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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It has been discussed before, often you hear the argument that IB slows down the top students. I think it has some merit if you look at the highest math sequence at RMIB for students entering HS: precalculus, AP Calculus BC, Multivariable, IB Analysis HL.

The gist of the criticism is that there’s too much overlap between Calculus BC and HL Analysis, the student would be better off with a dedicated statistics class or other higher level math.[/quote]
that's what mvc is for. Last year, DC said there were two or three MVC classes, and there were 30+ kids in each class.[/quote]

Still it’s a step down to go from Calculus BC and Multivariable to IB HL analysis because otherwise you won’t get the Diploma.
[/quote]
? you don't have to take HL math.  You can always HL in something else.

Also, some kids take MVC and IB HL in the same year.

No one stated that IB is STEM heavy.  That's what Blair magnet is for.[/quote]

You don’t have to HL in math, but if you’re taking MVC, math is one of your interests, and you want to do your diploma in your strongest subjects.

You need chill a little. When someone offers a criticism of the IB program you seem to take it very personally, and assume there’s some kind of ill intent and vendetta against IB. There are legitimate criticisms from well intended posters that seem to strike a nerve with you and elicit an unwarranted vitriolic reaction.

The perceived rigor of SL classes and slowing down of advanced students are comments that show up often. It may not apply to your child, but some people share the concern, and want to see different perspectives and considerations when deciding on the high school for their kids.[/quote]

I don't know why you people keep insisting on comparing AP with IB. They are different and let's just leave it that way. AP classes are rigorous college level classes that enable you to earn college credits. The IB diploma program is a rigorous track with 6 subject areas and a core class that focuses on an essay and some type of community project. I would say that IB Math, regardless of what class you take is broader than non IB classes, AP or non-AP.  Honestly, who cares about all this- it's whatever works for your kid.  [/quote]

There’s multiple reasons people compare them, both are supposed to show rigorous college level coursework along with DE, probably the number one reason people use these options. For academically oriented students entering HS, it does boil down between IB and AP and to a lesser extent DE, comparing them makes sense to me.

In this thread whenever people bring up RMIB as an example of a good program, inevitably there will be a discussion about AP/post AP, because the school program is essentially a mix between them, it’s not really a typical IB program, and I’m not sure people realize this distinction. The other programs are far more limited even if they have the same IB label. [b]When posters say IB worked great for their kid, it makes a difference if they have access to 10 AP classes, some of them mandatory for graduation, plus classes like MVC that very few other schools offer.[/b] There’s far more variability in IB compared to AP which is relatively a known quantity and seems to be more standardized across schools.

Because of all these reasons, IB comes with a buyer beware warning. You need to do your research beforehand to know what you’re getting.[/quote]

Please stop. Seriously. Just stop.[/quote]

What part of my post are you objecting to?[/quote]

This is a DP.  It's like you have this dire need to prove something.  For the vast majority of students who are in wall-to-wall IB schools, the most rigorous track in their schools IS IB. It doesn't matter that there are minimal AP classes available to them because there are a bunch of IB classes available; most importantly, the IB Diploma track. For these students, not taking the IBDP hurts them as it's already widely known that colleges are looking for kids who took the most rigorous classes in their school whether AP or IB.  At the end of the day, colleges are evaluating applicants against the other applicants in their HIGH SCHOOL; not some other high school that has 45 AP classes or MVC. I just don't understand why you're claiming buyer beware. [/quote]

You must be surely joking! Let me explain to you what I mean by IB program is buyer beware.

Compare the course catalog at RMIB with the one at SV:

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/schools/high-schools/r-w/rmhs/ib/2022-2023-ib-course-handbook.pdf

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/senecavalleyhs/IBprogram/aboutcourses

SV doesn’t even offer a single IB HL class in math, there’s one HL class in science for biology! RMIB has a bunch of APs plus multivariable calculus in addition to both SL and HL for Approaches and Analysis.

It’s true that to some degree you compete with students in your school, but only up to a point, if you go to a crappy program you absolute make a bad decision for your education and college chances.

Not a chance I would ever send my kid to a program like SVIB. If you don’t see how it’s buyer beware then you live in a privileged bubble. [/quote]

Some people need to get off their high horse. Yes, that's you. I'm a parent with an SV student taking IB HL next year: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/svhsregistration/home
Please stop talking about people and schools you know nothing about. Bye, jerk.[/quote]

Ok, so the school posts conflicting information, not exactly confidence inspiring, and actually there’s one single HL math class. Still a single HL science class in biology, no computer science classes etc.

Sorry, but my point that there’s a huge variability across IB programs still stands.

[/quote]

Again, not sure why you are confidently making statements about a school you know nothing about. There's an [b]AP Computer Science class[/b] that my own kid is taking this year.,and as people have said MULTIPLE times, no one is comparing RMIB (nor should they) to the local IB programs except you. No one ever said there's no variability, but the reality is, an IB Diploma is an IB Diploma; and students are assessed against other students WITHIN their own school. Please stop belittling families who have kids at these schools. It's not a good look for you.[/quote]

If you need to supplement with AP classes outside the program that may or may not be offered at your school that kind of means buyer beware isn’t it? You are required to pick six classes for the diploma, if the options are not great, you need to make compromises, how is that even remotely controversial? If you go on to take the AP classes, then maybe you’re not pursuing the diploma program because you don’t have room in your schedule, or you go for the diploma but then you’re stuck with subpar choices.

I’m not belittling families, on the contrary I think families should make informed decisions. I don’t know how you’re not aware about public debate about the IB programs in MCPS going on for years, with course offerings and diploma completion rates being major points of contention.[/quote]

The IB diploma track is only 2 years during Junior and Senior years, thus requiring freshman and sophomore students to take non-IB classes which include regular, honors, or AP. I'm happy that students can get the required Tech class (with an option for AP Comp Science) out of the way before going into full IB mode.   I'm still baffled that you see this as some type of competition.  Each (AP and IB) have its own merits and the emphasis should be going with the most rigorous path in your school. Your assertion that there's a public debate about the IBDP programs in MCPS seems like it's coming from a personal perspective. The reality is there are students even in these "crappy" programs you call, are benefiting from IBDP and dismissing them because they don't align with some perceived superiority of AP classes is a narrow viewpoint. And yes, calling the SV program "crappy" and making sweeping statements such as "I would never send my kid to SV," can be viewed as belittling SV families. [/quote]

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