Anonymous wrote:

IB offers the same flexibility. My ds has taken IB computer science, IB business, IB economics, and IB social anthropology. And the pp who stated that the Latin requirements are different is incorrect. It is necessary to start a language in 8th and stick with it to take IB language SL or HL. And is anyone considering that most of these are two year courses? Two years of HL Bio (for example) is definitely harder than one of AP bio.

But, AP gives the opportunity for AP Bio, AP, Physics, AP Environmental Science, AP Chemistry, etc. You are not confined to two years of Bio for science.

And, what makes you think that most AP Foreign Language are not in their fifth year? Some may combine it-but not all.

It does appear that AP offers more flexibility in Science and Math. It would seem that English and Social Sciences may be similar.


Once more: value for the expense goes to AP

+1 My DC just graduated and took AP BC Calculus, (plus Multivar and Linear Algebra), AP Chemistry, AP Physics 1 and AP Physics C, AP Biology and AP Statistics. And because of an LD, he took a team taught English class throughout HS. IB would not have been beneficial to him, AP is far more flexible to each student's strengths. IB tends to favor those with language skills over math and science, and it is fantastic for those students.

I do think IB is a great program for those children it serves well and I would like to see FCPS continue with the IB option. However, the clustered IB programs in the east of the county need to be weeded down to one (possibly two if placed far enough apart). Then, it will grow like Marshall and South Lakes.