Need help with CC terminology!

delamer
Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:59:47 +0000

I know several people with kids in IB programs. These students choose something equivalent to college majors in the programs, whereby they meet general requirements but focus on a couple subject areas. In order to get an IB diploma, they have to do significant community service, write a substantial research paper, and get a minimum number of points on the tests they take at the end each course. My impression is that the individual IB classes may not be harder than the equivalent AP classes, but overall the IB program is more rigorous and integrated.

My sons’ public high school (no IB program) has on-level, honors, and AP classes for many subjects – in increasing order of difficulty. While the on-level classes are less rigorous, I think ldwendy overstates the case as far as them being as seen for low-achievers. While honors and AP are more desirable, especially if you are aiming for a top tier college, on-level courses are not in any way remedial. My 10th grade son, for instance, is in an on-level Science course because Science is neither an interest nor priority for him. He is in honors English and History, because those subjects are more interesting/relevant to him.

Many schools give extra points in the weighted GPA for honors and AP courses. So it is hard to have a top GPA without lots of those courses.