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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Another Robinson IB parent here. My child will start the diploma next year, but I would have no issue with Robinson switching to AP today.  My child would probably still end up with more than 10 IB/APs.  Just keep IB for the rising seniors. [/quote]

How would they get more than 10 IB classes if the diploma programs is only 6? Did they already take some AP classes freshman’s sophomore? I’d be curious which ones.[/quote]

The IB diploma is way more than 6 classes. 6 exams, maybe (each over 3 days) but it’s 2 math courses just to get to the one exam, and is the same in many of the subjects. If you are an IB candidate you are generally taking 6 IB classes junior year, and 6 more senior year.[/quote]

I see, you count IB HL as two classes, but it’s only one exam, so for example IB math HL is two years of classes even if it’s the same as AP calculus BC, which is only one year of classes. So three HLs is 6 classes, plus 3 SLs, that’s a total of 9. Do you count ToK as the 10th?

Can someone give an example of courses for a typical student in the IB diploma program?[/quote]

Here is Robinson's example path:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OOg0DlRcYdgafcpPBmzKwNBVfncWYUiv/view

Freshman/Sophomore year is a typical mix of honors and regular classes, though a few IB sequences can be started early if a student is ahead in math or wants to do both Chemistry and Physics at the IB level.

Junior year:
IB English Literature 1
IB Foreign Language 1
IB History 1
IB Science 1
IB Math 1
IB Theory of Knowledge
IB Elective or regular elective

Senior year:
IB English Lit 2 (SL or HL)
IB Foreign language 2 (SL or HL)
IB History of the Americas (HL) or IB Geography (SL)
IB Science 2 (SL or HL)
IB Math 2 (SL or HL)
IB Elective year 2 (HL) or 1 year IB Elective (SL)

You test after your year 2 HL or SL course, so no tests junior year (since those are generally year 1) for most and a LOT of 2-3 day exams senior year.  You need 3 or 4 HL exams and 2 or 3 SL exams, with a certain number of points earned on all. Plus each of those year 2 classes requires a paper (with a certain minimum score), PLUS the whole program requires an "extended essay" (with a certain minimum score).

It's a lot. The AP criteria to be an "AP scholar" is much less, which is why I think there is so much disappointment at the low number of IB diplomas awarded, but it's an apples and oranges comparison.  To get the top AP award, you just need to pass 5 exams. You can self study for the easier courses, you can get a C in the class, blow off the final, and pass the exam, etc. In IB, you must pass the class, the test, and the paper to get "credit" for the diploma.[/quote]

The grading and assignment style is one of the reasons I dislike the IB program. It feels a lot like busywork and it is needlessly difficult. For math and sciences some of the assignments are even counterproductive, like writing a 4 pages of math essays, definitely busy work, and not relevant to how students are graded in college. At the end of the day the IB students don’t necessarily have a better understanding of the material than AP students. Taking AP Calculus BC after IB Math HL Analysis is not a good idea, too many missing topics and not enough depth.[/quote]

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