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My questions are:

[1] Which *looks* better on a college application: AP or IB?

[2] Usually, are only 4 HL's allowed during the two-year program or are 4 allowed each year?

[3] Do colleges even care about SL's?

[4] On average, how heavy is the workload?

[5] Do the IB tests cost anything?

Thanks.

By Limon (Limon) on Wednesday, October 06, 2004 - 11:26 am: Edit

1. Does it matter?

2. Higher Level courses are automatically two year courses, *most* IB curriculums (SL also) were designed to be taught over two years (you usually have to have both years to be able to take the exams, for example)

3. Well, yes... Because most students only take 3 HL courses, half of their courses must be SL. The IB assumes you are taking the IB to have an intense, rounded, education, not to impress admissions with a few selected test scores. It's the full picture (diploma, not certificate). Since the only real reason to take the IB would be to get that scope, I'd say yeah. I've always hated that mentality though.

4. It... depends... a lot. I have almost no busy work (except for chemistry and physics), but when I do have homework it's big. It's also been the most interesting work I've ever had. Great essays, oral presentations, insane math problem sets... There's not much to do, there aren't any trick questions, there's not much memorization (hell, they give you formula sheets), but if everything doesn't immediately connect for you in a history source, a novel, a math proof, or whatever, you *will* be up all night trying to get it - just having the answers will rarely help you. And man will you regret it if you skip anything, the foundations just won't be there.

5. Yes, I can't remember how much off the top of my head 'cause I didn't register to take exams this year. Their site might list it.

If you're only interested in taking a few subjects at that level and don't want to bother with others, why not just get certificates and not do the diploma program?

By Gman64 (Gman64) on Thursday, October 07, 2004 - 04:26 pm: Edit

IB tests are like about $80 each.

and yes, it is a lot of work