Help! IB vs AP??

[Anonymous]

With the exception of AP Eng, are the AP exams multiple choice?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With the exception of AP Eng, are the AP exams multiple choice?

AP Government and History require essays. I was part of the grading team. It wasn’t pretty.

[Anonymous]

My DC is currently doing the full diploma in 11th and is doing very well, but DC doesn't like how restricted you are in your course selection as a result of the two year courses. DC is taking an AP class and a DE math class this year, so next year is going to end up taking a random IB class because it's one of the few one year courses that meet the IB diploma requirement for one of the six categories. DC would not otherwise take that class. DC was also conflicted about which science to take because the school only offers one HL level science course while DC prefers the other two sciences, which are only offered as SL. I see the benefits of the full diploma, but it also has many drawbacks. An AP school with strong language arts teachers would be the best of both worlds, IMHO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With the exception of AP Eng, are the AP exams multiple choice?

AP Government and History require essays. I was part of the grading team. It wasn’t pretty.

I'm sure the IB graders think the same. The low number of students graduating with the IB diploma is in part due to many kids who meet all the course requirements for the diploma not passing the IB tests with the requisite scores.

[Anonymous]

My DC is in the running for the IB diploma and, as someone else mentioned, likes Physics but it is not offered HL. If DC wants to go into engineering at say, Tech or Pitt, would it be necessary to go through the whole diploma? Take the SL physics??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC is in the running for the IB diploma and, as someone else mentioned, likes Physics but it is not offered HL. If DC wants to go into engineering at say, Tech or Pitt, would it be necessary to go through the whole diploma? Take the SL physics??

I'm not sure if your DD needs to do the diploma, I'd ask the school counselor if your DD takes all rigorous courses but doesn't pursue the diploma, say doesn't take TOK, if the counselor would still check the most rigorous course load box.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are zoned for Robinson, and I've only just learned about the IB program. I have a kid with crippling social anxiety who is good at math and tech but hates writing. The requirements for all the extracurriculars, service, and writing sound like he will almost certainly struggle. His elementary years have been miserable and I so wanted HS to be a good experience for him. With is anxiety, he doesn't want to transfer to another school away from who and what he knows. Why does FCPS maintain a program that only 10-20% of kids can finish, at the expensive of AP, which has much greater participation??

While getting the full benefit of IB requires participation in the diploma program, you CAN take IB classes a la carte, and get college credit for them. Your kid can take the math/comp sci/physics etc. IB classes at HL and otherwise stick with SL or Honors or Gen Ed classes for subjects that require more writing. Full IB program participation is equivalent to taking 7-8 APs which clearly is not most kids, even in AP schools. Don't get sucked into the simplistic vortex of negative thinking.

This is true. You can take IB a la Carter, however, most IB courses are 2 year courses ending with the exam in the senior year. They do count individually so the IB diploma is like taking 12 AP courses.

My IBD kid took a number of AP exams - 16 of them to be exact. Plus 6 IB. Started college with 60-something credits.