S/o (VA public schools). IB and college preparedness

[Anonymous]

Some of us really don't care whether our children take AP exams. No interest in having my high school aged children try to complete college work, or get college level credit, in high school. None. Not because we're rich and can pay infinitely for college and not because they're not highly capable. I want my children to leave high school as good writers, good mathematicians, analytical thinkers, inquiring scientists, respected team members in sports for which they will never be recruited but enjoy doing, community minded, and internally motivated to further their education. It would be really great if they attracted some merit money for college, but that's still a big unknown.This is what I'm hoping they'll get from pursuing an IB diploma. I hope along the way, they won't have to give it up due to poor implementation of the program. I don't feel like they're missing anything by not being at an AP school.

And, they cannot do those with AP? And, DD had a year's worth of credit with AP. We, too, didn't care about the savings. She chose to stay the full four years as an undergraduate and the extra credits enabled her to take lots and lots of electives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My computer science major son got an IB diploma. He got almost of year of credits at a top VA school. As a math and science kid, primarily, he didn't love all the writing, but he agrees it's helped him in college.

It wasn't UVA. They give almost no IB credit.

[Anonymous]

After having a full IB kid and a kid who took a good number of AP classes, the full IB was definitely more rigorous. My IB DC is more prepared for college. That said, I'm not sure it did much good for college acceptances. My IB kid had a crazy high GPA, lots of ECs, and top SAT/ACTs and still couldn't touch an ivy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But AP lets you be great at some things and only OK at other things, right? Whereas IB you have to be great at everything?

IB is essentially like taking two full years of AP only courses. A student who could handle AP in every subject would be able to handle the full IB diploma. However, just like with AP, the student can pick and choose some IB courses without going for the full diploma.

Some of the IB diploma candidates I met definitely could not handle a schedule of AP-only courses. Some IB courses are not particularly rigorous.

I have heard the exact opposite. People seem to want their kids to do AP instead of Ib because it's easier and less work.

Not so. In any event, it's ridiculous to suggest that only kids who could handle AP in every subject would be able to handle the full IB diploma. The IB analog to a student taking all AP courses would be IB students taking all IB HL courses. That isn't required, and IB diploma students often take multiple SL courses as permitted under the IBO rules.

When I hear such nonsense, it makes me think IB exists only so that small groups of IB diploma candidates and their parents can try to mislead others into thinking their kids have been in some elite, academic "boot camp." It does nothing for most students at IB schools, and the amount of disinformation about IB is staggering. But as long as the IBO has marketing materials that suggest IB will help students to become "global citizens" who have learned "how to think" (presumably, this means how to approach an assignment, not what they should believe), some people who think their kids might not do well in AP-level math and science courses will jump on board.

Great. The FCPS crazies have discovered this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Some of us really don't care whether our children take AP exams. No interest in having my high school aged children try to complete college work, or get college level credit, in high school. None. Not because we're rich and can pay infinitely for college and not because they're not highly capable. I want my children to leave high school as good writers, good mathematicians, analytical thinkers, inquiring scientists, respected team members in sports for which they will never be recruited but enjoy doing, community minded, and internally motivated to further their education. It would be really great if they attracted some merit money for college, but that's still a big unknown.This is what I'm hoping they'll get from pursuing an IB diploma. I hope along the way, they won't have to give it up due to poor implementation of the program. I don't feel like they're missing anything by not being at an AP school.

And, they cannot do those with AP? And, DD had a year's worth of credit with AP. We, too, didn't care about the savings. She chose to stay the full four years as an undergraduate and the extra credits enabled her to take lots and lots of electives.

I have posted before. I live in an IB zoned school. I am not moving. I am not pupil placing elsewhere; I work and can't drive during school hours. I am participating in this thread -as well as the other one that was hijacked by those obsessed with the discussion of the cost of an IB program- because I want to know more about IB programs and options -full, partial, etc.- and how to help my children navigate these. AP is not an option and your child's AP college credits are immaterial to what some of us are trying to find out.

Thank you to the people who were actually helpful and shared their children's experiences with IB, or IB and AP as means of comparing their children's experiences because you have real experience with both.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After having a full IB kid and a kid who took a good number of AP classes, the full IB was definitely more rigorous. My IB DC is more prepared for college. That said, I'm not sure it did much good for college acceptances. My IB kid had a crazy high GPA, lots of ECs, and top SAT/ACTs and still couldn't touch an ivy.

That just means you are either white or Asian. Sorry about that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of us really don't care whether our children take AP exams. No interest in having my high school aged children try to complete college work, or get college level credit, in high school. None. Not because we're rich and can pay infinitely for college and not because they're not highly capable. I want my children to leave high school as good writers, good mathematicians, analytical thinkers, inquiring scientists, respected team members in sports for which they will never be recruited but enjoy doing, community minded, and internally motivated to further their education. It would be really great if they attracted some merit money for college, but that's still a big unknown.This is what I'm hoping they'll get from pursuing an IB diploma. I hope along the way, they won't have to give it up due to poor implementation of the program. I don't feel like they're missing anything by not being at an AP school.

