What school leaver training programmes are there in public service? It’s generally agreed upon that if you’re based in the US, AP’s may have the edge over others. Not which curriculum you do. My answer is this. IB National Curriculum For England A Level … So which should you pick? It’s not like IB is prepping you entirely for university. You will learn a lot whichever one you pick. So will you have an edge? Ok so let’s get into it. Do you just want to get into university without the mandatory work of IB? I would argue this. There’s long term benefits of CAS and TOK as well. Whichever one you pick, IB, A levels, AP, doesn’t matter. You’ll need to juggle all this, though you may find that the structure and demands help you get organised. “Are there any benefits of doing the IB Diploma over AP and A levels?”. It’s less expensive to take an AP exam than an IB exam. The International Baccalaureate (IB) is an alternative to A levels – but how does it compare and what are the advantages and disadvantages of the IB programme? IB vs. A' Level: An FAQ. The DfES tasked QCA with devising a mechanism whereby all approved qualifications can be included in school and college performance indicators. Should I do a sport and exercise science degree? What should I study at university for a career in public service? All qualifications are assessed equally rigorously during the admission process, and no qualification is accorded an advantage or disadvantage.” AP tests are accepted by most U.S. colleges and universities (some international universities will consider them, as well), while IB is accepted worldwide at most universities and colleges. An Advance Placement (AP) course is a college-level class that is designed for high-school students. In this article we look at the pros and cons of the IB programme as compared with A levels, for example in terms of subject choices, workload, university entry and whether you’d need to move school. Fewer U.S. schools offer the IB program than the AP—over 14,000 AP schools vs less than 1,000 IB schools according to US News, but that number is on the rise for IB. An International Baccalaureate Diploma allows the student to focus on a broad range of subjects, whilst A Level concentrates on in-depth study into selective subjects. If universities really favored one degree over the other, it would be a known fact. So whether you take the IB or A levels, you’ll typically only have three subjects that will help you meet specific entry requirements. The IB Diploma students is a programme of study that focuses on a much larger breadth of topics. How long would your journey take and would this eat into valuable study time? A levels and AP/IB are EXTREMELY different and you get a wider choice of subjects with AP (as you only study each one for a semester, rather than a 2 year A level course). Good luck in your decision making! It’s worth it. This is an IB focused website so I’ll just give a tip to those leaning towards IB. In the long term? I believe that if you apply yourself and stay on top of everything IB throws at you, then you will 100% feel that it was worth it in the end. It depends on your preferences. Future careers: which job areas will grow? BUT. but could be good if you enjoy a bit of everything. How do I get into a career in journalism? She has additional practical experience in the form of five of her own children aged between 6 and 23. “Which degree will universities prefer?” Unfortunately, … Arguably 3 of the more known international curriculums in the world, with the small exception of IB being the youngest of all three curriculums (according to the official IBO website, it was established in 1968 whereas AP and A levels have been around since the 1950’s). If this were a Youtube video, it would incite a war in the comments section. In terms of IB though, I believe you can definitely take away a few things that will significantly help you in university. The main pros and cons of the IB versus A levels are as follows. * Take a Theory of Knowledge course in which students study and write a paper about the nature of knowledge and give an oral presentation based on their research. This international program consists of six subjects. TutorMing's new courses focus on the IBDP programme, and in "Group 2" when Chinese is a second language (Language B)[ read more ] . A levels vs IB – in a nutshell. What’s the likelihood of the majority of students taking their own time to learn the process of good citing skills and therefore reducing the risk of plagiarizing, the eternal academic sin? For career paths such as engineering, medicine, physics or design, A Level provides the vital knowledge and understanding of these key subject areas in preparation for Higher Education study. At least for the first year. There are extra elements to help make you well rounded. E valuating IB Vs A Level For Sixth Form Study . You’ll have more teaching time and fewer study periods (and still have plenty of homework and coursework on top). Neither is A levels of AP. The program gives students a taste of intro-level college courses as well as a chance to earn college credit, which can save both tuition money and time spent on intro-level college courses. Sign up to access to use your dashboard and receive extra advice in your inbox, © GTI Media Ltd. If your school is horrible at teaching IB then it’s going to suck. Match your interests to university subjects and explore each recommendation to find out what suits you. because i only have the option of AP or IB in canada and would like to know if AP is comparable to A-level, because that is all their websites talk about. AP