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Is the IB Diploma Worth it?

IB Diploma or a combination of AP and IB courses?

  • I have some questions about getting the International Baccalaureate Diploma that I hope someone with experience can answer: (Main question) If I don't sign up for the IB diploma, I will end up taking many of the same classes (or their AP alternatives). Will a "package" of IB courses - the diploma - be more attractive to colleges than the same number of AP and IB courses, but taken separately? Would the very selective schools look at the previous question differently? Apparently, IB diploma students often get sophomore status in colleges. If you have the same courses without a diploma, will you still get to skip freshman year? My counselor claims that colleges say they only give credit for Higher Level courses, but actually give credit for all courses - but *only* if you have the diploma. Is there any truth to that? The "core" classes (Theory of Knowledge, CAS, and Extended Essay) seem completely worthless. Is there any benefit to taking them?

  • Answer:

    from my understanding, colleges love to see either the diploma or the combination of both. they usually hold the same weight, so there may not be that much of a difference. you may still get sophomore status without the diploma, just with the classes. yes tok, cas and extended essay are boring, but they are supposed to help you as far as being academic experiences. i would go for the diploma because it's something that sets you apart from most students. not every high school has the IB program, but just about all of them have AP classes. let me warn you...the IB program is a very stressful program. at the school where i work, we have a lot of students who come in stressed out because of the amount of work given. you have to know how to manage your time well. check out the website...www.ibo.org...maybe you can find more information there. good luck with whatever path you choose!

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I was in IB for three years, and if you're good at handling stress and can balance multiple things at the same time, you should be fine signing up. Anyway, from the last 3 classes of IB graduates, I hear that no matter what college they are going to, IB is classified among the same categories as AP, thus in a way, its pretty pointless. Both the HL and SL tests are much more expensive than AP tests. I'm not sure you can mix both AP and IB courses either...but really, IB is good preparation for college, it'll set you miles apart, trust me, but to me personally, it doesn't seem worth it. IB grading rubrics are so engraved within themselves, you could possibly do a much more impressive job for colleges in AP. And skipping freshmen year? Not a good idea. Don't rush through school! :) Good luck though, hope my rambling helped.

babyxsmile

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