Two years ago I was faced with a crucial choice that would shape half of my high school academic experience. That choice was between the Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs.
As a high-achieving student, I knew it would have to be one or the other but their advantages differed so greatly that it was not easy or comfortable to decide. Being surrounded by my friends that were forced to make the same choice brought more difficulty. In the end, around 40 of my classmates chose to take the IB path and I decided upon the AP program.
The time immediately following my decision was not extremely enjoyable as the hype surrounding IB made it appear as a more respected and difficult program than AP. In retrospect, I am a firm believer that I made the right decision. Over these two years I have grown and taken a total of nine AP courses and they have adequately prepared me for the college years that lay ahead.
But jumping back to the time when the decision was before me, I came to the realization that I wanted more control over my high school experience and education. Participation in the Diploma program for IB would lay out a schedule with the same students over a two-year period. That was not the choice for me as I prefer diversity and adjustment as time progresses.
The AP program offered me the best of both worlds if you would accept that cliché. I was able to choose my courses each year with flexibility and a mixture of classmates. This diversified interaction fit my needs and desires.
Additionally, I was able to focus on the disciplines which best served my interests. My strengths resided in English and the Humanities along with a moderate proficiency in Mathematic reasoning. Foreign Language and formula based Mathematics like Calculus were less interesting for me and those are both solid requirements in the IB curriculum.
In reference to college credit the AP program lacks little. The many AP courses offered at Amat allow opportunities for scoring proficiently on the May exam and being offered college units toward several majors from some of the top universities in the nation.
In comparison, the two programs are level with each other in prestige, opportunities for university credit, and difficulty of course work. The differences appear in the teaching style, classroom environment, and curriculum structure and requirements so that is where a student’s choice must be based.
The best advice would be to approach the senior students that participate in these programs and ask questions regarding their general happiness, stress level, and attitude of success.
