you message me). However, other activities such as math team/science Olympiad will require a team. At a STEM school, you are far more likely to: a) have a team. If this school does not because it’s new, you will have a great opportunity to find a teacher to sponsor you founding one. Because it’s a STEM magnet school; you shouldn’t have as much difficulty reqruiting qualified, interested members as you would at a less math/science focused school. B) This team will be more likely to win, given the extensive math and science coursework each member will have completed. </p>

<p>So this chance for better ECs could lead to state titles, maybe even national ones, which are amazing for MIT/Stanford apps. </p>

<p>3) Why spend a lot of time doing something you don’t want to do? IB is heavily writing based if you like math, this magnet school will provide you with the opportunity to spend more time on what you actually like and less time on other tedious classes. </p>

<p>4) College credit is great and I think even more useful than AP. If you end up going to a state school, you will most likely graduate early, which means lots of saved money. If you do end up at MIT/Stanford or an equivalent, I’m not sure how well the credits would transfer over or if you’d want to graduate early, but I think the college courses would look impressive and also prepare you well for difficult college coursework. </p>

<p>Now, remember that you really can’t go wrong with either option. Both will impress colleges. Remember to be a kid as well. You have to spend four years at this place. High school is a journey in itself, it’s not just a direct path to college. Go where you’ll be happier, and you’ll be more likely to succeed.</p>