Reply to W-L IB. Worth it for college admissions?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
I’ve heard IB does a great job of prep for college esp for liberal arts. [b] In my opinion the AP curriculum is stronger for tech/math/science.[/b]  So it might be a question of best fit rather than increasing college admission chances.[/quote]

What's that opinion based on? (I ask because the only APS kid I know of who got into MIT did IB, but I realize that "getting into MIT" is not a reasonable standard for assessing a program's merit)[/quote]

This is a comment based on the different levels available for math/tech.  This is not a comment that the quality of teaching is better.  But rather a comment that
the "build your own adventure" flexibility of AP is better for tech.  For example, calc AB, BC, the two different physics AP courses (mechanics and E&M). Or that you can take AP Bio,
but that's a bit independent from the other.  It's this ability to specialize the tech versus taking a generalized "science" courses that makes AP a bit stronger prep, in my opinion.

I graduated from Stanford (engineering). Came in with full load of AP courses. [/quote]

What science options does IB offer - or should I say not offer? 
[/quote]

From the W-L site:
    Biology HL
    Biology SL (one year)
    Chemistry HL
    Computer Science HL
    Design Technology SL
    Environmental Systems SL (one year; block course)
    Physics SL
    Sports, Exercise & Health Science SL

So for example, Stanford will accept 10 AP courses (math/sci, CS) as course substitutions.  But from IB program will accept 5 courses.  For languages, it's about the same.

Again--not all these are offered at a given school.  And not all high schools have the competent teachers for the subjects.  But comparing the programs as designed serve as the basis for my comment about AP being a better STEM fit.

[/quote]

The nice thing about W-L, if it's your zoned school, is that you can pick and choose from AP and IB classes (transfers have to commit to the full IB program).  My DD loves biological sciences and her biology teacher, who teaches both AP and IB strongly recommended the 2-year IB class because she thinks it's better in the amount of research and writing required.  So she's doing that and then IB Environmental Science but doing AP for English, Calculus, Social Studies classes, the things that she'll likely want to use an AP credit to satisfy general ed requirements.  My son, a senior, has done mainly AP (his strength is math and will be majoring in data science) but also an IB Economics class since that's not available as AP. Also taking a very cool dual-enrollment class on geospatial data analysis.[/quote]

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