Remember kindergarten, when your only choice was whether you wanted apple or grape juice during snack time? Well, the further you get in school, the more choices you have to make—and the more options you have. Now that you’re in high school, you’ve got a ton of options facing you with regards to what kind of classes and subjects you want to take. Her Campus is here to help you make sense of it all! Read on to learn more about the AP and IB programs, two of the more common advanced curriculum options available for pre-collegiettes across the country. Since these classes are more challenging than regular high school courses, they also give you the opportunity to earn college credit!
Breaking it down: AP
AP (short for Advanced Placement) is a US-based program run by the College Board (the same people that create and administer the SAT) for high school students. If you’re enrolled in an AP class, you’ll spend most of the year practicing skills that you’ll be tested on at the end of the year in what’s called (not surprisingly) an AP exam. These tests are scored on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest score you can earn, and 5 the highest.
There are ton of different subjects that are offered as a part of the AP program. A complete list can be found on the College Board website. Most high schools don’t offer all 34 subjects, but pick and choose based on what their teachers can teach. If you happen to be an expert on a subject that’s not offered at your school, or you didn’t have time to squeeze a particular AP class into your schedule, you can also take an AP test without having taken the AP class for the subject. If a class isn’t offered at your particular high school but you’re still interested in taking it, it’s always a good idea to check with other schools in the area, including local community colleges, to see if you can take the class there instead.
Most students don’t have a full AP schedule because the curriculum for each class is so intense. It’s pretty common to spread out AP subjects over three or four years of high school instead of bunching them up all during your junior and senior year. Of course, the policy on how many AP classes you can take and when varies from school to school, so double check before banking on a set few. Figuring out which classes to take when often depends on which semesters certain classes are offered and how your high school structures schedules and creates their curriculum. It’s always a good idea to check with a high school guidance counselor as a freshman if you’re interested in pursuing AP options at your high school. Remember—there’s no right or wrong number of AP tests you’re required to take. It’s up to you to decide what you’re comfortable with.
Breaking it down: IB
In contrast to AP, the IB program (short for International Baccalaureate—quite the mouthful!) has options for students as young as five years old! These classes also tend to be more intensive and challenging than standard high school classes. IB classes are offered at both IB-only schools and in many public school districts as well. In high school, IB students typically fall into three categories: Middle Years Programme students, IB diploma students, and IB certificate students. What options are available, as well as who is eligible for what program and what classes are offered, often varies from school to school and district to district.
The Middle Years Programme usually starts in middle school and continues through 10th grade. In order to graduate from this program, you’ll have to complete something called a Personal Project. This is a long-term assignment that requires you to work closely with a mentor to research and develop a project or create something based on a passion or interest. Lots of MYP students make documentaries, build something by hand, teach a skill or class to people in the community, or write an extensive research paper. It’s a really great way to wrap up your time in the MYP program.
Starting in 11th and 12th grade, students interested in IB typically have two options when it comes to earning IB-based college credit: going for an IB diploma, or pursuing an IB certificate in individual subjects. The IB diploma is more rigid, and requires more from students as you’re expected to maintain a schedule of most, if not all, IB-level classes. Those pursuing a diploma will have to take a philosophy-centric class called “Theory of Knowledge” and complete something similar to the Personal Project from MYP as a part of the class called the Extended Essay. The Extended Essay, or EE for short, is an in-depth essay students work on throughout their two years of the IB diploma program.
Obtaining an IB certificate, on the other hand, simply requires you to enroll in an IB class for whatever subject you’re interested in, complete all the necessary classwork, and take a final exam in May of your Senior year that’s created and proctored by the International Baccalaureate Organization, the organization that oversees the IB program in schools around the world. Most schools require you to earn at least a four or five on exams to get credit for the class in college.
[pagebreak]
The pros and cons of AP and IB classes
Pro: Colleges LOVE these classes on a transcript.
Regardless of whether it’s AP or IB, work done as part of an advanced curriculum looks great on your transcript. “Colleges and universities look favorably on high scores on the tests and students who enroll in a more challenging course load,” says Matt Quinn, a high school AP World History teacher at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School in Minnesota. Enrolling in tough courses at an AP or IB level shows schools that you’re more than ready for college level course work and that you enjoy a challenge.
IB can also help if you’re interested in going to college in a different country. International admissions standards can be a bit confusing for us Yanks, so having IB scores (which are used internationally) at your disposal could pay off during the application process.
