<p>I just need a straightforward answer, preferably from a college/college graduate who has knowledge of IB. Is the IB diploma weighted more than AP for U.S colleges, and what are the benefits of IB vs. AP? I'm a high school freshman in IH.</p>
<p>I’m in Year 2 of the IB program and I think that IB classes are great, but the diploma is pointless for students who wish to apply to the US.
US colleges look at your classes and grades. Therefore, they’ll see all your IB classes and how well you did in those, but they don’t care as much about your final IB exam grade or anything. For kids who want to go to the US, I recommend doing IB certificate, meaning you do IB classes without going for the diploma. You’ll be in the same classes, but you won’t have to do the EE, CAS, TOK, which are big assignments and eat up your time without really adding much to your education. And the IB diploma is currently not as valued in the US. That being said, the IB programme is currently gaining more recognition in US colleges, so it’s possible that by the time you graduate, an IB diploma will be valued at its full worth, rather than as an equivalent of AP. Right now, though, the IB diploma is viewed as an equivalent of AP, even though obtaining the IB diploma is a lot more work.
In terms of IB vs AP it depends on the class and the school. Another benefit of IB certificate instead of IB diploma is that you can take some AP classes as well.</p>
<p>I’m a college graduate who got an IB diploma. I don’t know that it was weighted more heavily than AP, but I took both IB exams and AP exams. (Our high school paid for us to take APs if we wanted to because we brought the average up.) If you take IB classes, you can breeze through AP tests (I got 5s on all mine). Between the two types of tests, I exempted a lot of crap classes at the beginning of college, was able to take a lot more electives and stuff in my major, and I still managed to graduate a semester early. (I was close to a double major and could have done it if I had stuck around another semester, but I had a job offer and decided to graduate and take it.) I also got a full ride at a small liberal arts school that <em>LOVES</em> IB kids (Winthrop University in SC), so I didn’t pay for any of it. At some universities, like UF, you’ll be able to enter with up to 1.5 years of credit.</p>
<p>Other benefits: College was a breeze after IB. My friends (including those who only did AP) were flailing about at times, complaining because they had to write at least one 2-page paper a week. You’ll be able to do that in your sleep. </p>
<p>Seriously, IB was one of the best things I ever did. It was difficult at times, but it’s probably not worth much if you don’t struggle sometimes.</p>
<p>My synopsis:</p>
<p>The IB diploma (IBDP) will be a lot more work than a stack of AP classes.</p>
<p>You will learn a lot more doing the IBDP than AP classes.</p>
<p>You’re knowledge will be expanded into territory no other high school class will ever take you (TOK).</p>
<p>You will have grown so accustomed to having to write in the IBDP that college level writing assignments will be nothing new for you. </p>
<p>Depending on the college, you will not be fairly credited or rewarded for taking the IBDP compared to AP students.</p>
<p>I think that they will take into consideration IB more than AP because of how rigorous the program is. I’ve taken IB and AP classes. For me, AP classes were a joke. I never studied and still passed. I never paid attention in AP classes and I still made straight A’s. I feel like IB is so much more demanding.</p>