AP vs. IB Debate

Isabella Teter

Every year in January and February, students are tasked with picking their courses for the following year. In Sophomore year, some students decide to take either AP or IB classes. Both options provide a major challenge and allow students to learn at a college level. 

So what’s the difference? AP is a collection of classes that you can choose from. They are all one-year classes with exams in May, except for AP World which our school has chosen to make a two-year course. If you score high enough on your exam you can earn credit at some colleges. AP is a great option if you want an opportunity to learn at a college level without committing to a two-year class.

IB is a full program, including a variety of classes as well as other requirements such as CAS (creativity, activity, and service) hours, a CAS project, and an extended essay on any topic of your choosing. All of these classes are two-year, except for Economics, and have exams in May of your senior year, as well as a paper due for each class during your senior year. You can also do “course candidate” which allows you to take IB classes without having to take all seven required classes and do the extra requirements.

When I volunteered to write this article I thought I was on the side of IB. However, upon further reflection, the truth is one isn’t better than the other. For me, IB is a much better fit and that’s why I wanted to argue in support of it, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right fit for everyone. I think IB is an amazing opportunity that we are very lucky to have at Kenmore West. It allows you to experience what a college education is like in a less stressful environment, and it helps you develop skills such as time management, critical thinking, and improved writing.

My goal isn’t to convince everyone to take IB, it’s to convince you that it is not the grueling program that it is often considered. I have learned and grown more in these classes than any other classes I have taken in my life. Although it can be challenging, what I have gained from the classes greatly outweighs the moments of stress.

If you are considering IB I would highly encourage you to reach out to a current IB student or our IB advisor, Mrs. White. Learn about what it involves, and how it can benefit you, and then make your decision. I have heard so many people say they don’t want to do IB because it’s “too much work.” Don’t think like that. Think about what you can gain from taking these courses instead.

Gigi Blumberg

Here at Kenmore West, we are fortunate enough to have the option of accelerated courses. The International Baccalaureate program or “IB” is not offered at many schools in Western New York and provides a unique educational experience. Advanced Placement or “AP,” though, is widely accepted and its benefits follow students to almost any college in the country. 

If you are a motivated student with strong grades I recommend taking AP classes. As the classes at our school are not connected, we are free to pick and choose which advanced courses best suit our strengths. In 8th grade, I was given the opportunity to sign up for my freshman year courses and in choosing Pre-AP World History, I set myself up for a future of AP courses.

A benefit of AP courses is that you can pick and choose which ones to take, whether you excel in science, math, English, history, or any combination of them. If you plan to pursue something like business or engineering, our school offers many business and engineering courses that you can take without sacrificing AP courses in your core subjects. 

The IB program, on the other hand, also has some strengths: it prepares students for large amounts of coursework in college. The classes are rigorous and often have fewer students which allows for full expression in discussions. The classes are two periods long but only occur every other day, giving students an extra day to complete homework from their class. If colleges acknowledge the IB diploma, it greatly boosts a student's chances of being accepted. 

All this being said, is it worth it? The IB program is rigorous and difficult; there is no argument with that. Many students who excel in school will feel secure in their junior year of IB, which is the first year they are able to take courses at such a level. It is senior year when one must have great time management skills and devote many hours to their studies. The essays, projects, required CAS hours, and exams are all due during senior year. If you are enrolled in full IB, you will be confined to the same group of students during most classes except for lunch, P.E., and any other extracurricular you can manage to jam into your schedule.

The AP classes that our school offers are similar to the IB course candidate program. This portion of the IB program allows students to take IB classes of their choosing and take the exams but they cannot receive the IB diploma.  AP courses do not award any diploma. They do have an exam at the end of each course. These exams are scored on a scale of 1 to 5. A score of 3, considered passing, may give you college credit. A 4 will give you college credit at even more schools and a 5 nearly guarantees college credit. The AP courses, with the exception of the introductory 2-year AP World combo, only require a commitment of one year and they do not require you to abandon any other desired classes. These classes have been described as less difficult than IB courses, but of course, only you can decide what is more difficult and what is right for you.

While I am partial to AP classes, the IB program is very special and we are fortunate to have the opportunity to take these classes. The question is, if you commit, can you handle it?