and A-Level Placements for Students Entering Tandon Fall 2019 or Later. The goal is to primarily get you into a mindset where you’re used to loads of work and studying as well as possibly pick up a few things along the way. Popular jobs for school leavers and graduates, How to revise for arts and humanities exams, Revision planning: what to do before you start revising, Revision routine tips – how to revise well and stay happy, Weird tips to help you remember what you revise, Five skills I’ve developed through my work experience placement, How to make the most of your work experience placement, Dos and don’ts for using labour market information in your career decisions. You’ve just acquired a necessary skill for tackling all the essays you may be tasked with doing at university. You can explore these issues in more depth in the rest of the article. Because there are more score ranges in the IB, the highest-ranked students are truly the top in their class, while in AP there is a wider range in each level. Despite studying six subjects on the IB, you’ll only take three (or occasionally four) at higher level and the other three (or two) at standard level. The struggle is real. Naturally, you would answer yes. Universities respect both the IB and A levels as academically challenging qualifications, so generally speaking it doesn’t matter which you have as long as you’ve studied the right subjects at the right level. The IB is designed to ensure students study a broad range of subjects (six in total). Some former grateful IB cult-like worshippers say yes. Unless you are happy to consider moving school at sixth form, it is advantageous to consider what is on offer at sixth form as part of your senior school evaluation process. ), How do current students feel about the teachers and the school? On the other hand, the AP program offers several specific physics courses delving into specific fields of physics; the IB program only offers a Standard Level Physics and a Higher Level Physics. What types of fashion degrees can you study at university? A-levels vs IB Diploma A-level students tend to focus on three or four academic subjects studied in depth. To pass the IB there is no choice but to work hard. None of them, A levels, AP, or the IB Diploma, are better than the other. Currently, College Board offers 37 different AP courses. Which one should you pick if you have the choice? No! You’re the only one that can turn a bad situation into a good one, as they say. The International Baccalaureate (IB) program offers a highly rigorous, well-respected and standardized curricula for upper level high school students. A lot of the reasons for choosing one or the other really depends on you. You’ve got more flexibility over how much time you want to spend studying. IB. Choosing a degree and university for your science career, Science apprenticeships – your job options at 18, What it's like to do a law apprenticeship, My experience of the International Baccalaureate programme, Taking an extended project qualification (EPQ), Taking level 3 BTEC sport and exercise science. Keeping up useful subjects (such as maths and foreign languages), even if they don’t directly relate to your future plans, Studying subjects you enjoy, even if they don’t directly relate to your future plans, Trying out subjects you might want to study at uni. Login here. In general you’ll have more flexibility over how you use your time, as there’s more focus on independent study. Even though taking the IB won’t usually keep more options open to you, you might feel that there are other benefits to studying six subjects rather three, such as: Broadly speaking the IB will take up more of your time than A levels. That’s not to say A levels and AP aren’t useful for this. 經過三篇文章之後,這篇終於要比較ap與ib的優缺點。再重申一次,ap跟ib對於升學沒有哪一個有明顯的優勢,很大的一部分是要看學生自己的個性跟學校。 ap的好處是拿課比較自由,不會有被綁住的感覺,也比較多的學校有提供ap課程。如果你有很多課外活動的話,ap或許對你比較理想。 IB disadvantages. Whereas some degree courses require you to have studied a particular subject at A level or IB higher level (as outlined above), many others are more flexible and either don’t ask for any specific subjects or have quite broad subject requirements (eg ‘a maths or science subject at A level/IB higher level’). Depending on where you want your high school curriculum to take you, you may prefer the courses IB offers over AP, or vice versa. We’re going to explore some factors that can help you decide. * Take 3-4 IB courses at the Higher Level and the rest at the Standard Level * Write an extended essay, which is basically a long, college-style research paper. There’s so much more and it depends on which subjects you do. AP = A-Levels ?? As an extension to what is described in the video, a lot of skills you learn at IB can easily become very handy at university. The International Baccalaureate® (IB) has four programmes: PYP for children aged 3-12, MYP for students aged 11-16, DP for students 16-19, and the Career Related Programme. Only you can decide whether it’s worth it, but here are some things to consider. The only way forward from that point on is to continue and make sure you can do the best you possible can to get into university and to just develop as a student as you go. What is the International Baccalaureate (IB)? (Ask them at open days and/or speak to any contacts you have.). Although most students don't know it, there is a big difference between AP and IB courses. A-Level grades go from E to A* . All universities, including in Singapore, recognised IB and Singapore – Cambridge ‘A’ Levels, as per say by the Ministry of Education, “ ‘A’- Level and IB are internationally benchmarked qualifications