Benefit of AP credit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Foreign language for 5 years, TOK, etc are not requirements of IB courses, only the diploma (which completely unnecessary if the student doesn’t want to do it). Please, if you are going to argue against IB, pick things that actually matter. There is plenty to complain about with regards to the program, but you sound super uninformed and biased when you complain about things that are options, not mandates.

Can an IB student graduate from high school with college credits in Chemistry, Physics, Bio, 2 calculus classes, 2 english classes, 2 history classes, government class, economics, stats music theory, multivariable or linear algebra?

AP schools have students who regularly do this

Mine graduated with Ap credits in; chemistry, physics, calculus AB, 2 history classes, 1 government class, literature, language (writing), music theory and stats.

The other kid had the same credits plus econ instead of stats.

My lower average kid who struggles with writing will graduate with AP credits chemistry, biology, pre calculus, calculus AB, stats, 2 history classes, government and no AP writing or English classes because they are weak in language. She was able to load up on math, science and history, while avoiding difficult writing classes entirely.

Is that possible with the structure of the IB curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Foreign language for 5 years, TOK, etc are not requirements of IB courses, only the diploma (which completely unnecessary if the student doesn’t want to do it). Please, if you are going to argue against IB, pick things that actually matter. There is plenty to complain about with regards to the program, but you sound super uninformed and biased when you complain about things that are options, not mandates.

Please, at least be honest about it, you’re so deceitful that you must be an IB coordinator or teacher at one of those schools. The feature of the IB program is the diploma, it is pushed hard by IB coordinators, you have to do it if you want the most rigorous check mark, and about two thirds of students enroll in it.

If students take IB classes a la carte, then really there’s no reason to duplicate AP and DE with a worse, more expensive program, that takes longer, gets less credit, and does not match well with American colleges, which is the most important function of high school education, ie successfully transition students into college.

If you have the best interest of the students in mind, aka integrity, you wouldn’t advocate for IB schools. That’s especially true for the lower performing and low socioeconomic status students which are screwed over the most by IB programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Foreign language for 5 years, TOK, etc are not requirements of IB courses, only the diploma (which completely unnecessary if the student doesn’t want to do it). Please, if you are going to argue against IB, pick things that actually matter. There is plenty to complain about with regards to the program, but you sound super uninformed and biased when you complain about things that are options, not mandates.

Can an IB student graduate from high school with college credits in Chemistry, Physics, Bio, 2 calculus classes, 2 english classes, 2 history classes, government class, economics, stats music theory, multivariable or linear algebra?

AP schools have students who regularly do this

Mine graduated with Ap credits in; chemistry, physics, calculus AB, 2 history classes, 1 government class, literature, language (writing), music theory and stats.

The other kid had the same credits plus econ instead of stats.

My lower average kid who struggles with writing will graduate with AP credits chemistry, biology, pre calculus, calculus AB, stats, 2 history classes, government and no AP writing or English classes because they are weak in language. She was able to load up on math, science and history, while avoiding difficult writing classes entirely.

Is that possible with the structure of the IB curriculum?

Your example shows how bad IB is for the top performing students, matching the same coursework in IB would be an impossibility.

IB hurts the most the lower third students that would take the community college route to state schools. The typical rate for receiving a degree six years after starting is only 13%. These students rarely get a passing score for AP or IB exams, they would be much better served in dual enrollment to help them get gen ed classes out of the way, spread out the more difficult classes or take remedial classes to plug the knowledge gaps they have. Instead, they are dumped in IB SL classes that count for nothing at our local community college, and feed them bs snippets about global citizenship, theory of knowledge, art classes etc. when in reality they need all the support they can get to beat the long odds for getting a degree.

Then you hear the IB proponents quip how IB is not for everyone and it should be restricted etc. Yeah, it’s only for a small sliver of students and parents that were dumb enough to buy in on the lie that IB will get their kid into Ivy League.

It would be more palatable if students had a choice, but they don’t.

[Anonymous]

My DD is graduating a year early because of APs!

[Anonymous]

I have a rising freshman at Marshall so I have been looking to this subject a bit. Did not even know about IB vs AP when we bought the house tbh.

AP in general will allow the students to have more credits accepted by colleges.

IB will have less and many only take HL courses which limit at 3 or 4 courses.

However if you do care about AP credits, IB student can take AP exams, usually after year 1 (of 2 year) studying the course. The content may not overlap 100% so the student may have to do some review and self study.

The benefit will be they don't have to report the score if they don't do well (get 4 or 5).

AP or IB credits will depend a lot on which college you get accepted and decide to go to.

[Anonymous]

Many students at lower income schools are below grade level. Telling them to sign up for AP courses is a terrible idea. I’m sure the few students who can handle these classes are counseled to take them by teachers.

[Anonymous]

I believe my child has greatly benefited from IB and will be better prepared for college because of it. Yes, his college credits will be limited. But I believe that is more related to the College Board's stronghold on universities than the fact that AP classes are better than IB.

Based on my limited experience, dual enrollment is a joke in terms of education. Yes it checks a college credit box. However, there is no way there is college level learning in a 1 hour a week virtual class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many students at lower income schools are below grade level. Telling them to sign up for AP courses is a terrible idea. I’m sure the few students who can handle these classes are counseled to take them by teachers.

Having IB at the low performing schools is terrible for all students, especially those who are ESL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I believe my child has greatly benefited from IB and will be better prepared for college because of it. Yes, his college credits will be limited. But I believe that is more related to the College Board's stronghold on universities than the fact that AP classes are better than IB.

