anyone taking IB diploma? Options

[LittleLulu]

about two months ago, i had an epiphany ( i know i spelled that wrong but w/e) about my education.

....MY SCHOOL ONLY OFFERS AP IN GRADE 12!!!!!!! how AWFUL** is that?!?

and the only things they have it in is Studio arts, and..english lit. Chem, Phys, and Bio, for the past few years have not opened class due to the lack of enrollment.

Hence i decided to transferr to a different highschool next year. Going for Richmond High because they offer IB ( International Baccalaureate), which is probably the best thing i can do if i want to go to University in the U.S. ( i live in Canada).

im feeling so depressed and scared..and just generally bummed out from all the research i've done on college admissions...

[ComradeRed]

Secret: Nobody actually cares about AP tests.

[silver-rain]

Secret: Nobody actually cares about AP tests.

Yeah, that's true. Colleges want to see that you took the most challenging classes at your school, and they understand if your school only offers AP senior year or something.

[*tweeak*]

Secret: Nobody actually cares about AP tests.

How so?

There's no way I was about to subject myself to IB diploma (my math grades probably wouldn't let me in, anyway) so I intended to get the language arts certificate with IB language and literature and TOK, but I couldn't fit TOK into my schedule this year without dropping either Spanish or band, neither of which I was willing to let go. With excessive begging, we band kids got them to let us into IB language (and lit next year) alone without the TOK. Unfortunately, that's my only IB class because I didn't take pre-IB and thus couldn't take the two year History of the Americas course. To compensate, I'm taking AP US history, but that was the only AP class I could take without again dropping band or Spanish, because we're not allowed to take AP sciences until we take the regular classes first and though I could technically take IB math, I personally couldn't, and there's no AP until stats or calc next year. There's no AP or IB Spanish until 4, either, but I won't take that next year anyway.
Point being, most of the smart kids at my school are in the same position. Those who really cared took diploma (er, very few) and the rest did essentially what I did. Don't take diploma unless you really think you're up for it. Not having AP until 12th grade really isn't that big of a deal.

(by the way, it's "awful," not "awefull." Knowing that might just be helpful in these higher level classes you want to take )

[Teesa]

Well, I think colleges care about both.

I'm doing the IB program with a full IB course load and I'm currently a senior. It's a pretty difficult program, but I think you'll be fine in it. Don't worry about the AP stuff. A lot of us IB-ers took AP tests without taking the class.

[*tweeak*]

Well, I think colleges care about both.

I'm doing the IB program with a full IB course load and I'm currently a senior. It's a pretty difficult program, but I think you'll be fine in it. Don't worry about the AP stuff. A lot of us IB-ers took AP tests without taking the class.

Yeah, I can take both the AP and IB test for my langage class

[Teesa]

Yeah, I did that for French. The AP test was about a million times harder than the IB test.

[*tweeak*]

I'm not suprised. Ugh, they're going to be hell. I hate AP style tests so much. I do well on history essays, but when I have to do the multiple choice, I bomb them. Langauge arts AP stuff is just hard, even if it is generally my best subject.

[LittleLulu]

Hey, I go to Richmond High. What grade are you in?

I'm taking IB, sure, but not diploma. I'm math stupid.
And I realized that I'd rather have fun in my last 2 years of high school with good marks in regular classes than have no time for anything and get mediocre marks.

For each his own.

in grade 10 this year...transferring next year though. Cuz Cambie's getting BORING.
i know this is somewhat unhealthy, but i have the urge to not have fun --_--"..i need more extra cirricular activies and stuff though. work experience, ya know.

..oh and they actually adjust your marks in the end, as i've heard. So you don't really get bad marks on your report card or something.

p.s-i realized i didn't spell "awful" right. yet i was too lazy to look it up. but hey, give me a break, i JUST got out of ESL.

[Teesa]

I'm not suprised. Ugh, they're going to be hell. I hate AP style tests so much. I do well on history essays, but when I have to do the multiple choice, I bomb them. Langauge arts AP stuff is just hard, even if it is generally my best subject.

I know! That's why I dislike AP so much..they test on the smallest things that no one knows about. The multiple choices are pretty killer..there are always two that work, and you have to choose the "better" answer. Whatever, I'm sure you'll do well on all of them :)

[anniepiee]

hey :) i go to Richmond High as well, and I agree with Robbi, on how getting superior grades in regular classes is better than a C average in IB Diploma. However, i head that's only for specific Canadian schools ( they dont look at the IB part as much, mainly the percentage), so if you're planning to hit the States for University, IB Diploma would be preferable. It's just a lot more work, more tests, projects, etc. If you really put time into it i'm sure you can live through it pretty well.

Looking forwards to meeting you next year =) I'm Annie!

[LittleLulu]

hey :) i go to Richmond High as well, and I agree with Robbi, on how getting superior grades in regular classes is better than a C average in IB Diploma. However, i head that's only for specific Canadian schools ( they dont look at the IB part as much, mainly the percentage), so if you're planning to hit the States for University, IB Diploma would be preferable. It's just a lot more work, more tests, projects, etc. If you really put time into it i'm sure you can live through it pretty well.

Looking forwards to meeting you next year =) I'm Annie!

don't they adjust your percentage on your report card to reflect what you would've gotten in a regular class?

and i'll be looking forward to meeting u too!

[*tweeak*]

I know! That's why I dislike AP so much..they test on the smallest things that no one knows about. The multiple choices are pretty killer..there are always two that work, and you have to choose the "better" answer. Whatever, I'm sure you'll do well on all of them :)

Thanks, I hope so

don't they adjust your percentage on your report card to reflect what you would've gotten in a regular class?

and i'll be looking forward to meeting u too!