for university admission. If you’re with classmates that seem to exist only to complain and bring you down. Here’s a short video you can watch if you don’t like reading. Extracurricular activities are arranged at the discretion of individual school or colleges. College Credit Depends from School to School. I want a creative career – what are my options? IB (while highly academic) is unashamedly idealistic in its philosophy. Five ‘graduate’ careers you can get into via an apprenticeship, Degrees for introverts and extroverts: subjects that suit your personality. Some disgruntled former IB students say no. Very relaxed. Off the top of my head I can think about the whole Extended Essay process. Most A-Level subjects are composed of four modules each. I'm an American planning to apply to a UK University without AP Classes American Applying to Cam Re: Hello, my name is ambitiousugrad! If we’re speaking purely academically then yeah. For some students, the choice between AP or IB will be simple. I’ve seen a lot of questions on Quora along the lines of: “Which one should I do” So my point is, universities regard A levels, AP, and IB Diploma students as the same. GCSE, iGCSE, A Level: widely used in the UK and British schools all over the world. – L., Charles P. Allen High School, Canada. I'm interested in careers working with children – what jobs can I do? If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The IB Diploma, A levels, and Advanced Placement. Who would your teachers be and what are their academic backgrounds – are they specialists in the subjects they teach? And that’s just ONE aspect I can think of that really helps out. AP, A-Level, and IB Exam Placement Policies. They are all perfectly fine for university and well worth it in the most objective way. But physics alone has 4 different APs and math has 2. It depends on what your environment is. Taking either AP or IB classes will look very good on your college applications, as it shows you're challenging yourself with college-level courses. Well then you know what the alternatives are. Once you’ve chosen, you’ve chosen. Straight up. As well as your subjects you’ll have extra calls on your time such as theory of knowledge assignments, an extended essay and ‘creativity, action, service’ commitments. It depends on so many factors that you would never be able to conclude such an argument. AP, A-Level, and IB Exam Placement Policies. Any student who does well on the end-of-course assessments associated with either program can … The main pros and cons of the IB versus A levels are as follows. How to make the most of university open days, Six tips for discovering the universities employers prefer for the career you want, Three careers for which your university matters, Top universities if you want a career in investment banking. Welp. Don’t spend wasted hours mulling over what could have been. So what’s the difference between them? They are both popular terminal qualifications for school based education and strong attainment indicators for university admission tutors.The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma (IBDP) continues the broad and balanced learning approach to subjects as usually found in the school curriculum up to the age of Going to university abroad – your study options, Clearing and alternatives – how to get into uni if you've missed out on a place, How to begin your UCAS personal statement: the opening sentence, How to structure your UCAS personal statement, Results day tales: getting into university if you didn't get the grades, Tips for writing your engineering personal statement, UCAS personal statements: your questions answered, University Clearing: advice from the people who make the decisions, University interview tips for civil engineering, quantity surveying and construction degrees, What to include in your UCAS personal statement. Is it a skill that can be easily learned on your own? What will I be asked in an interview for an English degree? I digress though. There’s an argument for that, rendering the EE process somewhat useless. Now I know it’s an AP vs. IB video but the same logic used in this video to describe AP can be used to describe A levels as well. In terms of academics, yes it’s worth it. Subjects are divided into six groups (eg sciences, modern languages and humanities) and you take one from each of the first five groups; your sixth subject can be either from the sixth group, which is arts, or a second subject from any of the other groups. Note that January exams have now been scrapped for the A-Level, so retaking modules from Year 12 will mean waiting until summer of the next year. Ib vs a levels for medicine A Levels or IB for American Universities? How to choose AP or IB. What types of jobs and employers are there in public service? Studying a law degree at university – and the careers it can lead to, Studying psychology at uni – and careers it can lead to. A2-Level subjects are what count towards your “final grade”, but AS-Levels can serve as an extra in your curriculum. Now that you know the key facts about each program, here are some pros and cons of each. Same can be said for A levels and AP when it comes to self-study and specialization but then that relates back to your own personal agenda. Again, A levels and AP can do this just as well but they do it differently. Join our mailing list to receive monthly newsletters from our TARGETcareers and Inspiring Futures teams to help you support your school leavers in their career and university decision making. Now obviously I’m not saying “Oh well you’ve done a 4000 word essay so you’re clearly superior”.