Is IB program worth it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know why you would do the IB diploma program just for college acceptances. Students can take a bunch of AP classes to show rigor, and those classes are more likely to lead to college credit (as students are typically awarded credit if they score 4/5, whereas for IB they typically have to get 6/7 to get credit -- a considerably higher bar). I think IB is great for kids who want to do the interdisciplinary work and the heavy writing, and kids come out of the programs with strong analytical and writing skills -- but I would not have a kid do the program simply to show rigor.

In some MCPS high schools with IB, there aren't a bunch of AP classes to take; the advanced classes are mostly IB. But plenty of people take IB classes without doing the IB Diploma Programme.

We are at BCC and they have both. What schools with IB don’t have a range of AP classes too?

I know that almost all AP classes were eliminated at Watkins Mill a few years ago because there just wasn't a successful cohort for those classes; same with Seneca Valley.

Einstein offers most of the core APs alongside their IB courses.

This year’s catalog has Gov, APUSH, World; Stats, as well as both AB and BC Calc; and both Lang and Lit in English. Not a lot of AP electives like art history or economics, but they do offer a couple of options for computer science (including the Principles class that counts for your tech credit) or foreign language (French & Spanish), and a whole bunch of art APs. Students could easily take 10 AP courses, a dozen or more if they’re an artist.

But at least this year, science APs are limited to AP Physics 1 and 2. I’m guessing that’s primarily due to a lack of lab space for Chem and Bio classes, but that’s just an impression. There are multiple IB Chem sections that are maxed out for size. I gather they’re always scrambling for lab space when individual IAs roll around and everyone needs a spot to set up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For colleges in Europe, yes.

+1. And Canada.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it helps a little. My kid was accepted in RM IB and looking at the colleges Class of 2023 was accepted at. It showed the colleges the kids in RM were accepted at, not specifically the IB program. The same with Poolesville. They show acceptance as a whole and not just the magnet program. They listed Yale, Cornell, UVA, MIT, etc. so all the top schools. But this list is similar and on par with the other W schools. There were lots of kids going to university of Maryland Lots.

I think the programs are good but very, very rigorous. If your kid wants to do it, wants the rigor, the home school is not as challenging, and the commute is decent, go for it.

My kid did a shadowing day and it was not their vibe. They wanted a balance of rigor but also want to be a high schooler and not constantly studying and writing papers. They are very happy with their choice. It was the right choice for them.

Beware of interpreting RMIB college acceptance stats as due to IB (v AP). To get into RMIB, you have to test very high. Most of those kids will also test exceptionally well on SAT/ACT. Same applies to Blair and CAP and any school with an admission by test program. For college acceptances at schools mentioned above, getting in without very strong test scores is much harder and usually requires a hook.

Hooks are smthg many kids in magnet programs will have at a higher rate than non-mags - many are already interested in smthg and have a deep academic and extra-curriculum record of accomplishment that matches programs at schools they are applying to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it helps a little. My kid was accepted in RM IB and looking at the colleges Class of 2023 was accepted at. It showed the colleges the kids in RM were accepted at, not specifically the IB program. The same with Poolesville. They show acceptance as a whole and not just the magnet program. They listed Yale, Cornell, UVA, MIT, etc. so all the top schools. But this list is similar and on par with the other W schools. There were lots of kids going to university of Maryland Lots.

I think the programs are good but very, very rigorous. If your kid wants to do it, wants the rigor, the home school is not as challenging, and the commute is decent, go for it.

My kid did a shadowing day and it was not their vibe. They wanted a balance of rigor but also want to be a high schooler and not constantly studying and writing papers. They are very happy with their choice. It was the right choice for them.

Beware of interpreting RMIB college acceptance stats as due to IB (v AP). To get into RMIB, you have to test very high. Most of those kids will also test exceptionally well on SAT/ACT. Same applies to Blair and CAP and any school with an admission by test program. For college acceptances at schools mentioned above, getting in without very strong test scores is much harder and usually requires a hook.

Hooks are smthg many kids in magnet programs will have at a higher rate than non-mags - many are already interested in smthg and have a deep academic and extra-curriculum record of accomplishment that matches programs at schools they are applying to.

Excellent academics is a "hook"?

[Anonymous]

Duplicate of https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1153633.page

[Anonymous]

IB is a label/stamp of approval for rigor of work. So is AP, DE or good grades. There’s a lot of misinformation surrounding IB, with claims that it is significantly improving acceptance rates to selective universities. That’s simply not true.

It is demanding, but so is a schedule with 10 APs in junior and senior years. Critical thinking and analytical skills are developed in both IB and AP classes but somehow the IB crowd likes to claim it’s on a different level. Doubtful in my view.

[jsteele]

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1153633.page