Sally_Rubenstone

Question: We have a high-achieving, loves-a-challenge 8th-grader who will be attending a high school that offers IB and AP. Which of the two do college admissions prefer?A growing number of high schools seem to be offering both AP and IB, and thus many parents (and students) are befuddled by their options.In terms of college admissions, [...]

View the Complete Q&A at CC's Ask the Dean...

tanveer149

IB no doubt

tokenadult

Harvard's admission officers say in public meetings on their campus that Harvard has no preference one way or the other. That makes sense, because the brand name alone doesn't do enough to guarantee high school quality. In my metropolitan area, there are some strong high schools with AP programs, and some strong high schools with IB programs. My own school district's high school offers both, but is arguably not as strong as the best high schools in the area. Homeschooled students admitted to great colleges

Colleges That Admit Homeschoolers FAQ (Learn in Freedom!)

get into those colleges without IB programs, which are unavailable to homeschooled students. Some of the homeschoolers self-study or do distance learning for AP tests.

classof09

I think it depends on the student. While some may argue that some colleges (particularly international ones) prefer IB, the IB program does not offer the freedom that AP does. Others will argue that college prefer the AP program. It's not really... known which colleges prefer, though each program will offer its own benefits.

My school offers only the AP program, though some of my friends from other schools are in IB programs. They seem comparable aside from the long essay in the IB program and the choice of courses in the AP program.

Motherof2girls

What about a HS that only offers AP's.......what's a good number to take in Senior year. Freshman year only offered 1 and Soph. 2 or 3 . Seniors can take up to 5 if eligible.

AmandaisaGator

Florida colleges (especially UF) DEFINITELY prefer IB. Only 2 AP kids at my entire school (of 3000 students) were accepted to UF last year, whereas almost 3/4 of the IB kids who applied were accepted.

If you go to a HS that doesn't offer IB, just take AP. colleges won't discriminate against you as long as you are taking the most challenging courseload that your HS provides.

avik224

AP classes...because my school does not have IB

Ephemeral2

yeah UF is in love with IB kids.

max0103

I go to a school where we have IB and AP ... I'm actually involved in both programs. By the time I graduate, I'll have 9 AP tests and 8 IB tests, so I know quite a bit about both programs.

I'll say that at my school, IB is harder. That's just the way it is. Apart from AP Chem (which is easier than IB Chem at my school because they only offer IB SL for chemistry), it's pretty universal. Also, the diploma program is a really great bonding experience. I love taking similar classes to all of my friends who are in the program as well and helping each other through all of the IB experiences. I would really recommend trying to take whatever AP/IB courses are available to you because they're really thought-provoking, especially if taught well.

heartless_tin

I hope it's IB, I'm going to take the exams in May

ctmomof3

having looked into this quite a bit ourselves most of the colleges we visited gave us the impression that IB's carried more weight and they heavily stressed the fact that this program is highly esteemed and highly regarded by colleges. We did not go to ivies, but to higher tier schools, GW,BC,BU,Georgetown,Michigan,Villanova,etc........ .just adding my two cents!

Newjack88

Take whatever courseload that is considered most rigorous at your son's school. If AP's are considered to be more rigorous at your son's school, go with AP's. If it's the other way around, then go with IB's.

Wneckid99

most schools in the northeast as far as i know dont even off IB's so id say they're about the same

janas.joker

A growing number of high schools seem to be offering both AP and IB, and thus many parents (and students) are befuddled by their options.

In terms of college admissions, it doesn’t matter which you choose. College applications ask guidance counselors to indicate whether a student’s academic program is “Most Demanding,” “Very Demanding, “Somewhat Demanding,” etc. when compared with what is offered at that school. Unless a student has a big “hook” (recruited athlete, underrepresented minority, VIP, legacy, et al), then only those in the first category get serious consideration at the most competitive colleges. Both full IB programs and AP-laden programs generally earn the “Most Demanding” designation. You can certainly check with the school counselor to make sure that this is the case at your son’s school, too.

Note, however, that I say “full IB programs.” In many high schools, students can sign on for some selected IB classes without shooting for the whole diploma, and I’ve seen admission officials act sort of snooty about that. So, before you commit to either route, be certain that you and your son understand what the complete IB program entails in terms of course selection, time commitment, etc. Your school should have some materials that explain how IB works. You can also check out the official site at International Baccalaureate or read this very reasonable Wikipedia summary at IB Diploma Programme - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia If you’re wary about jumping in with both feet, then the AP road might be the better one to take.

Another consideration to keep in mind is that the more selective colleges often give college credit only for IB classes taken at the “Higher Level” (”HL” in IB lingo). IB students take three classes at that level and the rest at the Standard Level (”SL”). Some colleges give credit only for IB exam scores of 7 (the top); some for lower scores. Thus, even the most outstanding students may only get college credit in three areas, while AP students could end up with credit in many more subjects, depending on how many AP classes the student takes, how he fares on the exams, and what the college’s credit policy is. Some parents and students report that they have to jump through more hoops for IB credit than for AP credit, especially when students are not at the most selective colleges. In any case, once you start investigating AP and IB credit policies, you may feel like you need Cal Tech degree just to figure it all out. Each college seems to somehow manage to come up with an AP/IB credit-awarding system that is just a tad different than the next guy’s!

Of course, for many AP and IB students, earning college credit is not a priority. Most students are focusing primarily on having an engaging high school experience and on impressing admission officials in the process. If they’re shooting for the Ivies and other hyper-competitive colleges, these students aren’t necessarily looking to arrive with credits under their belt nor do they intend to rush through in three years (even though it might save Mom and Dad a bundle of dough).

As you make your plans, also don’t forget to also look into miscellaneous “logistical” considerations. Find out how your son’s choice of program might affect other options in the school day. For instance, do scheduling constraints mean that IB students cannot sign up for chorus, orchestra or yearbook? Do IB students take all their classes together and are never–or rarely—in class with non-IB students? Do they have a separate lunch period that segregates them even more? (In some schools, this can be a minus, in others, a plus.)

But the bottom line is this: If your son is looking for a challenging high school experience that will also “look good” at college admission time, then he can’t go wrong with either AP or IB.

For some additional thoughts, here are links to a Washington Post article by noted education/admissions writer Jay Matthews and also to an IB vs.AP thread on the College Confidential discussion forum:

In AP-vs.-IB Debate, A Win for the Students (washingtonpost.com)

AP vs. IB?

debate_addict

Not Agaaaain!!!!!!!!!!!!!!