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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Each program has its strengths. The IB parents in Fairfax tend to try and over-compensate for the fact that their schools are lower-performing overall by exaggerating the benefits of IB.  That’s why we invariably hear the entirely false assertions that AP is only about rote memorization, whereas IB teaches critical thinking skills and gives kids an advantage in college admissions. It’s laughable but also somewhat understandable when you put it in context. [/quote]

This is so true.

People want to justify the choices they made for their kids, but the mental gymnastics is getting out of control. The critical thinking problem solving bit is the most ridiculous of all. Have they measured the critical thinking of the students to know? And how?

Agree that it doesn’t confer an advantage to college admissions compared to AP, although it’s stated in every IB thread as a fact. If anything, it will sometimes hurt the high performing kids, because the program is too rigid and lacks flexibility. [/quote]

There’s a lot of buyer’s regret when people realize they are zoned for an IB school and that 80-98% of the kids at those schools don’t get IB diplomas. Meanwhile the AP schools offer a more flexible curriculum without all the rhetoric about creating “global citizens,” “life-long learners,” etc. [/quote]

If your kid is too dumb and lazy to get an IB diploma then he will also be too dumb and lazy to succeed at an AP school. The kids at IB schools who do not do IB would not take advantage of that "flexible AP curriculum" if the school offered it.[/quote]

IB is not a good fit for the top students that want to take more coursework in one area, and it’s not good for the students that should only take a few advanced courses in high school. Those students would benefit more from the a la carte AP curriculum which is better aligned with community colleges and universities. IB is one size fits all and is failing at the upper and lower tiers.[/quote]

I am embarrassed for you that you don't understand that kids at IB schools who you think "should" only take a few advanced courses in high school [i]already have the option to do that[/i]. IB is not "all or nothing". You can take IB classes "a la carte" just like AP classes. You are not obligated to pursue the diploma program.

"the a la carte AP curriculum which is better aligned with community colleges and universities" - what AP kid is going to a community college, what are you blathering about here?

"IB is one size fits all and is failing at the upper and lower tiers" - IB is not one size fits all, is not failing at the upper tiers (the kids capable of advanced work get IB diplomas and are well prepared for college), and is not failing at the lower tiers (the kids who are not capable of completing the diploma program can still take some of the courses and benefit from them).

Why do people talk when they are so profoundly ignorant?[/quote]

IBD absolutely limits the very top students that want to take more coursework in a certain area because of course availability and limits on HL courses one can take. A student in the IBDP can’t drop foreign language to take Multivariable instead.

You must live in a bubble if you don’t think there are students going to community college after taking APs. Some because they don’t do well, some for financial reasons, it’s ridiculous to say they don’t exist, sorry but you’re the ignorant here. IB SL classes won’t get you any credit at our local CC, that should tell you a lot about how rigorous they are. Lower tier students would be much better off taking dual enrollment than IB, because the goal is removing the barrier of transitioning them into college.

Theory of knowledge, CAS are useless in general for top and struggling students which would be far better served focusing on real classes, not pretentious fluff.

IB is akin to trinket label for parents that want to believe their kid is special. It isn’t, but let them feel good about themselves. But when you’re inflicting IB over an entire school, then you just don’t have the students best interest in mind. When people have a choice it’s clear which way they go.[/quote]

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