Here, we get 10 points added on to our grade for every AP and most IB classes. However, many colleges look at the fact that it was an AP class and look at what you would have gotten without the extra points anyway, which really isn't fair.

[silver-rain]

I will reiterate: colleges want to see that you've been taking challenging courses, whether it be AP or IB. They would prefer that you do well in those classes, but they understand if you do not do as well had it been a regular class because of it's level.
And, colleges recalculate your averages anyway, so it doesn't matter if your schools weighs of AP/IB grades.

[*tweeak*]

I understand that, but I can't see how the tests wouldn't matter at all.

And they recalculate averages how? I've got the challanging classes things down, but the grades I get in them are not so good.

[silver-rain]

Well, AP tests are used to place out of some college classes, depending on what you get for them; ie you get college credit for taking the test and scoring well (usually 4 or 5).

I'm actually not sure how they recalculate the averages, but they each have their own scale based on your school and how it does the grades, I think.

[*jooleeah*]

I plan on doing the full IB program. right now, as a freshman, i'm only doing pre-IB...which is perfectly fine for me. pre-IB is pretty easy so far, actually. it's just junior year that i'm scared about, lol. anyway, to be doing the full IB program, you have to be motivated. i'm sure you'll do fine, though. just be prepared for a bunch of work and such :] but remember, it's all worth it in the end.

[LittleLulu]

I'm actually not sure how they recalculate the averages, but they each have their own scale based on your school and how it does the grades, I think.

based on your school?!?
there are only a trillion schools
And each teacher's way of marking is different from another. So it'd hardly seem fair that way..

[sprezzatura]

I am currently in IB, but once I got to get AP classes I might quit.

[LittleLulu]

I am currently in IB, but once I got to get AP classes I might quit.

why? Its not like AP's any easier is it?

[sprezzatura]

why? Its not like AP's any easier is it?

In my school, I have to choose visual or performing arts for IB, but art is not my thing. I loathe taking art classes.

[*tweeak*]

It's not so much that AP is easier, but they're both higher level classes that you can get college credit for, so for many people, AP classes fit their interests better as you're still taking the classes like you would with IB, but you don't have to take all the other junk like IB requires (no TOK, no IB elective, so you can take the classes you want and have more choices without being limited to what IB allows) and plus you don't have to write the extended essay. I have a friend who is taking all IB classes but won't get a diploma because he isn't taking music theory (which you have to take as your IB elective if you don't want to quit band or orchestra), he doesn't want to write the extended essay and doesn't want to deal with the community service hours either,

[LittleLulu]

It's not so much that AP is easier, but they're both higher level classes that you can get college credit for, so for many people, AP classes fit their interests better as you're still taking the classes like you would with IB, but you don't have to take all the other junk like IB requires (no TOK, no IB elective, so you can take the classes you want and have more choices without being limited to what IB allows) and plus you don't have to write the extended essay. I have a friend who is taking all IB classes but won't get a diploma because he isn't taking music theory (which you have to take as your IB elective if you don't want to quit band or orchestra), he doesn't want to write the extended essay and doesn't want to deal with the community service hours either,

you can substitute classes from the first 5 groups for the 6th group in IB.

besides, you're gona need an essay for college applications anyways. so the extended essay isn't work that wouldn't have to be done anyways. TOK is like philosophy/phsycology( proper spelling?) isn't it?

I think IB dimploma really just gets you to do everything that'd be helpful for your college applications by making it a requirement. Challenging courses, community service, essay, creativity.

For those students, like myself, who need a bit of a push to stay on track, IB dimploma is very* helpful.

[*tweeak*]

I don't have any idea what you're on about with the group thing, so moving on

I think you've got the wrong idea. IB diploma is for those who don't need pushes to stay on track.

The extended essay isn't anything like college app essays. No no no. You would never come even close to an essay like that without IB. TOK is a bit like psychology, but it's an extremely challanging class, regardless.

Certainly there's no doubt IB looks great on applications, but it's a matter of how well you can handle it. To be completely honest, I don't see how you could get by if you stuggle with English.

[LittleLulu]

I don't have any idea what you're on about with the group thing, so moving on

I think you've got the wrong idea. IB diploma is for those who don't need pushes to stay on track.

The extended essay isn't anything like college app essays. No no no. You would never come even close to an essay like that without IB. TOK is a bit like psychology, but it's an extremely challanging class, regardless.

Certainly there's no doubt IB looks great on applications, but it's a matter of how well you can handle it. To be completely honest, I don't see how you could get by if you stuggle with English.

IB dimploma students have to take 1 course from each of the 6 groups
-Language A1
-Language B ( including some over 50 languages?)
-Individuals and Societies -( business and management, economics, geography, history, history of the americas, history of the islamic world, information technology in a global society, philosophy, psychology, and social anthropology)
-Experimental Sciences. ( bio, chem, phys, environmental science, design tech,)
-Mathematics ( mathematic applications, mathematic methods, mathematics)
-Arts and Electives ( visual arts, music, theatre arts)

plus TOK , CAS, and a 4000 word extended essay as part of the requirement.

you can substitute a course from the first 5 groups for the 6th one. get it?

the reason why i say IB is a good for giving me a push, is simply because i know for a fact that i have a tendency to get lazy at times, unless i'm required to do something i don't normally do it.

And lastly, excuse me, but i'm rather taken back by hearing that i "stuggle" with English. I'm also rather curious about your opinion, does a minor typing error count as struggling with English? 'Cause if so, then i could say the exact same thing for you, couldn't i?