International baccalaureate (IB) classes vs. advanced placement (AP) classes – what are the differences?

 

You may have heard of international baccalaureate (IB) classes or advanced placement (AP) classes, but you may be wondering…what are these classes all about? And should your child sign up for one or the other? Or both?

It’s important to note that not every school offers these types of classes. Depending on the particular high school that your child attends, he or she may have the option to sign up for AP classes, IB classes, or maybe even both.

So what are these classes all about? Both AP and IB classes were created to challenge high school students with tougher classes, while also giving these students the opportunity to receive college credits before even stepping foot on a college campus. Although AP and IB are different programs, college admissions officers do not prefer one over the other. In other words, an AP class or an IB class look equally impressive on a transcript. They are simply two different routes that your child can take in order to show their interest in particular topics, and also show colleges that they can take on challenges.

So let’s talk a closer look at the differences between AP and IB classes.

 

WHAT ARE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AP AND IB CLASSES?

• AP: AP classes are a great option if your child has an interest in a couple of topics, and would like to challenge themselves further with more difficult coursework. Your child does not have to take the AP exam if they sign up for the AP class. And likewise, students can take the AP exam without taking the full AP class (though they will need to study quite a bit on their own time to do well).

• IB: IB classes were created in tandem with the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program, which takes a holistic approach to higher-level learning (whereas AP classes have a singular focus). Unlike AP exams, a student must enroll in an IB class in order to take the corresponding IB exam and receive college credit.

  

WHAT IS THE IB DIPLOMA PROGRAM?

• The IB Diploma Program is a program in which your child can earn a diploma with the completion of three core elements and six subject groups. The completion of this program usually takes about two years. Since the IB program has a more holistic approach to education, the three core classes for the diploma program focus on theory of knowledge, an extended essay, and creativity. The additional six subject groups are similar to topics offered by AP classes, such as language, literature, science, math, and the arts.

• Even if your child does not want to enroll in the entire program, he or she can still take specific courses and their corresponding exams. They just wouldn’t earn the diploma for the full program.

  

CAN STUDENTS TAKE JUST 1 COURSE OR DO THEY HAVE TO TAKE MULTIPLE COURSES?

• AP: Your child can choose to take as many or as few AP classes as they’d like, assuming these classes are offered at their high school. Students can curate their own AP schedules so that they only take courses that they are interested in.

• IB: Similar to AP classes, your child can take whichever IB courses they would like. However, if your child wishes to obtain the IB diploma, he or she must finish the entire program. In this scenario, students may have to take required courses that they are not as interested in.

 

CAN STUDENTS CHOOSE WHICH CLASSES THEY WANT TO TAKE?

• AP: Yes. Your child can take as many or as few AP classes as he or she would like.

• IB: Yes. However, if your child wishes to receive the IB Diploma, they cannot choose the individual classes.

  

CAN STUDENTS TAKE THE EXAM WITHOUT TAKING THE ASSOCIATED CLASS? 

• AP: Yes. Taking the corresponding class is not a requirement to take the exam. Your child can take any AP exam they want, even if they haven’t taken the course. There are many different workbooks created to help students who haven’t taken the AP class prepare for the exam.

• IB: No. Your child must take the course to complete the exam.

 

DO STUDENTS HAVE TO PAY TO TAKE THE OFFICIAL EXAMS? 

• AP: Yes, the approximate cost is $94 per exam.

• IB: Yes, the approximate cost is $172 to register + $119 per exam.

 

WHAT ARE THE EXAMS LIKE? 

• AP: Depending on the subject, AP exams usually include a mixture of multiple choice, short answer, and free response.

• IB: IB assessments work very differently from AP exams, as the IB program has both internal and external assessments. External assessments are the official exam portions of each course, and internal assessments are made by individual teachers. IB classes and exams rarely use multiple choice exam questions, which tests your child’s writing ability and removes the option for random guessing.

  

WHAT’S A GOOD EXAM SCORE? 

• AP: AP exams are graded on a scale of 1-5 points. Typically, the College Board considers a score of 3, 4 or 5 as “passing.” For example, if your child takes the AP US History exam and receives a score of 3, then he or she will have passed the exam and may also earn college credit. However, it’s important to understand that every college has different rules, and some colleges require students to receive a score of 4 or 5 in order to count toward college credit.

• IB: IB exams are graded on a scale of 1-7. Typically, scoring above a 4 is generally considered passing, although there isn’t a set “passing” score like the AP exam. Most colleges give credit for scores above a 5, and you need an average of 4 on each exam to receive the Diploma.

 

DO CERTAIN SCORES ON EXAMS GUARANTEE COLLEGE CREDIT?

• Although, on the surface, AP and IB exams seem like a guaranteed way of taking fewer prerequisites in college, there are some frequent exceptions. For instance, the major that your child chooses can influence whether or not the credits count. For example, if your child takes the AP Chemistry exam and receives a score of 5 (the top score), he or she may still might have to take chemistry in college if they are planning to declare a major with chemistry as a requirement. Language exams often have exceptions as well. Many colleges will offer their own language exam that places students into language courses at their specific institution. Thus, even if your child earns a 5 on a language AP exam, they still might have to retake those classes in college.

 

WHAT DO THE EXAM CREDITS COUNT TOWARD? 

• AP: AP exams are an opportunity to earn college credit for AP high school classes. Unlike AP classes, AP exams are comprised of only a single test score. While your child need to submit their AP class grade through their transcript, students are NOT always required to submit their AP exam scores with their college applications. Thus, if your child receives a low score on that exam, he or she may choose to omit that particular score completely from their application.

• IB: Similar to AP classes, your child can also earn college credit by taking IB exams for the corresponding course. This means that he or she can take fewer classes once they get to college, potentially saving both time and money if he or she can finish school a semester early.

• Though a high score on either AP or IB exams can be a great way to flaunt your child’s hard work and ability to perform well on standardized tests, these scores tend to matter more once your child starts college (rather than the actual application). Regardless of the exam score, colleges like to see that students have challenged themselves by opting to sign up for AP or IB classes.

  

THE TAKE-AWAYS:

In the end, both AP and IB classes are highly regarded in the eyes of college admissions officers, and one program does not look “better” than the other on the college application. Since the IB program is still quite small (it has a larger presence internationally), many high schools do not offer these courses. The high school that your child attends may largely influence which classes he or she is able to take. Both AP and IB classes offer the ability to take college level classes during high school, and this can, in turn, potentially save a great deal of time and money once your child enters college (check out this article to learn more about the benefits of AP/IB classes). At the end of the day, although taking these higher-level classes challenges your child academically and can help them stand out in college applications, he or she should not feel the need to sign up for every single AP/IB class available. Taking a few of these rigorous courses and showing a true interest in a certain topic speaks volumes to college admissions officers, but they are not right for every single student.