Based on my limited experience, dual enrollment is a joke in terms of education. Yes it checks a college credit box. However, there is no way there is college level learning in a 1 hour a week virtual class.

Dual Enrollment is not virtusl, fyi

It is in person, every other day, with a NOVA certified teacher.

If the IB schools are only offering dual enrollment virtually, then they are really screwing over students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe my child has greatly benefited from IB and will be better prepared for college because of it. Yes, his college credits will be limited. But I believe that is more related to the College Board's stronghold on universities than the fact that AP classes are better than IB.

Based on my limited experience, dual enrollment is a joke in terms of education. Yes it checks a college credit box. However, there is no way there is college level learning in a 1 hour a week virtual class.

Dual Enrollment is not virtusl, fyi

It is in person, every other day, with a NOVA certified teacher.

If the IB schools are only offering dual enrollment virtually, then they are really screwing over students.

Every student I know that is taking dual enrollment English and Math is virtual, both in AP and IB schools. It is taught by a certified teacher but it is 100% virtual.

[Anonymous]

DD will be starting college with the maximum number of AP credits they will accept, which is over 30. This means she will technically enter college with sophomore status and get to skip a lot of intro. level classes. She will still need to meet distribution requirements for science, math, etc. but having so many AP credits will give her greater flexibility in course selection and the possibility of double majoring or adding a minor. I don’t think she wants to graduate in less than 4 years, but that could be an option too. AP credits equal money saved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe my child has greatly benefited from IB and will be better prepared for college because of it. Yes, his college credits will be limited. But I believe that is more related to the College Board's stronghold on universities than the fact that AP classes are better than IB.

Based on my limited experience, dual enrollment is a joke in terms of education. Yes it checks a college credit box. However, there is no way there is college level learning in a 1 hour a week virtual class.

Dual Enrollment is not virtusl, fyi

It is in person, every other day, with a NOVA certified teacher.

If the IB schools are only offering dual enrollment virtually, then they are really screwing over students.

Every student I know that is taking dual enrollment English and Math is virtual, both in AP and IB schools. It is taught by a certified teacher but it is 100% virtual.

I have an APS student currently enrolled in a DE class along with AP classes. DE instruction is in-person for multiple hours a week, on the same schedule as other classes. DC would not be in a virtual class of any kind with one hour a week of instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I believe my child has greatly benefited from IB and will be better prepared for college because of it. Yes, his college credits will be limited. But I believe that is more related to the College Board's stronghold on universities than the fact that AP classes are better than IB.

Based on my limited experience, dual enrollment is a joke in terms of education. Yes it checks a college credit box. However, there is no way there is college level learning in a 1 hour a week virtual class.

Dual Enrollment is not virtusl, fyi

It is in person, every other day, with a NOVA certified teacher.

If the IB schools are only offering dual enrollment virtually, then they are really screwing over students.

Every student I know that is taking dual enrollment English and Math is virtual, both in AP and IB schools. It is taught by a certified teacher but it is 100% virtual.

My student takes calculus through dual enrollment, all virtual because the scheduling worked better. The same class by the same teacher is taught virtual and in person, so the student can choose what works better.

From what I’ve seen, DE classes go into a little more depth than AP classes, but the exam and homework are much easier. IB HL math covers maybe 60% of the topics in AP calculus BC but goes in far less depth on any given topic. IB SL math classes are not really advanced, maybe on par with regular precalculus, with enough sprinkling of calculus to confuse the student.

Students that aren’t prepared for AP are much better off taking DE classes, which are definitely not a joke, I’m curious how you formed that opinion. DE teachers are better than high schools ones, never seen one without at least a Master degree and often are PhDs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD will be starting college with the maximum number of AP credits they will accept, which is over 30. This means she will technically enter college with sophomore status and get to skip a lot of intro. level classes. She will still need to meet distribution requirements for science, math, etc. but having so many AP credits will give her greater flexibility in course selection and the possibility of double majoring or adding a minor. I don’t think she wants to graduate in less than 4 years, but that could be an option too. AP credits equal money saved.

The maximum transferable DE credits are 70, so that would be about two years worth of credit, but usually only to in state colleges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD will be starting college with the maximum number of AP credits they will accept, which is over 30. This means she will technically enter college with sophomore status and get to skip a lot of intro. level classes. She will still need to meet distribution requirements for science, math, etc. but having so many AP credits will give her greater flexibility in course selection and the possibility of double majoring or adding a minor. I don’t think she wants to graduate in less than 4 years, but that could be an option too. AP credits equal money saved.

This is highly dependent on the college. The best thing it to really understand what kind of colleges your kid is likely to go to, and whether they need AP's and AP exams for "rigor" and accepting they may need to repeat content in college. Most colleges will only accept AP as a credit (in lieu) if you score a 5 on the AP exam and it's not needed for your major. Some schools will accept a 4 on the AP exam. In schools that don't accept it as credit, it's used as placement, allowing them to take a higher level course, while still requiring X number of classes in that subject. You might get to skip 101, but you still have to take 3 science classes, which doesn't save you time or money. Some colleges will give it to you as an elective credit, requiring you to repeat the same content. If you are an average/above average kid who is unsure if you'll pass the AP exam and isn't trying to go to a highly selective college, then taking DE for easy gen-ed transfer credits might be a better fit. If you are a highly above average, driven kid trying to get into highly selective colleges, and you are confident about taking multiple APs and passing the tests, then AP might be the better option.