<p>hi! i was reading discussions about IB versus AP and it made me wonder how rigorous AP programs really are (not to mention IB!). first of all i wanted to ask if those IB courses are specifically for 11 and 12 grades and if all IB programs require the same material to get the diploma (cuz if they do....can u please tell me what they are specifically). i'm in 10th grade IB right now in Canada and i read their IB course outlines ....and they're standards are way lower than how u guys described IB. they're doing equation of a line in math for crying out loud! i've got a friend who's only taking AP in another school....and he's doing complex numbers and transformation of quadratics!!!!
i'm thinking of moving to another school that offers only AP courses, cuz they cover a lot more but it's already halfway through the year. please help!</p>
<p>i dont know about IB because my school doesnt have IB, but AP classes are supposedly harder than other courses. AP students have more work at a faster pace. Thats pretty much as much as I can say about AP. As to how "hard" AP is or how much work it is, it depends on the person, as for me, AP and honors classes are the same, of course, there are higher expectations in AP classes, but how much one studies is completely dependent upon his/her understanding of the subject.</p>
<p>IB is a two year program taken in the last two years of high school (go figure!). So yes, IB courses must be taken in grade 11 and 12. All IB Diplomas require the same basic material, but there are so many variations that you can structure it however you like if your school offers the right courses (like AP... if your school doesn't have a course, you can't take it!). To get the diploma you need:
6 subjects (3 at higher level "HL" and 3 at standard level "SL") including...
1: Your first language "A1" (English, usually)
2: A second language (whatever your school offers... mine has French or Spanish. They also have different levels... "ab initio" is for people who have never taken the language, "B" is for people who have a bit of experience and "A2" is for fluent second language students)
3: A social studies course (these include History of Europe, History of the Americas, Economics, Philosophy, Peace & Conflict Studies, Geography, etc... depending on your school).
4: A science (Biology, Chemistry or Physics)
5: A math (there are three types: Higher Level for very advanced students, Methods for normal students and Studies for students who do not need math in their futures... this could explain why your friends' math class is very easy... they are probably taking Math Studies)
6: An elective (Music, Visual Arts, Theatre Arts, or one other subject from groups 2, 3, or 4... there is also a Further Maths option for Higher Math students who are brilliant!)
150 CAS Hours: Creativity-Action-Service
TOK: Theory of Knowledge - a mandatory "philosophy" course
Extended Essay (EE): A 4000 word essay on the subject of your choice (History, Chem, Maths, English, etc...)
You can write a max of 2 SL exams in your junior year, and all the rest in your senior year.
All your exams are out of 7 and you get 3 points for your TOK essay and EE for a maximum total of 45 (which around 50 people in the world get per exam session), indicating that this is a challenging program, unlike AP, where people get perfect scores all the time.
That is IB. It is harder than AP because it is a program and you need to take all of it, as opposed to AP, where you can take 1 course or 12 courses if you want. Also, IB makes you take every subject, whereas AP students can choose to not take AP classes in subjects they are challenged in. Of course, there are motivated students and lazy students in both programs.
The deciding factor though, is your school. Some schools have an excellent range of IB courses, while others just don't. If you're school really doesn't offer the courses you want (like Math Studies as the only math course), then do what you want and switch. However, I reccommend you check out your school's IB program before you do anything because overall it is an excellent program!</p>