AP v IB: Discover the Difference
By Alisha Sampat, Staff Writer & Mary-Abigail Caglione, News Editor
Clarkstown High School North offers several higher-level classes for students willing to challenge themselves academically. These classes are by no means required for graduation but are still very popular amongst North and nationwide students. Freshman and Sophomore year are the most common years for students to be introduced to their first AP class; usually, it’s AP World History, but it depends on when that particular student took 9H Global. However, since IB classes are not offered until junior year, it can make a great impact on your college decisions. Whether you take AP or IB classes, just remember: it's your work ethic and grit that make a huge difference in overcoming the notorious college classes as a high school student.
Advanced Placement:
What does it mean to take an advanced placement (AP) course, and what’s the purpose of doing so? These college-level courses are aimed at potentially offering college credits for high school students at a cheaper price and within more comfortable surroundings. AP courses parallel a traditional educational course you may find in a college class, preparing many students for their future. Eventually, by May, students are expected to complete a thorough AP exam which may consist of multiple choice, short answer questions, and even essays, depending on the subject. The exams are scored on a 5-point scale, and typically, students are awarded college credit if they receive a 4 or 5 on the exam. One of the great benefits of receiving college credit in high school is the ability to skip courses in college. However, one must keep in mind that students are not obligated to take a certain amount of AP’s; choices for different subjects are offered, and one may choose to not take any at all. It is very common for schools located in the United States to place a greater value and emphasis on AP exams compared to the IB exams, although it varies from school to school. Many students describe the AP program as “challenging” and “overwhelming,” as it requires a great deal of determination and effort. However, AP courses are a great opportunity for students to expand their knowledge of a particular subject, engage in educational conversions, and boost their transcript. So, next time you select your future courses, remember to stay open minded to new ideas and challenges!
International Baccalaureate:
Being an IB diploma candidate does not only require hard work and dedication, but also commitment. To graduate with the IB diploma, one must pass 3 HL and 3 SL courses. Alongside these requirements, Extended Essay and CAS (Creativity, Activity, and Service) are also required. This course is a 2-year commitment, which scares many students into not pursuing the program. However, some schools in the United States and globally have IB-specific curriculum; many of these schools prepare students for the diploma from elementary school and middle school, engaging them in the IB program at a young age. While Clarkstown North is not an IB-specific school ,the opportunity to obtain the diploma is still offered. So, why are few students striving to acquire it?
Many students have not even heard of the diploma program, and those who have were given very little explanation. Siena Stoller, a senior at North and an IB candidate, claims that she didn’t know the program existed until her English teacher in 10th grade mentioned IB English. Stoller was looking for opportunities to branch out with her creativity, and as she did more research on what the IB program entailed, she became more intrigued and decided to pursue it. Other diploma candidates have also had to research the program independently. Alena Svara, a junior at North and an IB candidate, found out about the program during quarantine in April of 2020. Svara was already taking IB English and IB business, so with more research, it just made sense for her to pursue the program as a whole. These are the experiences for students who have attended Clarkstown High School North for their entire high school career; circumstances and insight differ from those who haven’t been at North for too long. David Budnik is a senior at North whose IB experiences aren’t the same as the other candidates. Budnik moved to Clarkstown at the beginning of his senior year; he started the diploma program at his previous school and decided to continue with it. He describes the program as “[a]World rounded program gives a good insight into a world view, [it is] different from AP [because it] focuses on learning rather than memorizing” All three candidates describe the program as “rewarding” and “worth it” despite all the struggles, and they think involvement provided experiences that they could utilize in their futures.
Despite these positive remarks, students still refrain from even inquiring about International Baccalaureate. Gibby Caicedo, a junior at North, claimed to have known about the program since his Freshman year and even researched it before Junior year schedule planning. Caicedo chose not to become involved in the program because he wanted to go on a clear path, and that path included AP classes rather than IB’s. When asked why students didn’t opt for IB over AP, he said that “they don't give it[IB] a fair chance against AP”. At Clarkstown North, the AP program is glorified and well-known; students are informed of AP courses in middle school and plan onwards from there. IB is hiding in the background and isn’t necessarily being “appreciated” to its full extent. When asked how many diploma candidates Caicedo thought there were per grade, he responded with 12 juniors and 6 seniors. In reality, there are only 2 juniors and 2 seniors that have decided to pursue the diploma to its fullest extent for the time being. Ms. Miranda, the IB coordinator, and Ms. Dunn, the CAS coordinator, have both noticed the number of candidates decreasing as the years go by. In Dunn’s near 13 years of teaching at North, the largest number of students that pursued their IB diploma was only about 24! Some students try the diploma but decide to drop it before their senior year due to opportunities such as the RCC program, Boces, or just more flexibility in their schedule. Overall, both coordinators agree that CAS, Theory of Knowledge, and Extended Essay are essential parts of IB and that every student should have some sort of involvement with it. Miranda claims “[CAS, ToK and EE] demonstrate an ability to show experiences other than academic.” When asked if there were a way to make lowerclassmen more interested in IB, all 6 interviewees responded that current and past members should share their experiences and also advertise the program better throughout the school. Instead of having a meeting after school, which isn’t accessible to everyone, have an assembly to talk about it. The sole conclusion is that being a diploma candidate is worth it in the long run, and despite it not being for everyone, it can shape one’s persona and the path for their future.
Sources:
https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/what-is-ap
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAmhsy5hZhI