What's considered "rigorous" in the W-L IB Program?

[Anonymous]

I keep reading on here in the college forum that a combination of classes in the IB program is considered more "rigorous" than others. Is this true? Do colleges actually evaluate the classes taken even within a kid's IB transcript or is getting the IB program from W-L enough?

[Anonymous]

All are 'most rigorous". They transferred schools to seek rigor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I keep reading on here in the college forum that a combination of classes in the IB program is considered more "rigorous" than others. Is this true? Do colleges actually evaluate the classes taken even within a kid's IB transcript or is getting the IB program from W-L enough?

Apart from anonymous posts here, which can sometimes be helpful, do contact the school’s IB coordinator for the best info.

[Anonymous]

My kid graduated from the W-L IB program relatively recently (he's still in college). In addition to the IB program, he also took 5 AP classes and a DE class during his time in HS. His HL classes were History of the Americas, Spanish, and Film, and his SL classes were Math, English, and Physics. He had straight A's throughout HS except for one B+ in 10th grade (and he had an ACT score of 35). Don't know whether W-L classified his program as "most rigorous", but he did not get into UVa.

[Anonymous]

To the PP - thanks for sharing. With such an amazing record, where did he get into/go? If you don't mind sharing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To the PP - thanks for sharing. With such an amazing record, where did he get into/go? If you don't mind sharing.

He aimed high, and did not get into Harvard, Yale, MIT, Williams, Amherst, UVa, or Duke. He got into JMU, VT, Wake Forest, and Northeastern (with a really great merit scholarship). He picked Northeastern, and couldn't be happier.

[Anonymous]

I think what a lot of APS parents don't realize is that colleges are looking at Northern Virginia as a region, and not just APS specifically. So APS kids are competing with each other, but also with kids from Fairfax, FCC, Alexandria, and Loudoun. If you are talking about IB, FCC does a lot better job of infusing the entire 6-12 curriculum with IB instead of just 11th & 12th grade. Similarly, FCPS offers a more accelerated math and computer science track than APS through their AAP program, which opens the door for FCPS kids to take more AP classes in math and comp sci earlier in high school. I do think that makes it harder for a smart APS student to stand out to colleges from among the wider NoVA student community, particularly if they don't have an athletic hook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think what a lot of APS parents don't realize is that colleges are looking at Northern Virginia as a region, and not just APS specifically. So APS kids are competing with each other, but also with kids from Fairfax, FCC, Alexandria, and Loudoun. If you are talking about IB, FCC does a lot better job of infusing the entire 6-12 curriculum with IB instead of just 11th & 12th grade. Similarly, FCPS offers a more accelerated math and computer science track than APS through their AAP program, which opens the door for FCPS kids to take more AP classes in math and comp sci earlier in high school. I do think that makes it harder for a smart APS student to stand out to colleges from among the wider NoVA student community, particularly if they don't have an athletic hook.

Hmmm. I'm not so sure about that. I've listened to an admissions dean talk about it and they said they look at each school individually. In Arlington alone, you can't compare across schools. W-L has IB and students can take an AP in freshman year. YHS doesn't offer AP World until sophomore year and, unless it has changed, restricts and other AP classes (excluding Euro or HUG) until Junior year. I'm not familiar with WLHS, but it has had AP Seminar for years and other schools just recently added it, too late for many graduating this year. They look at each school on its own.

[Anonymous]

I'm assuming this question relates to whether a student gets the "most rigorous" box checked for college applications. At WL all full IB (those pursuing the IB diploma) get this box checked. If your child is partial IB/partial AP you could ask their counselor if they qualify as most rigorous.

[Anonymous]

OP here - my question is really whether there are certain IB courses within the full IB program that are considered the most rigorous. For example, is HL History of Americas a stronger choice that an HL in a science course, or otherwise. If a student takes all their HL courses in STEM, is that viewed more favorably than a kid who takes HL classes in all humanities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - my question is really whether there are certain IB courses within the full IB program that are considered the most rigorous. For example, is HL History of Americas a stronger choice that an HL in a science course, or otherwise. If a student takes all their HL courses in STEM, is that viewed more favorably than a kid who takes HL classes in all humanities.

