CAP vs Regional IB
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Anonymous
| Which is a better program? |
Anonymous
| They're both excellent programs so it depends on what your child wants to focus on. |
Anonymous
Will CAP has a better cohort? My kid likes both program. CAP is more fun and Regional IB is well-rounded education. |
Anonymous
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Do you mean Kennedy? Blair is a better school experience overall but you had better make sure your child likes things like drama and communications or else the program will be a bad fit.
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Anonymous
My regional IB is Springbrook. |
Anonymous
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The CAP curriculum is online. I would have your child look at the classes and see if they appeal or not. The main complaint about CAP is if a child wants to spend their time on subjects outside what CAP offers you really can't do that especially in the first two years and it can be a drag to be forced to take classes in subjects you dislike. IB will offer a more well-rounded classic education.
I would also look at school size. Blair is huge and this year's 9th grade is about 1000 kids. It's possible next year may be that large. Springbrook isn't a tiny school but it's about half that size. This will impact leadership opportunities and ability to join some activities that have tryouts. Finally commute is a big deal in high school because there's so much work, most kids are sleep deprived, and activities that end at unpredictable hours. If you're saving 20-30 minutes a day on commute to one versus the other that is significant. Good luck to your child and congratulations. |
Anonymous
| I don't think you should pick based on college opportunities but it will be easier to stand out at Springbrook. |
Anonymous
| I think CAP has an extra period. |
Anonymous
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Regional IB college acceptances at ours (not Springbrook) have been great.
The programs are really different. You should worry less about prestige and more about if your kid wants to do the IB. The IB cohort is for nearly every class they take, vs CAP has CAP cohort and then the rest of the classes. CAP is also focused less on sort fo a classical foundation and more on public speaking and journalism, if that matters to you |
Anonymous
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CAP if the student is into Journalism, Speaking, Creative Writing, etc. They lean more into the English side of things.
Regional IB if the student is more well rounded and interested in Humanities (English, Social Studies, Languages). |
Anonymous
IB is more analytical. CAP has classes like TV studio, photography and theater. |
Anonymous
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My impression is that the IB cohorts are smaller, which can be a mixed blessing depending on whether you love your cohort or dislike some of them.
Blair is enormous, but incredibly well-run. My kids have been in a total of 5 schools across years, magnet programs, etc, and Blair is by far the best administered. Your child only has good choices. Good luck! |
Anonymous
| IB crams ITA classes into 11th and 12th. CAP is intense 9th and 10th, then eases up and then you’re basically done with the program at the end of 1st semester senior year. DC is in CAP. We’ve had kids at 3 high schools and I agree, Blair is the best-run and most organized. |
Anonymous
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IB can also offer courses in anthropology, econ, psych, environmental science, languages, etc. I'm sure you can take those as electives as well, but with IB, they'd be weighted classes.
A CAP student can probably stack their schedule with AP classes for rigour and weighted grades, but an IB program has that built in to nearly every class. |
Anonymous
I want to add, I think this might be important. I have an IB student without the best grades--a mix of As Bs and Cs, unweighted GPA at about 3.4... their colleges admissions have been really good. |