<p>I'm currently a full diploma IB student. I'm wondering if top colleges, such as the ivy league, focus more on your score out of 45, your class marks/gpa, or class rank?</p>
<p>Thank you</p>
<p>IB applicants are treated exactly like their AP counterparts. GPA and rank are most important, very distantly followed by IB scores. Candidates only have two scores by the time they apply, so scores aren't very useful in admissions.</p>
<p>My school doesn't rank and we don't have weighted GPA. Thus, I think both may not reflect my academic ability. Any thoughts?</p>
<p>Excel in your SAT II subject tests? </p>
<p>If you really want the validation, you could take extra SAT IIs or prove it through AP or IB tests.. Just realize that they will only be able to see the tests you take in Junior year, so you'll have to plan it out so that you can show some pretty decent test scores to the colleges. Also, while IB doesn't let you take the exam without enrolling in the course, AP does. So, if you're taking an IB HL course (which you won't test for until your senior year) you could take the AP test in your Junior year if you prepared enough and that could lend some credence to your academic talent.</p>
<p>The only IB test result I'm planning to send to colleges is for French Standard Level. I'm not sure if I'd be prepare enough to get impressive scores on AP exams, as I will only have finished half of the material for the HL courses. However, my SAT score is 2390 and I have one 800 on the SAT subject test Chinese (keeping in mind that I'm Chinese though). Will that be enough?</p>
<p>Most highly selective schools will look at everything: your grades in the IB classes, your exam results, as well as your SAT I and SAT II results. </p>
<p>FYI - If you are in a full IB curriculum and you do not send your exam results with your application materials, it looks like you are trying to hide something ;).</p>
<p>IB tests for most subjects are given in May of the Senior year, so the full IB curriculum student wouldn't have any test scores to send. There are a few standard level courses that are one year, and the student may have that test score to send -- but they may have taken a 2 year standard level.</p>
<p>My son is looking at doing the IB program, but I am concerned that the diploma program is not completely understood by admissions officers. If they are looking for test scores with applications then the application will be lacking.</p>
<p>Yeah, hsmomstef does have a point. While I did take 1 SL exam my Junior year, there are IB Diploma Candidates in my school who will test for all six of their courses this spring (which kinda sucks for them) and therefore would have no test scores to show college admissions.</p>
<p>I also agree that a lot of the admissions officers aren't quite up-to-date with the IB program.. seeing as I'm not convinced that the method of giving credit for IB (when compared to the required AP) scores at universities is correct, but that's a different topic for a different time.</p>
<p>Some students do take multiple exams as early as the junior year...if you have and do not send the results, it looks suspicious.</p>
<p>We know what the IB curriculum is, what it means, and what courses are involved. I personally review hundreds of IB candidates each year - many of them have taken 2-3 SL exams in the junior year.</p>
<p>It just seemed that, by your earlier response, you regarded IB Diploma Candidates who didn't send in IB test scores as shady. When in fact, it's very possible that the candidate might not take tests until his/her senior year.</p>
<p>
There are also some who take IB exams in November. :eek:</p>
<p>Bear in mind that you could ask for predicted grades from your school, and you could send your predicted score out of 45 at colleges. And you should most definitely send your IB diploma grades.</p>
<p>I'm in a situation in which I will have only my French SL score to send to colleges, along with a predicted score out of 45. Honestly, I do not believe my teachers will be able to accurately predict my performance since they will have only taught me for 1 month or less in the fall. As mentioned before, I do have a strong SAT score and plan to do well on my SAT II's. However, I'm wondering if adcoms will be able to see my academic talent, which is my main strength.</p>
<p>warblersrule86 -- how do students take the tests in November?</p>
<p>I know that the exams are given twice a year (November and May) but I thought that was for schools on a different school calendar (like Japan). </p>
<p>if students start in August of their 11th grade year, would they have covered enought material by November of 12th grade to do well on the tests?</p>
<p>Actually, it is totally creepy how good teachers are at predicting IB Exam scores...they are very accurate!</p>
<p>
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warblersrule86 -- how do students take the tests in November? I know that the exams are given twice a year (November and May) but I thought that was for schools on a different school calendar (like Japan).
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You're right; it's mostly for international students. More specifically, it's usually for students in the southern hemisphere. I have known Americans to resit the exam in November, though.</p>
<p>ok -- that is what I thought. And I have heard that some students retake the exams in november -- although that is hard to imagine, since that would be the fall of their freshman year of college.</p>
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I am concerned that the diploma program is not completely understood by admissions officers.
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</p>
<p>Yes and no. I think the IB program has a degree of European mystique in admissions. Colleges know it is acedemically rigorous, writing heavy, and generally an excellent foundation for college work. Our high school offers both IB and AP classes. I haven't noticed much difference in the rate or level of college acceptance, though, among those who do the full IB, versus AP, versus a little of both. (Is it grammatically correct to have a three way versus? :) )</p>
<p>We found that colleges that allow students to accerate or skip basic classes based on their scores are tied into the AP system and for the most part havn't adjusted the rules to suit the IB.</p>
<p>We're in the southern hemisphere but still take IB exams in May, so those kids who are applying to US colleges do not have their higher scores at the time of the application process. </p>
<p>What's with the ability to resit or retake? Under what circumstances? </p>
<p>Predicted scores are taken very seriously at our school since one year the May tests were disrupted due to political turmoil. I've never heard of kids sending the predicted scores to colleges, though. Is this commonly done?</p>
<p>I know there is an endless battle between IB and AP regarding which one is the stronger program. Of course, I may be biased since I am an IB student. However, I can't help but think adcoms would value IB over AP due to its additional components such as the 4000 word extended essay, TOK and CAS hours.</p>
<p>
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Actually, it is totally creepy how good teachers are at predicting IB Exam scores...they are very accurate!
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</p>
<p>Exactly. There have been some people who have been discrediting IB on the grounds that predicted scores are just a ruse. I am thrilled that an Admissions Officer has been able to verify that this is not the case. And I believe that the reason it is so accurate is the fact that after a year and a half, and two exams (midterms and June finals), the teachers have a pretty good idea how a student is going to be. And they always fall within the predicted interval..</p>