Con: You might have more restrictions with regards to scheduling.
The tough thing about AP and IB classes is that they can be difficult to schedule around. It’s a big deal to be accepted into AP or IB classes, which means that these classes aren’t offered as often as your standard chemistry or English class.
With IB in particular, scheduling can be tricky, especially if you’re a diploma student. “It was super frustrating to not have room for fun stuff like ceramics, photography, or other electives because you’re required to take things like a second language or [Theory of Knowledge],” says Sydney West, a former IB student from Minnesota. You’ll be limited in what you can take since you need to meet the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) requirements for the diploma and make room for the Theory of Knowledge class. Unlike the AP program, you’ll have to take IB-level classes in all core subjects (think math, language arts, social studies, etc.) instead of being able to pick and choose advanced classes in the subjects you’re stronger in. If you want a more flexible senior year schedule with room for cool electives, think twice about how many AP and IB classes you want to take.
Pro: Free college credit and advanced standing – ‘nuff said.
“The opportunity for students to earn possible college credit or advanced placement is an obvious payoff in the end,” says Ali Wilson, the AP coordinator for Robbinsdale Armstrong High School. Wilson is right: AP and IB credit earned by testing at the end of the year can help you skip out of introductory college classes that are often crowded and not very entertaining. IB and AP classes can also bump up your registration status, meaning you’ll get better pickings when it comes to choosing classes, since you can pick before other freshmen if you have enough credit to qualify as a sophomore. They can also help you finish gen eds sooner so you can discover your passion and fall in love with a major.
Keep in mind that each college’s policy regarding credit from AP or IB testing is different, so it’s always a good idea to check on specifics during a tour or school visit if you plan on taking a lot of AP or IB classes. If you’re curious about a certain school’s policy for AP credit, check out this nifty AP credit policy info tool. The IB equivalent for checking credit policies is available here.
Con: There’s a lot riding on a test score to get credit for college.
Your final AP test score (the thing that determines whether or not you get credit in college) is entirely dependent on one test score. Obviously, this puts a lot of pressure on you during test day, something that’s definitely important to consider. “I’m not the world’s best test-taker, so it’s definitely a bit of a risk taking AP classes and depending on them for college credit,” says Elaine Ulthra, a sophomore at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School. Most schools only give credit for top scores of 4 or 5, so if you’re not comfortable in the class or feel like you won’t get a high enough score, you might want to think twice about attempting the AP test.
When it comes to the IB, testing is a little different. First, your final score that determines whether or not you’ll receive credit from a school isn’t based solely on a test. Oftentimes, the exam given in May by the IBO accounts for anywhere from 50 to 75 percent of this final score, while the other 25 to 50 percent comes from in-class projects and typically called “internal assessments.” Examples of internal assessments include extensive research papers, taped foreign language dialogues with you and your teacher, or an oral commentary on a passage from a book read in class. In order to receive an IB diploma, you need to score high enough on most exams to reach a final cumulative score that determines whether or not you’re actually eligible to receive the diploma.
Con: Are you ready for an increased workload?
While the payoff for taking these classes is huge, you’ll also have to put in the work to get the credit and recognition. Since these are college level classes, it’s not unheard of or unexpected to deal with a college level workload as well. Keep in mind that AP and IB classes often involve summer homework, as well as a heavier load of assignments and tests during the school year to make sure you’re ready come exam time in May. “Jumping from the MYP program to the IB program was definitely a change in the amount of work,” says Hannah Rawlins, a former IB student from Minnesota. “It was definitely more time, which means you have to get better at prioritizing and managing things.”
With IB in particular, you’ll most likely have times of the year when you’ll have to juggle many assignments and assessments all at once as teachers work to meet deadlines set by the IBO. However, if you manage stress by staying organized, you’ll handle it without breaking a sweat!
Another aspect to consider about testing in IB is that tests are offered at two different levels: Standard Level exams (often called SL exams) and Higher Level exams (HL exams). Unfortunately, many schools, especially more elite universities and colleges, only give credit for HL exams. In order to take an HL exam, you typically have to be enrolled in the class for both your junior and senior year. Testing and participation in an IB class becomes quite a much larger commitment in that case.
High school can be super fun AND super amazing at prepping you for college at the same time. AP and IB are two great options if you’re looking to get a little more out of high school and make the most of those four years.