Does it look bad to not do the IB diploma at an IB school?
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Anonymous
| DS wants to take AP math classes instead of doing the IB diploma at Robinson. He has to decide next year. He's not great at writing, and there is a lot of writing for the IB, or so it seems. Thoughts as to how it will affect a VT application if he just takes AP classes and doesn't get an IB diploma? It seems like most kids do the IB. |
Anonymous
| Can a selection of AP classes get the “most rigorous” check mark in an IB a school? It seems like they probably cannot. And you kid need the “most rigorous” box checked. So, just ask the counselor if irs even possible, and what classes are needed. Seems like a No if the reason is avoid extra writing in math. |
Anonymous
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I don’t know what Robinson is and I don’t know the answer to your question.
But my son who has anxiety about writing started out in IB and it was a disaster!! He switched to AP this year and it’s been better. Don’t push IB if it’s not a good fit. |
Anonymous
| The full IB diploma is a ton of writing. It’s not my impression that kids who opt not to do IB at a school that offers IB are penalized for that but I don’t really know. But if he hates writing he probably will be miserable in an IB program. |
Anonymous
| rigorous AP = IB @ same school |
Anonymous
| Can he take IB classes without going for the IB diploma? That’s what they do at DDs school. She took maybe 10 IB and 3APs. |
Anonymous
I think so. I don't really understand the course offerings, except for math. For that they have to choose AP or IB, but that might not be the case for other subjects. |
Anonymous
Math is math, and the higher level IB courses cover as much as, and beyond AP BC Calculus. At my high school, most IB students are taking AP BC Calculus (IB equivalent) as 11th graders, then continuing with other HL topics in 12th. Even STEM majors need to be able to write. If he’s only takes rigorous APs in STEM, that won’t be as strong as the full diploma. |
Anonymous
| My son’s high schools offers both IB and AP. While it definitely looks rigorous to do the full IB diploma, you can still fill your schedule with APs and get to pick and choose more. He has done math and science APs and just a few humanities ones because that’s less his thing. |
Anonymous
| At my sons MCPS school which offered both IB and AP, 9 APs counted for the same as IB and “most rigorous” |
Anonymous
| Kind of a tangent, but some colleges love the IB diploma and favor applicants who are IB diploma candidates. The U California system gives a big bump, and so do UChicago and many top LACs. |
Anonymous
| True story. I know a military student. Never made a B. All of the APs you could take. Near perfect ACT. Family thought admissions would be cake. Nope. REJECTED and waitlisted. A UVA admissions person later told her "We looked at you as the top none IB student. So yes. It matters. Get out of that school or do IB. |
Anonymous
Virginia is such a messed up state. Why have all these arbitrary yet ironclad rules and then make them secret, so only families with private access to secret knowledge know to follow them? |
Anonymous
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My son went to W-L which also has both IB and AP classes. He took mostly AP, a couple IB. Got into VT in 2021, STEM major, not engineering. Great SAT, 4.2 GPA.
I don't think VT cares about IB vs AP. OTOH, we've been told IB is a definite advantage for UVA since it's the most rigorous program at the school. |
Anonymous
| Transfer to Lake Braddock. It’s AP and better than Robinson. IB is a ton of busy work. |