<p>I’m in a grade equivalent to US Grade 11 and in my region, we’re supposed to pick a suitable pre university programs from a wide range of Grade 12 programs from all around the world.
Currently, the list of programs are as listed below;
- Canadian Pre-U (CPU) from Canada
- Australian Matriculation (AUSMAT) from Australia
- South Australian Matriculation (SAM) from South Australia
- GCE A Level (CIE & Edexcel) from UK
- American Degree Transfer Program (ADP / ADTP) from America (?)
- International Baccalaureate (IB)</p>
<p>There are also AP exams developed from diplomatic education relation with US, but no courses. Also available is the SAT exams. Help me pick a suitable program that are recognized well in top institutions… Best is those recognized and accepted by the Ivy Leagues… Thanks in advance.</p>
<p>If you have IB go for it! </p>
<p>If you plan to apply to Ivy League note that they are very well knowledgeable about A Levels French Baccalaureate IB German Abitur etc </p>
<p>One student got to Yale from my country who gave none of this internationally renowned exams and simply gave state supervised board exams. Note that your SAT SAT II GPA Class Ranking holds more weight than your examining board.</p>
<p>But IB has far more influence as compared to all of them so go for that one
:)</p>
<p>Okay. Thanks.
So ib it is… But the institutions here are famous for their A levels, boasting up to hundreds of straight aces per year… Since ib is kinda new, there is a slight possibility that i’ll get kinda low marks for it. And with A levels, I might be at par with students of UK. Is it still okay to pursue ib that’s still a young program with unpolished teaching method?</p>
<p>^</p>
<p>IB vs A levels is, generally, a breadth vs depth thing. While IB is * generally * more rigorous than A levels (for one, the UK govt. recognizes IBD as more challenging than 4 A-levels), you can always take more subjects in A-levels if you want to (even in IB, you can).</p>
<p>It is not necessarily true that IB is more influential that the other examination systems. There are fewer students who take part in IBD than in, for example, the A-level program. My school consistently sends graduates to top universities and top LACs.</p>
<p>The IBD sets a program for you – a program that is really very good and prepares you for a liberal arts education. However, by taking A-levels, you have more freedom, and can craft your own programs.</p>
<p>Both IB and A-levels require a very experienced, sophisticated teaching faculty who understand the value of not only content cramming but also conceptual learning. They also should be able to help you improve your reasoning and interpreting skills. I would, therefor, not recommend on any grounds to take IB at a school where the teaching method is “unpolished” unless you think you will be able to do study quite a lot yourself. I have witnessed quite a few A-level students in my country suffer a similar fate.</p>
<p>IB or A levels will work for you. You do need SATI and a couple of SAT IIs for most top schools which means you need to prepare for them on the side and try to complete them by October of your senior year.</p>
<p>Thanks for the advices… I’m curious of the curriculum of both of these pre u… Some say that the Higher Level of the ib is very very tough. So, does the syllabi of the Higher Level subjects encompasses the subjects of the A levels? If so, it is possible for me to take both by sitting as private candidate in A level, as a backup measure in case of failure…</p>
<p>I know I’m probably supposed to give you the advantages of all and let you decide, but I’m going to say IB would be the best option. Yes, most programmes and courses are great, but IB gives you everything in equal amounts. With the IB it isn’t just about your grades - there’s so much more to it than that, and it literally grooms you for university showcases 
- its mission is to produce a Global student, someone who knows a bit about everything, is well learned, has a Foreign Language, a science and math subject alike, art… </p>
<p>I’m taking IB after this summer, and I MIGHT be biased, but I was where you are now, once upon a time, and I had to look at the advantages of certain courses over IB… in the end it won me over 
</p>
<p>Also (well, before I forget), this decision GREATLY involves who you are as a student (or should, anyway). If you feel like you’re better suited with A Level instead of IB, go for it!!</p>
<p>@reconnaissance</p>
<p>A-level and IB HL are comparable. So are AS-level and IB SL.
In some subjects, IB is more rigorous whereas in others, A-levels is.</p>
<p>Personally, I found IB HL Eco to be easier than A-level Economics, and it was the same with Chemistry. However, IB HL Physics seems tougher than A-level Physics. A-level Further Math is much rigorous than IB Further Math, but IB has only SL Further Math.</p>
<p>Thanks… That means that I’ll probably be taking ib and the easier few of Higher Level to be taken again in A levels as a private candidate… How bout the AP and SAT subject examinations?.. Ib Higher Level and the A level curriculum enough to encompass what needed to study in AP exams and SAT subject tests?</p>
<p>Its a choice of advantages </p>
<p>I take A levels and I find it wayyy more interesting and engaging as compared to IB</p>
<p>It doesn’t really matter much is admissions but its entirely your choice</p>
<p>@reconnaissance</p>
<p>For the most part, yes. But there are topics not covered in A level / IB that are there in SAT II / AP.</p>
<p>So… The curriculum and syllabi of both the examinations are not sufficient for the tests? I thought ib was at par with ap? If so, what can I do to excel in ap and sat subjects?</p>
<p>Since both SAT and AP are administered by collegeboard, they try to cover similar areas. So it is quite normal that IB, A levels and SAT do not cover exactly the same topics at the same depth but AP material is more suitable to SAT II.</p>
<p>However, it is not like you will need to cover an extra 50% of material for SAT, it is probably more like 10%.</p>
<p>Okay… Thanks for the advice. Too bad there’s no courses by CollegeBoard in my region… But for international students, isn’t a perfect score is necessary for an easy entry? So that 10% is a cut from my chance for that straight score…</p>
<p>Perfect score for entering what?
Depends
2400 in SAT I and II might get you into a very good public uni of USA provided you can pay
while same doesn’t apply for the top 20 private unis and LACs</p>
<p>It takes a lot more than perfect scores to go to Harvard
Perfect scores wont make up for weak ECs and moderate essays :)</p>
<p>Oh… Okay… There’s time to fix that… Thanks for all your comments and advices.</p>