Will AP be better??

Pre-College Issues High School Life
1

<p>So next year is the first year that my school is doing the IB diploma program and my class (2016) will be the first ones that can take the program. I've got a few questions:
1. Will colleges know that it was my school's first year of DP in my application and how will they know?
2. If I choose just to do the AP route because I know my school is not ready for the DP program will colleges understand or be more lenient about me choosing the "less rigorous" route because it was my school's first year? I plan to take 6 AP classes next year...would that be considered very rigorous or as rigorous as the Diploma program?
3. I do not want to take DP because I want to be in the Associated Student Body (leadership/student council) and that does not fit in my schedule of DP. I'm shooting to be ASB prez senior year, would colleges know that it didn't fit in my schedule and that's why I chose the ap route? Or would me being in ASB balance the fact that I did not choose DP?
3. Since my school is in transition, they have some AP classes eliminated to adapt to the DP system. Such as AP English Lang, AP English Lit, AP US History, AP Spanish, and all those courses are becoming two year HL courses. So if I do the AP route I would still have to take about 2 HL classes. Would that make me look like I couldn't handle the rigor of DP so chose only to be in it partially but not in for the program?
4. I'm really irritated with the college counselor at my school basically denouncing the whole AP program now that the school was approved for DP. He says that it will make us look way way way (no exaggeration here) better to colleges than AP students. Is this really true? Because many people on here have also said that IB is only good if you're coming from a school outside of the United States, which I'm not. What is the truth?
5. I've brought up this topic a few times on here and a couple of people have told me that my school is being extremely stupid for the way they are handling their transition. So should I switch schools to a full AP program school? However, in the school I want to switch to, I'm scared I will not get into the soccer team there because they are division 1 and my school is division 3. And I really want to play soccer. I also run track but I can get on that team assured. And plus the connections I have already made to get me high places (such as president) at the school I am already at has made me afraid that I won't be able to establish such connections at the other school in such little time (junior and senior year) and having to adjust to a different competition environment and the ranking system and such. Plus new friends. There are a lot of disadvantages and advantages.
6. DP is considered to have a liberal arts feel to prepare you for college where, like college, you are required to take a certain set of classes. AP, however, is very free in which you can choose the classes you want. I really want to build my own schedule but if DP makes me look better, than I will conform. So my question is should I savor the opportunity to choose my own classes while I have the chance OR should I take the opportunity to get used to the college feel?
7. So basically, what I'm asking is: are AP and DP equal? Can I choose either one under the circumstances I've stated above?</p>

<p>And, if it aids your answer, I'm looking into the top colleges and universities in the nation. </p>

2

<p>I’m an AP student, but I’d personally choose IB if I had the choice. I love some of the classes they offer, and I like the idea of having electives almost count as core classes. You’ll probably have to take IB History of the Americas and IB English in your junior year. Anyways, I personally think it may be better for you to stick with one program, and you said earlier that you may have to take 2 IB classes if you decide to go the AP route. You just stay more organized.</p>

3

<p>My class is the fourth at my school to be offered the DP, and the learning curve for teachers is definitely steep. I would say that many teachers at my school are still uncertain as to the best way to teach the IB curriculum. I would be worried as a member of the first IB class at your school about getting the education necessary to do well on all of the components of the diploma.
Answers to your questions:

