For students looking to challenge themselves and have the experience of college-level courses in high school, there are many options to choose from. Perhaps two of the most well-known programs are Advanced Placement (AP) and the International Baccalaureate (IB). Though both courses are challenging, taking the classes can allow students to gain college credit while still in high school. But how do you know which program is the best for you?
In terms of courses, pursuing the full IB diploma requires students to select three standard level and three higher level courses, totaling six. They will take these courses in eleventh through twelfth grade. These classes are chosen from six areas of study, including mathematics, sciences, studies in language and literature, language acquisition, individuals and societies, and the arts. In addition to these, participants must also finish theory of knowledge (ToK), creativity, activity, and service (CAS), and the extended essay (EE). However, students also have the option of taking the IB certificate program. This requires taking one to five IB courses and does not include completing CAS, the EE, and ToK. IB exams usually occur in May of the candidate’s twelfth-grade year, and grades are given as a score between 1 and 7, with 7 being the highest.
On the other hand, the AP program consists of different courses that students can take at school instead of being a full program. There are 38 courses offered, and they range from the arts, English, social sciences, math and computer science, and world languages. Students sit for the AP exams in May. Technically, students do not need to enroll in the corresponding AP courses to take the final exam. The exams are scored with a grade of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest.
In terms of receiving college credit, both courses can make students eligible. It depends on the school, but students who achieve high scores (such as a 6 or a 7) can receive credit for college courses. This varies by school and by subject. For AP, most colleges will award credit to students who score a 4 or 5 on the exam, although this also varies by school and by subject.
There are many differences and similarities between IB and AP courses. When comparing difficulty, many would agree that the IB is more challenging than AP program because of the additional real-life application requirements that are included in each course and the greater number of courses that must be taken. Because of all the requirements of taking the full IB diploma program, students must learn to balance their time between studying, writing essays, and completing the community service requirements early on to remain as stress-free as possible. This is not to say that AP courses are easy, because both programs offer college-level classes. But there is more freedom in selecting AP courses, as students are not required to take a certain number to pass. Overall, the choice between AP and IB will differ for each student, but both programs provide opportunities for students to challenge themselves and pursue higher learning.
Schools in Beijing that offer AP classes include Tsinghua International School, Western Academy of Beijing (WAB), and AISB-Hope International. Schools that offer IB courses include the International School of Beijing (ISB), Keystone Academy, and the Canadian International School of Beijing (CISB).
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