Is the IB program a bad choice for me?

aw2021
Tue, 25 Apr 2017 05:08:16 +0000

Okay, so I take Bio HL, History HL, Math SL, and Chem SL. Math SL (year 2) does teach u abt 80% of the same stuff as AP Calc AB – even more if you have a better teacher. It’s for people who are good at math, but are not going to major in math or whatever. I mean it’s basically the same thing as half of a college calc course. Ask someone what their experience was with taking calc/physics online… it depends on how your school offers it, tbh! I took all IB classes, and never took an AP class (except human geo) so I have no idea. Also if you do the IB program, it is possible to get straight As and do whatever you want. A job, volunteer, intern, whatever your heart desires!

Here’s the truth: The IB program is awful. Taking 10 classes of AP is nowhere as bad as even taking the 3 HLs and doing the IAs/EE/TOK stuff/etc! Yet, colleges (in the U.S) view AP and IB as the same. Now even if your rank drops to top 3 or top 5, you won’t be hurt a lot (unless you go to a school where only the valedictorian goes to great colleges, haha).

The most rigorous coursework would be IB diploma plus AP Calc/AP Physics. I do think AP Calc will be a little easy compared to when you take it because some of the units overlap with IB Math SL (part 2), but physics will be new. It’s up to you honestly! After finishing the IB program at my school, I know that I benefitted from it because my weighted GPA is really high and because I feel like I’m a really hard worker compared to the AP students who don’t know what real stress feels like, but I would have also liked to relax by not doing the IB program.