<p>I went through the IB program all the way up to the beginning of my senior year. I then switched to AP classes for senior year instead. I CANNOT say enough about how thankful I am that I did this. I was a straight A IB student and I worked very hard so I am pretty positive I would have gotten the diploma. However, I realized it would not be worth it for me. At all. My life literally revolved around IB. It is so much more work than AP with no pay off! Colleges rarely give credit for anything less than a 6 on an IB test but give credit for a 3 on an AP test! It is so easy to get a 3 on AP but takes copious amounts of work to get a 6 on an IB test. I chose to go to the University of Alabama on a full scholarship instead of paying big bucks at higher rated schools, this is for another discussion, but I really don’t think any college puts IB above AP even though it is much more work! So unless you love to waste your time, I would go the AP route.</p>
<p>Also to say that IB courses prepare you more, this is only true for the humanities. IB higher level math is a joke compared to BC and even AB calc. I don’t see the equivalent of physics C, or even biology (the revised ap syllabus) and ap Chemistry in any of the course offerings in IB. But that’s just my opinion I guess. It’s more work for simpler material</p>
<p>There are students at my sons school that want to take more advance physics after they take IB physics. These students take ap physics C. This is a waste of 1 year. The school should have let these students take ap physics c after physics honors.</p>
<p>Also my son’s school is dropping IB math HL. Many students finish calculus BC as a junior. They complain that they can not take diff equations as a senior. So the school will let these students take diff equations in the fall of senior year and then these students will do math SL in the spring of senior year. The school will no longer offer IB math HL.</p>
<p>Just anecdotal, but at my stepson’s school (he took IB), the kids who got the Ivy admittances went the AP route. I don’t think that they got those acceptances BECAUSE they went the AP route, but they certainly weren’t penalized for not going IB. Stepson benefited from the IB curriculum, but said if he had to do it over again he would not have done it.</p>
<p>My D took some IB classes but didn’t go full IB. Her classmates that did go full IB were completely overwhelmed–great students, but the work load was exorbitant. If you are completely academically oriented, like most CC’ers are, it would probably be worth it. If you are someone who enjoys the pressure, go for it. If you are more into the less academic sides of high school or do not want to kill yourself with the workload, I’d say do AP if you can. At D’s school, they eliminated most of the AP classes to force kids into the IBs, so she did AP where she could and IB where she had to.</p>
<p>The problem with IB is there is too much busy work that really doesn’t help in the learning. At my son’s school it takes more then two semesters to finish IB HL biology. IB should reduce the busy work in biology so it can be done in two semesters.</p>
<p>Recently IB HL chemistry added more labs. After awhile there is diminishing returns when you add more and more busy work. </p>
<p>The benefit you are getting is not worth the extra effort.</p>
<p>MOST COLLEGES SEE SOME AP CLASSES AS MORE RIGOROUS THAN IB COURSES. For example, calc BC gets you more credit than IB math HL. AP physics C > IB physics.</p>
<p>HOWEVER!!!
BS classes like AP human geo, psych, stats, environ… Do not compare to IB… </p>
<p>Bottom line: if you’re doing wimpy AP CLASSES then IB is better. If you’re doing manly classes like AP calc BC (not AB), physics C, chem, bio… Then AP> IB.</p>
<p>Worth it! Particularly as many IB courses do cover similar content to some AP’s (Chemistry HL is mostly the same as AP chem, language classes equate, etc) so if you want to take the AP tests its very possible with some extra studying if the fear was colleges thinking AP’s are more challenging. With IB you will always have comrades for those allnighters, so that’s another perk.</p>
<p>I completed a program that offered both IB and AP as part of the course load. If you don’t feel that being prepared for college is a concern then do NOT do IB. The workload is extreme compared to AP. I coasted to my AP classes but had to do some real work for IB’s. For instance my chemistry teacher taught both IB and AP. I had to do a large amount of extra work for the IB, but the AP felt like an easier version. In general IB HL courses felt significantly harder than AP courses, and IB SL courses varied depending on the subject, but the difficulty was compared to an AP maybe slightly easier or harder depending on the subject. (i.e SL Math easy compared to AP Calculus, but HL Math significantly harder than calculus.) I’m a bit of a coaster compared to my classmates because (not trying to be cocky) I learn faster and with less effort than them, but I still had to work rather hard for some IB courses. I barely studied for AP’s and did rather well on them. (including the ones that weren’t linked to a corresponding IB course) </p>
<p>Basically, if you don’t want to work hard don’t do IB, there is so much extra crap to do, and you can’t just cram a month before exams. In the U.S colleges say that they weigh both programs equally so I don’t think it is worth it. It is a miserable and taxing experience that WILL prepare you for college, but it is hard.</p>
<p>Also for those saying Calc BC is greater, at our school it was a prerequisite for Math HL, because many of the concepts covered in Calc BC were the basic concepts for some of the topics. The Taylor series concepts were the basis for more complex material in IB Math HL so the class is quite difficult.</p>