A perfect IB family!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Some of us really don't care whether our children take AP exams. No interest in having my high school aged children try to complete college work, or get college level credit, in high school. None. Not because we're rich and can pay infinitely for college and not because they're not highly capable. I want my children to leave high school as good writers, good mathematicians, analytical thinkers, inquiring scientists, respected team members in sports for which they will never be recruited but enjoy doing, community minded, and internally motivated to further their education. It would be really great if they attracted some merit money for college, but that's still a big unknown.This is what I'm hoping they'll get from pursuing an IB diploma. I hope along the way, they won't have to give it up due to poor implementation of the program. I don't feel like they're missing anything by not being at an AP school.

And, they cannot do those with AP? And, DD had a year's worth of credit with AP. We, too, didn't care about the savings. She chose to stay the full four years as an undergraduate and the extra credits enabled her to take lots and lots of electives.

Exactly. You don't need an IB diploma to accomplish those goals. In fact, it may make them harder to achieve.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My computer science major son got an IB diploma. He got almost of year of credits at a top VA school. As a math and science kid, primarily, he didn't love all the writing, but he agrees it's helped him in college.

It wasn't UVA. They give almost no IB credit.

says you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But AP lets you be great at some things and only OK at other things, right? Whereas IB you have to be great at everything?

IB is essentially like taking two full years of AP only courses. A student who could handle AP in every subject would be able to handle the full IB diploma. However, just like with AP, the student can pick and choose some IB courses without going for the full diploma.

Some of the IB diploma candidates I met definitely could not handle a schedule of AP-only courses. Some IB courses are not particularly rigorous.

I have heard the exact opposite. People seem to want their kids to do AP instead of Ib because it's easier and less work.

Not so. In any event, it's ridiculous to suggest that only kids who could handle AP in every subject would be able to handle the full IB diploma. The IB analog to a student taking all AP courses would be IB students taking all IB HL courses. That isn't required, and IB diploma students often take multiple SL courses as permitted under the IBO rules.

When I hear such nonsense, it makes me think IB exists only so that small groups of IB diploma candidates and their parents can try to mislead others into thinking their kids have been in some elite, academic "boot camp." It does nothing for most students at IB schools, and the amount of disinformation about IB is staggering. But as long as the IBO has marketing materials that suggest IB will help students to become "global citizens" who have learned "how to think" (presumably, this means how to approach an assignment, not what they should believe), some people who think their kids might not do well in AP-level math and science courses will jump on board.

Great. The FCPS crazies have discovered this thread.

+1000. Look, there is a whole thread over in VA public schools about how IB is destroying FCPS. Please don't hijack this one to bash IB unless you have a child who was or is in the program and can speak from actual experience and about an actual experience. This thread isn't for a discussion of IB policy or IB implementation in FCPS. It's for parents trying to learn about IB to get information from parents who have been there. There have been a lot of great, thoughtful responses and it seems like some experienced IB parents are following. I hope parents who are looking at IB will throw out questions, and the IB haters who have never seen IB in action will, please, go back to VA public schools so we can have a meaningful dialogue. Thanks!! -- OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Some of us really don't care whether our children take AP exams. No interest in having my high school aged children try to complete college work, or get college level credit, in high school. None. Not because we're rich and can pay infinitely for college and not because they're not highly capable. I want my children to leave high school as good writers, good mathematicians, analytical thinkers, inquiring scientists, respected team members in sports for which they will never be recruited but enjoy doing, community minded, and internally motivated to further their education. It would be really great if they attracted some merit money for college, but that's still a big unknown.This is what I'm hoping they'll get from pursuing an IB diploma. I hope along the way, they won't have to give it up due to poor implementation of the program. I don't feel like they're missing anything by not being at an AP school.

And, they cannot do those with AP? And, DD had a year's worth of credit with AP. We, too, didn't care about the savings. She chose to stay the full four years as an undergraduate and the extra credits enabled her to take lots and lots of electives.

Exactly. You don't need an IB diploma to accomplish those goals. In fact, it may make them harder to achieve.

How so? I'm not being snarky. I'm genuinely interested in whY you think IB is failing here. And, on what are you basing this? Do you have a child In IB, are you a teacher? Etc..

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But AP lets you be great at some things and only OK at other things, right? Whereas IB you have to be great at everything?

IB is essentially like taking two full years of AP only courses. A student who could handle AP in every subject would be able to handle the full IB diploma. However, just like with AP, the student can pick and choose some IB courses without going for the full diploma.

Some of the IB diploma candidates I met definitely could not handle a schedule of AP-only courses. Some IB courses are not particularly rigorous.

I have heard the exact opposite. People seem to want their kids to do AP instead of Ib because it's easier and less work.

Not so. In any event, it's ridiculous to suggest that only kids who could handle AP in every subject would be able to handle the full IB diploma. The IB analog to a student taking all AP courses would be IB students taking all IB HL courses. That isn't required, and IB diploma students often take multiple SL courses as permitted under the IBO rules.

