Swinter

My school offers both AP and IB and like a lot of kids in my school I think I'm gonna do like half AP and half IB when it comes to my schedule. My question is, are AP and IB better in certain subjects? Say, AP having better science courses, or IB having better English courses. Does this make sense?

superstarlala

At my school, IB science courses aren't that great. IB Physics is Hl which is nice, but IB Chem is apparently really bad and the most unpopular class ever. IB Enviro is apparently really good though. I do think AP science and maths are better and IB English and histories, but I couldn't say for sure. Though IB History is better for preparing you for college I've heard

Kaeroze

I've heard tht HL math is WAY harder the AP Calc and the English and History are more I depth then AP. At my school, the foreign Lang is much better IB then AP, I'm taking spanish, and as a junior, I'm taking what is close to AP Spanish 4 which is a year ahead. The sciences are about the same at my school, IB does way more labs and has the better teachers and learns the subject better. It also depends on what your school offers and who the teachers are.

Swinter

Okay, thanks. So for the humanities subjects, I should do IB. The rest I should ask around for. Got it.

MrQWERTYQWERTY

For college admission purposes all AP and IB HL exams needs to be done by the junior year. But Students are not allowed to take IB HL exams in the junior year they must take IB HL exams in the senior year.

Also students are not allowed to take IB exams as a sophomore and as a freshman.

Read the following articles for more details.


http://www.thea-blast.org/en/editori...ting-policies/

supersaian

Yeah. For Humanities, IB blows AP out of the water. It tends to be a lot more creative, and in depth rather than broad for history.
For sciences- in general HL seems equal to or better than AP, SL is subpar.

Swinter

So if science is my weak subject (not super weak or anything. It's just not my favorite and I just finished the quarter with a 94), would you recommend me taking it AP or IB?

Kaeroze

Wow a 94 in science is weak? Well IMO, with IB you can choose to do SL science which has been compared often to AP science, but they are really incomparable because of the differences in teaching styles, what's expected, and the tests. It really depends on you and whether you want to go IB or AP. AP is one year and more free time regulated towards you while IB is more involved to receive the Diploma itself. I'm not sure really yet in the difficulty of IB science yet, because of problems with teachers. But generally, I see IB in any course as this, you spend your first two years of high school walking and occasionally jogging, then you enter IB, this is a marathon run and it just hits you. You either keep up or fall out. It's not that it's really that difficult, but it's justs loads of work and spending time trying to balance everything else. I kind of went off and didnt really answer the question, but I want you to understand, it's not just that one class, it's everything involved. IB is better for people mostly all around good in subjects, you can be really good in say math, but a your core has to be pretty good too or IB is going to be a struggle.

rokr32

I agree with the poster above.

However, I will add this: if you're going to take IB classes, just do the Diploma already. I'm doing the Diploma and it hit me HARD. I used to get 95+ in all classes. Now, i have 2 B+s and the rest are very low As. But, this is only the beginning. I don't mean to scare you though, because I feel that after the IB "journey," i will be so much better prepared for college.

Now, to answer your question: I'm taking IB Math HL and AP Calc AB (my school is weird). IB math HL is A LOT harder than AP Calc.

AP Calc is the only AP class i'm taking. However, there's a student who came from another school who took AP Euro in Sophomore year and is now taking IB History HL with me and she said IB History HL is 100x harder.

I can't comment on other subjects because I haven't taken them at AP level, but the general assumption I have is that IB triumphs over AP in the humanities significantly. For the sciences, HL > AP (just by a little) and AP > SL (by a large margin)

Kaeroze

Don't be misleads though. SL is still a challenge. They just make you have SL classes to give you a break from the HL classes.

rokr32

Yep, i should have added that. IB Physics SL is my worst grade thus far.

Kaeroze

Yes, both HL and SL expect more in writing and knowing how to apply what you've learned to a situation or problem vs. plug and chug learning(Algebra for example). You can't just assume it will be like taking 3-4 AP classes and 2-3 PAP classes in comparison. It's more like 3-4 College level(Actual college level) or AP(depends on the teacher), and AP with differences to make your SL classes have less content vs HL. Next year I plan in taking HL Math, Biology, English(They make us), and HOA(They make us). I plan on taking SL Psychology(But it will be a SL/HL class together so 5 HL's really but an SL test), And Spanish. Even though it's SL, it will still be difficult. Your grades will never be the same again. And your hand will die from so much writing and note taking!

Swinter

Well, I'm just a freshman so most of my courses are pretty easy. I ended the quarter with a 94 in honors biology.

So it sounds like you guys are really advocates of IB.
@rokr the thought of doing the Diploma honestly scares the crap out of me. Is it like a lot of homework?

rokr32

Kaeroze, i had a history HL test where we were given 50 minutes to write a full essay on who caused WWI. I wrote 6 pages and I was in my 3rd body paragraph when the time ran out... And that's only the beginning hahaha.

@Swinter it is a lot of homework. But it's doable. I mean, i get home at 7 everyday and start my HW at 8-8:30. I usually go to sleep at 12:30-1. For example, today, I spent 3 hours doing my English FOA, i'm studying for my IB Math HL exam for a little over 2 hours and i still have some IB Phyics SL homework to do. You get used to it :P

But yea, your grades will never be the same.

Kaeroze

But on the plus side, most schools give you extra points to boost your GPA. Mine gives 15 extra(woot!) I get home around 6 everyday and finish my hw around 9:30-10:30 depending on the day. I then study for the SAT/PSAT, but yeah it's doable. It's just work intensive and different. Like I said earlier, it's more applicable thinking and analytical(yay). And at rokr32, wow! Good job sir *tips hat* and @Swinter, it's not that I'm a big advocate, it's more like I want you to be fully aware of what your getting into. IB IS NOT EASY! You have to be fully motivated, organized, hardworking, and intelligent in every aspect you do. More people will drop out of IB within the first semester and get into AP, I have to give you that. it's not the AP is easier(Although in SOME ways it is), it's that it's less involved outside of actually graduating to get credits and the diploma. I suggested to my CAS Advisor/Advisor of IB(to students) that the sophomores and juniors have a get together to ask questions about IB. Same with the juniors and seniors, she really like the idea and now they are planning to go through with it(IB counseler). Talk to any past IB people or IB people in general...if you can find them @rokr32 are you a senior by chance? If so, I have some questions for you, I'm just a junior.