<p>What is up with everyone’s IB program workload? Mine is as iluvbooks said, relatively painless. And my school does solidly on IB tests. I guess I don’t have the same experience as everyone else on this thread. Honestly, CAS is something most Ivy/top school applicants are doing independent of IB, just not journalling the hours. And the classes aren’t harder than AP – just different, what makes it not as straightforward as AP is the international aspect. IB is wordier and tends to be more unclear and vague in grading in my experience. Also, it’s much easier to get a 5 in an AP subject than a 7 in an IB one. The only (small) pain in the ass is the EE, but it’s not that much work. Internal Assessments aren’t that bad and are good writing experiences. I personally did an AP/IB combo, which wasn’t bad at all. </p>
<p>All in all, yes, if it’s offered; take it.</p>
<p>I’m not an IB student, but… IB students make a death load of Ivy league acceptances. So much that you’ll be the hated school of the region (or even state) if you’re magneting the population for long commutes. Comparing a really competitive high school that has enough APs to have it’s own state AP scholar to a competitive one that has IB… You’re getting about 40 times the ratio of students getting into Ivy Leagues.</p>
<p>Oldest kid is a Senior in I.B. and younger one is in pre I.B. If your kid’s goal is to get into a top school and/or get scholarships than expect 20+ hours of homework a week, including the summer between Junior and Senior year. It takes the highest level of dedication and with our the last class of 60 there was one kid that made it to Harvard, one to Dartmouth, 2 to Amherst and one to MIT (not bad). However, all the rest either are going to top tier schools or honor colleges for state schools. Our school is public with over 500 in each class and the I.B. kids stand out as the high achievers - your kid has to have a serious drive, not for the weak!</p>
<p>Personally, I say no. Unless of course you want to go to a college outside of America.
I go to a public high school that offers IB. I don’t participate in the program, but I have friends that do. The program is restrictive; you may be forced to take classes you don’t want to take and may not be able to take classes you are interested in. Ultimately it will be your academic performance that gets you into top colleges. I say take the AP route. Choose the classes you want to take and know you’ll excel in.</p>
<p>My daughter goes to SUNY Binghamton. One reason she picked it was because of the generous IB policy. With a couple of summer courses, she will be graduating a year and a half early. So definitely worth it to us!</p>
<hr>
<p>Binghamton University recognizes schools offering IB programs and the students who earn IB diplomas as offering or having accomplished the most challenging comprehensive curriculum available. IB participation is recommended, taken into account and considered during the application process. </p>
<p>Binghamton University students may earn credit by exam for coursework completed in high school under the International Baccalaureate Program. Credit is awarded only for Higher Level exams, with students scoring a 4 or 5 receiving 4 credits for a subject and students scoring a 6 or 7 receiving 8 credits for a subject. </p>
<p>SUNY General Education credit can be awarded for successfully completing Higher Level exams in five of the ten areas of competency. In addition the General Education requirement for foreign language may be satisfied by a score of 4-7 on the Higher Level or Standard Level exams. </p>
<p>Binghamton University needs to receive an official International Baccalaureate transcript in order to evaluate credit. International Baccalaureate courses and grades listed on a high school transcript are not acceptable for evaluation. </p>
<p>Students in the Diploma Program may receive up to 32 credits. To receive the full 32 credits, the following conditions must be met:</p>
<p>· The IB Diploma must be completed with a score of 30 or more points; and </p>
<p>· The student must complete at least three Higher Level exams with a score of 5 or higher. </p>
<p>Diploma holders who meet these conditions receive credit for their individual exam scores plus additional liberal arts elective credit to total to 32 credits.</p>
<p>Yes! It is 110% worth it. I’m in my senior year of full diploma and I can honestly say that taking IB classes was one of the best decisions regarding my education that I have made in high school. I go to school that also offers AP classes,and often combines them,and most students and teachers enjoy IB much more. The main reason I say this is because IB encourages a totally different learning style: in essence,critical thinking and analytical skills over rote memorization of facts. As for preparing for college and getting admitted into top-tier schools,I can’t say much since I’m still in the application process myself. What I can attest to,though,is the bulking up of my ECs from all of that CAS and a killer college essay from that 4,000 word EE. Any upper level class you take in high school is going to look good to an admissions officer,whether it be AP or IB,and IB prepares you for college and completely changes your time management skills and learning style.</p>
<p>After doing IB, I got to college and was essentially over-prepared for it. I’d heard so many times that university is a big change from high school, the classes get much harder, and the workload is higher. My first year of college was a walk in the park compared to IB. Even when I took organic chemistry, I felt like IB gave me a really strong background and I owned that class. IB was definitely tough, but it was fantastic preparation for college. I was better prepared than some of my classmates who had taken 10+ AP classes. Yes, it will probably land you less credit than AP, and on a numerical level there often isn’t much advantage to doing the diploma, but I do not regret my decision to do IB.</p>