  1. This may be included in the high school profile your school sends to colleges. I would ask your counselor.
  2. No matter what anyone says, the 6 AP classes are more rigorous than an all-IB schedule. The easiest way to see that AP is more rigorous is that IB students are required to take three SL classes. How can these be the most rigorous when HL courses are offered in the same subjects? IB is definitely more work because of the EE, CAS, and TOK, but from the work I have seen my friends doing, the material in AP is much more difficult.
  3. You can always explain this on the Common App or have your guidance counselor explain it in their letter of recommendation if you are worried. I don’t think it will be necessary, however.
  4. If your experience is anything like mine, the school is pushing the DP because they spent a lot of money on becoming certified and they want enough students to participate in order to get their money’s worth. The statistics of IB students getting into better colleges are true, but very skewed- because IB is a program that you have to commit to for two full years, it only attracts very smart students who would be capable of getting into top colleges anyway. AP is open to everyone and anyone, so a lower percentage of AP students go to top colleges. The number of students is probably similar for both IB and AP.
  5. Don’t switch schools. All of the teachers at your school have been teaching AP for years, and they are not magically going to forget how just because of the addition of the IB program.
  6. The IB requirements are probably similar to the graduation requirements at your school- math, science, English, social studies, a foreign language, and an arts credit. Wouldn’t you be choosing a similarly balanced schedule even if you were picking your own AP classes?
    7.You can definitely feel comfortable with whichever you choose. Before I made my final decision last year, my dad called the admissions offices at both Yale and Brandeis. Both said that they had no preference between IB and AP.</p>

<p>Feel free to let me know if you have any more questions about being an AP student at a school that is becoming IB. :slight_smile: </p>

4

<p>I’ll tell you this right now. IB is considerably harder than AP. It’s much easier to get a 5 on a AP than a 7 (or even a 6) on IB Exam. One of the main reasons for this is that the IB exam includes internal assessments. The quality of these assessments will be assessed by IB and your score on these components can go up (but usually down) depending on the how ‘well’ your teacher marked. For example, for Chemistry IB, your teacher will send out lab reports to be marked again by external markers. If the marks are not the similar, they are likely to drop your grades. Since your school is in its first year, your teachers wont know jack how to mark the IB assessments, and likely it will be impossible or highly difficult for you to score well on your exams because of the above. (Though this doesn’t really matter, since you sit for your exams in your senior year)</p>

<p>I know many people will argue the rigor of AP vs IB. Having taking both, I can tell you that AP is loads easier. (I actually self studied for 8 APs and did well on all of them). Furthermore, many people will look down on IB simply because it isn’t as recognized in US. Many people will think that IB standard level courses are ‘easier’ than AP course. The difficulty of IB stems from its large workload (you are forced to write all 5-6 courses during your senior year), and you still have to complete TOK, CAS and EE. Also keep in mind, each course will usually have 2-3 papers each. The higher level paper 3 in itself, imo, though a small component, requires as much studying as a lower AP (psyc, human geo, etc).</p>

<p>The consensus is this: colleges will probably view the IB diploma as being equal to 6 AP courses. The reality is, the workload of an IB diploma is probably equal to around 10 AP courses.</p>

<p>Another good thing about AP is you can take exams any year you want.</p>

<p>Say you take 2 exams sophomore year, 6 exams junior year and 6 exams senior year. Doesn’t 14 AP exams look like more rigor than 6 IB exams?</p>

<p>To answer your questions.:</p>

<ol>
<li>No, they will not know, unless your school is a large feeder or tells colleges explicitly.</li>
<li>Colleges don’t care if you take AP or IB and most see them as the same rigor. Taking more APs probably looks more rigorous.</li>
<li>Irrelevant</li>
<li>Don’t do certificate. Just take the corresponding AP exams instead.</li>
<li>Your counselor is somewhat informed. AP is better recognized in the US. IB is better recognized elsewhere. Again, US colleges don’t care if you do AP or IB. IMO, I would be very worried about your college counselor, however… The common app lists a spot to for student workload ‘rigor’. If you don’t take IB, she or he may not check most rigorous schedule.</li>
<li>Go to the new school. You already made track. Academics, imo, trumps athletics unless you can get recruited.</li>
<li>Yes, I will say DP prepared me very well for university at the expense of a somewhat bitter high school experience. No matter how much I prefer AP over IB, it’s true that IB will probably prepare you more for college. If you’re doing IB, do the diploma. If you’re doing cert, you might as well do AP.</li>
<li>Do AP.</li>
</ol>