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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]From where I sit, the major problem with IB sequencing is that IB applicants aren't going to come out of it with enough standardized test subject scores to wow the most highly competitive colleges when they apply, unless, that is, they double up on some AP exams.  That's why I had my IBD kid take the corresponding AP exams for foreign language and sciences.  The only IB exams IBD students can take before applying to college, unless they apply from a gap year, are two Standard Level exams at the end of junior year.  The sequencing of the exams works well in Europe--where students get "conditional" offers to universities predicated on their achieving certain exam results the summer after high school--but not in the US.  This is something to keep in mind if you're considering IBD for your student.  In our experience, MoCo guidance counselors, admins and teachers tend to downplay this grave problem (claiming that subject scores aren't necessary, that IBD exam "predicted scores" are sufficient, total BS).  We're going with IBD mainly because we have family in the UK, where top colleges are much cheaper than in this country, in the hopes that our kids will attend university in London or Scotland.[/quote]

Very good points, although I’m not sure IBD is that big of an advantage for the top UK universities. For example at Oxford University international qualification is IBD with a score of at least 38 or four AP’s with a score of 5.

It just seems that even for UK colleges AP is the easier and lower risk route.[/quote]

Adding to the previous post.

Cambridge University international qualification for IB is three HL classes with 776 it 777 scores or five AP’s with a score of 5.

St Andrew in Scotland, IBD with a score of at least 36 or three AP’s with a score of 4+.

Even for international universities, I don’t see a huge benefit going the IBD route, it’s likely easier to meet the qualifications with AP coursework.[/quote]

Not buying it. Nobody's getting into St. Andrews with 3 APs and a score of 4+. We know kids who were rejected there with 5-6 AP exam scores, almost all 5s.  We've been poking around UK university web sites for weeks. What we've found that far more of the top tier institutions in the UK more publish IBD points total and subject score requirements than they do for AP.  Fact is, IBD is really catching on in the UK. 20 years, around 2% of secondary schools offered it Across the Pond, now 10% do.  Similar situation in Canada.  We've been finding much more info about IBD requirements on Canadian univ web sties than AP info.  It's clear that IBD is undeniably helpful if you're looking at college abroad.

The feature I like best about IBD is that, because the kids need to work within a tough set curriculum, there's a strong push for students who aren't necessarily self-starters.  Kids get solid peer support from fellow travelers taking most of the same classes. I also see value in how there's no way out - you gut it out on science, math, individuals and societies/social students, advanced foreign language, English with heavy writing and an arts subject (or two sciences), the extended essay/mini thesis, the Theory of Knowledge class and the CAS volunteer work.  My bright but somewhat lazy kids would have ducked out of serious AP rigor.  I've gone so far as to tell them that they need to earn IBD points totals in the 30s of we're not paying for college (knowing that they can make the grade without difficulty if they apply themselves, like I did for IBD in the early 90s).[/quote]

Maybe it’s more convincing directly from the horse’s mouth.
https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/subjects/entry/usa/

That’s not the guaranteed admission stats, which don’t exist, these are the qualification stats to be considered for admission. I’m sure 36 in IB diploma isn’t a shoe in either.

The peer group argument is separate and of course you are in the best position to know what’s best for your child.

The assertion is that there’s not a huge benefit in UK Universities admissions coming from an IB compared to AP. They seem to happily consider AP candidates. Some posters claimed that for international applications it’s IB or bust, when that’s simply not the case.
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