<p>@dilettante800: exactly. they’re not going to punish you for doing one syllabus and not the other. what they expect is that once you’ve made your choice, you do the best you possibly have with the opportunities given to you. </p>
<p>@goluhaque: Well, it’s a matter of perspective, I suppose. IB is more focused on skills like analytical reasoning rather than rote learning. So in terms of the sheer volume of content that one is expected to learn, it might not be a massive as ISC, but the kind of questions asked within that content can be very hard (a lot less straight forward then the stuff I see in Indian boards). </p>
<p>Also, IB is about a lot more than the final exam - there are tons of others requirements for a diploma. This includes a 1200 word essay on the ‘Theory of Knowledge’, an Extended essay of 6000 words (which is basically a research paper on the subject of your choice) and CAS (which stands for creativity, action and service - which students are expected to do throughout the year, while maintaining a diary with all they’ve done). Plus individual subjects have their own submission requirements, and I think all of these aspects of IB are what make it ‘hard’, rather than the exams. </p>
<p>I’m an IB student myself, so that’s why I can comment mainly on IB and not the A Levels. Hope that answers your question :)</p>
<p>Goluhaque, in our school, it used to be called ‘Some Useful Periods Wasted’. If you are wondering why I said ‘used to’ because it was dropped as an activity for students after the 7th grade.</p>
<p>I had robotics ^-^</p>
<p>Edit: My previous school follows a CBSE curriculum. I shifted schools in 12th grade.</p>
<p>Hey guys, I just went through the member-colleges of Common app and found that Caltech is one of them! Then, why are you guys classifying it as a non-Common app school?</p>
<p>@goluhaque: As far as my understanding goes, neither Cornell nor Stanford are known for their generosity to international students, and both are need aware…</p>
<p>Oh well, let’s see how far not asking for FA gets me. Though I am not counting on it Correction: CalTech is part of the common App, so that makes it easier!</p>
<p>As of this moment, I’m working on my common app essay. It’s on a VERY CLICH</p>
<p>@goluhaque: I’m applying to Stanford as a need seeking (is that the phrase? :P) candidate as well, so I was curious if they had some scholarship I didn’t know about. But I get what you mean about needing a list - if I only applied to need blind colls that had good physics programs, my list would have a grand total of 5 members.</p>
<p>I don’t think UCSD is a good safety option, because your chances of aid there are pretty muc zero. (a) its a state school. (b) california state schools are particularly broke right now, and they’re being quite stingy with the aid. </p>
<p>can’t think of a good CS safety school with good aid a.t.m; will tell you if i think of any.</p>
<p>@tizil7: I’ve dutifully filled out all the personal information and future plans supplements, but am totally drawing a blank on the essays right now. :P</p>
<p>Haha, even I have dutifully ticked ‘no’ to all the ‘will you need financial aid’ and that is going to pinch hard and so I hope I can compensate for it after 4 years, if you know what I mean ;)</p>
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<p>Haha yes, most Indians on CC claim that state schools shouldn’t be thought of as safeties (especially california state schools) and guess what? Most of these students are themselves enrolled in California State schools ;)</p>
<p>@contradict. IB extended essay is 4000 word limit. Also, I actually think IB is rote memorization…and a little bit of analyzation skills. In fact, AP is more analyzation work than anything. I believe that if you are used to learning a specific system, you will do well in that test than any other. AP and IB are used for placement at top unis for classes and sometimes for credit. Top Publics like Berkeley, UVA, UNC, Gtech, UMich accept for credit and placement (just generous like that). Top Privates accept scores of 5s on Aps, and scores of 7s for IB for placement b/c they like to have you spend more time in college to get grad cred and pay as much money as possible lol. @Tizil7: Duke is not good with financial aid for internationals either. I don’t know if they judge you on financial need, but I think that does severly hurt you if you ask for full aid.</p>
<p>@Liveulife: I am not asking for any financial aid whatsoever. But I am not counting on that as my only ace. Also, once school starts here, I will be able to tell you guys more about CBSE vs AP/IB because I am taking up both AP and IB classes here. Cheers everyone!</p>
<p>@Tizil7: How does that work exactly (both IB and AP)? Have you shifted schools for grade 12?</p>
<p>@Liveulife: From my experience at IB, I can’t agree its rote memorization…you can choose to mug if that’s your style, but you don’t HAVE to mug to do well :)</p>
<p>The UCs don’t give that much aid for OOS and no aid for internationals —basis of need. That 75% guy must have earned the scholarship on the basis of merit, which you can receive as well if you are competitive. @contradict: I was specifically referring to the exams. However, analyzation is thoroughly required for extended essay and Internal assesments. I just think that the IB exam is an exact replica of whatever you learn on the study guide, which is straightforward and pleasing to students who have studied hard. I will say though that the essay portions of non-science IB tests should be pretty analytical in context. So, I’m not trying to false identify IB here. Again, all these test preferences depend on your teaching system and your own style of studying.</p>
<p>@liveulife: Its different for different subjects I suppose - chem is largely the same year to year, but the physics and math HL papers are definitely not lifted off previous papers and can be pretty hard. And don’t get me started on English…insane. Especially coming from an Indian board, I found it a bit hard to cope up at first. </p>
<p>And a lot more hardworking kids would get all 7s if the papers were that straightforward…there’s a reason why credits are awarded for 6s AND 7s on IB (equating them to a 5 on AP)…</p>
<p>The ‘exact replica of study guide’ business is more so with IGCSE (the 8th to 10th grade version of the A levels). </p>
<p>Anyway, I sense this could turn into a long (and pointless) argument. I appreciate you’re not trying to put any curriculum down (neither am I), so let’s just leave at this when its still nice and amiable instead of going any further down this road :)</p>
<p>^ MIT, Stanford, Brown, Cornell, Princeton, Caltech. Note that only three of these (Masstech, Princeton and Cornell) are need-blind for internationals, and two (MIT, Princeton) meet full need for internationals. </p>
<p>Inter-disciplinary research is possible at almost all universities of this caliber.</p>
I just want to know how many/which schools other Indians are applying to.</p>
Correction: CalTech is part of the common App, so that makes it easier!</p>