For what it’s worth- and maybe not much - I have 2 WL graduates who attend UVA who did a mix of IB, AP and DE classes. Their HL classes were STEM related and their SL classes were more social science related. I am assuming their transcripts were considered “most rigorous” given UVA accepted them and they had no other hooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - my question is really whether there are certain IB courses within the full IB program that are considered the most rigorous. For example, is HL History of Americas a stronger choice that an HL in a science course, or otherwise. If a student takes all their HL courses in STEM, is that viewed more favorably than a kid who takes HL classes in all humanities.

For what it’s worth- and maybe not much - I have 2 WL graduates who attend UVA who did a mix of IB, AP and DE classes. Their HL classes were STEM related and their SL classes were more social science related. I am assuming their transcripts were considered “most rigorous” given UVA accepted them and they had no other hooks.

Thanks, my kid is doing the IB Diploma at a local school and I was worried they are not doing IB HOA HL1/2 and instead just regular US/VA hx in 11th and IB SL World in 12th. the reason I am concerned is that apparently you need APUSH or the equivalent in Ib HOA HL for UVA. So hearing this makes me feel better. Were your kids admitted to UVA recently without IB HOA HL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - my question is really whether there are certain IB courses within the full IB program that are considered the most rigorous. For example, is HL History of Americas a stronger choice that an HL in a science course, or otherwise. If a student takes all their HL courses in STEM, is that viewed more favorably than a kid who takes HL classes in all humanities.

It probably depends what your kid is interested in. If a kid wants to major in STEM, it's going to look odd if their HS schedule is light on STEM, whether they are IB or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - my question is really whether there are certain IB courses within the full IB program that are considered the most rigorous. For example, is HL History of Americas a stronger choice that an HL in a science course, or otherwise. If a student takes all their HL courses in STEM, is that viewed more favorably than a kid who takes HL classes in all humanities.

For what it’s worth- and maybe not much - I have 2 WL graduates who attend UVA who did a mix of IB, AP and DE classes. Their HL classes were STEM related and their SL classes were more social science related. I am assuming their transcripts were considered “most rigorous” given UVA accepted them and they had no other hooks.

Thanks, my kid is doing the IB Diploma at a local school and I was worried they are not doing IB HOA HL1/2 and instead just regular US/VA hx in 11th and IB SL World in 12th. the reason I am concerned is that apparently you need APUSH or the equivalent in Ib HOA HL for UVA. So hearing this makes me feel better. Were your kids admitted to UVA recently without IB HOA HL?

No, you don't. The APUSH thing is not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - my question is really whether there are certain IB courses within the full IB program that are considered the most rigorous. For example, is HL History of Americas a stronger choice that an HL in a science course, or otherwise. If a student takes all their HL courses in STEM, is that viewed more favorably than a kid who takes HL classes in all humanities.

For what it’s worth- and maybe not much - I have 2 WL graduates who attend UVA who did a mix of IB, AP and DE classes. Their HL classes were STEM related and their SL classes were more social science related. I am assuming their transcripts were considered “most rigorous” given UVA accepted them and they had no other hooks.

Thanks, my kid is doing the IB Diploma at a local school and I was worried they are not doing IB HOA HL1/2 and instead just regular US/VA hx in 11th and IB SL World in 12th. the reason I am concerned is that apparently you need APUSH or the equivalent in Ib HOA HL for UVA. So hearing this makes me feel better. Were your kids admitted to UVA recently without IB HOA HL?

They both took APUSH. For your own good and for your student’s sake, you need to step back and not focus so much on the exact IB classes your kid is taking/may take. So many extremely bright and well-qualified students apply to UVA. Often there appears to those of us not looking at the full application little to no rhyme or reason why one is accepted and another rejected.