When I hear such nonsense, it makes me think IB exists only so that small groups of IB diploma candidates and their parents can try to mislead others into thinking their kids have been in some elite, academic "boot camp." It does nothing for most students at IB schools, and the amount of disinformation about IB is staggering. But as long as the IBO has marketing materials that suggest IB will help students to become "global citizens" who have learned "how to think" (presumably, this means how to approach an assignment, not what they should believe), some people who think their kids might not do well in AP-level math and science courses will jump on board.

Great. The FCPS crazies have discovered this thread.

+1000. Look, there is a whole thread over in VA public schools about how IB is destroying FCPS. Please don't hijack this one to bash IB unless you have a child who was or is in the program and can speak from actual experience and about an actual experience. This thread isn't for a discussion of IB policy or IB implementation in FCPS. It's for parents trying to learn about IB to get information from parents who have been there. There have been a lot of great, thoughtful responses and it seems like some experienced IB parents are following. I hope parents who are looking at IB will throw out questions, and the IB haters who have never seen IB in action will, please, go back to VA public schools so we can have a meaningful dialogue. Thanks!! -- OP

I'm genuinely curious as to why you would complain when someone corrects an obvious misrepresentation about IB, such as that being in the IB program is equivalent to taking all AP courses. You do know IB has SL and HL courses; that IB diploma students typically take a mix; and that academics comparing AP and IB course content typically compare AP courses and IB HL courses?

The irony is that very few students at IB high schools in FCPS pursue IB diplomas and that percentage would probably be even lower if parents and students thought it was the equivalent of taking only AP courses. It seems like only those who want to create a false image of IB to exaggerate the significance of an IB diploma would go down that route.

[Anonymous]

For IB parents who have been through the college app circus:

Do colleges require individual IB test scores to be submitted as proof of following a tough HS curriculum? If my kid takes 2 years of IB chem, has an A- in the class, but a fair to poor IB chem test score, will anyone have to see that score? Especially if he's not trying to gain college credit? Do colleges ask for the IB test scores?

TIA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For IB parents who have been through the college app circus:

Do colleges require individual IB test scores to be submitted as proof of following a tough HS curriculum? If my kid takes 2 years of IB chem, has an A- in the class, but a fair to poor IB chem test score, will anyone have to see that score? Especially if he's not trying to gain college credit? Do colleges ask for the IB test scores?

TIA

http://www.ibo.org/en/programmes/diploma-programme/assessment-and-exams/

It depends upon whether he asked for the IB transcript to be sent before he had his grades. If so, the school gets all the test scores. If he's already admitted to a college, and has not asked the IBO to send his IB transcript to the school, they will not send the scores to the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But AP lets you be great at some things and only OK at other things, right? Whereas IB you have to be great at everything?

IB is essentially like taking two full years of AP only courses. A student who could handle AP in every subject would be able to handle the full IB diploma. However, just like with AP, the student can pick and choose some IB courses without going for the full diploma.

Some of the IB diploma candidates I met definitely could not handle a schedule of AP-only courses. Some IB courses are not particularly rigorous.

I have heard the exact opposite. People seem to want their kids to do AP instead of Ib because it's easier and less work.

Not so. In any event, it's ridiculous to suggest that only kids who could handle AP in every subject would be able to handle the full IB diploma. The IB analog to a student taking all AP courses would be IB students taking all IB HL courses. That isn't required, and IB diploma students often take multiple SL courses as permitted under the IBO rules.

When I hear such nonsense, it makes me think IB exists only so that small groups of IB diploma candidates and their parents can try to mislead others into thinking their kids have been in some elite, academic "boot camp." It does nothing for most students at IB schools, and the amount of disinformation about IB is staggering. But as long as the IBO has marketing materials that suggest IB will help students to become "global citizens" who have learned "how to think" (presumably, this means how to approach an assignment, not what they should believe), some people who think their kids might not do well in AP-level math and science courses will jump on board.

Great. The FCPS crazies have discovered this thread.

+1000. Look, there is a whole thread over in VA public schools about how IB is destroying FCPS. Please don't hijack this one to bash IB unless you have a child who was or is in the program and can speak from actual experience and about an actual experience. This thread isn't for a discussion of IB policy or IB implementation in FCPS. It's for parents trying to learn about IB to get information from parents who have been there. There have been a lot of great, thoughtful responses and it seems like some experienced IB parents are following. I hope parents who are looking at IB will throw out questions, and the IB haters who have never seen IB in action will, please, go back to VA public schools so we can have a meaningful dialogue. Thanks!! -- OP

I'm genuinely curious as to why you would complain when someone corrects an obvious misrepresentation about IB, such as that being in the IB program is equivalent to taking all AP courses. You do know IB has SL and HL courses; that IB diploma students typically take a mix; and that academics comparing AP and IB course content typically compare AP courses and IB HL courses?

The irony is that very few students at IB high schools in FCPS pursue IB diplomas and that percentage would probably be even lower if parents and students thought it was the equivalent of taking only AP courses. It seems like only those who want to create a false image of IB to exaggerate the significance of an IB diploma would go down that route.

My dc has taken both AP and IB classes. The IB SL classes have been at least as rigorous, if not more rigorous than the AP classes.