IB vs AP: Which Should You Choose?

IB vs AP: Which Is Better?

Does your high school offer both AP and IB classes? Which should you choose? Which will help you succeed at getting into the best colleges? IB vs AP is a big and very important choice to make during 10th grade before you commit to your 11th grade courses!

IB vs AP at a Glance

• Structure: IB Diploma Programme students take six subjects plus the DP core over two years, while AP students choose individual year-long courses.
• Exams: AP exams take place each May and are scored from 1 to 5, while IB Diploma exams come at the end of the two-year program.
• Flexibility: AP lets you focus on your favorite subjects, while IB asks you to study across all six subject groups.
• Extras: IB includes Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and CAS, while AP centers on course content and the exam.
• Availability: AP is offered at far more U.S. high schools than IB.

Keep these differences in mind as you read the details on each program below.

What Is the IB (International Baccalaureate) Program?

The IB Program is an international education curriculum and program with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Today, more than 5,000 IB World Schools in over 150 countries and territories offer IB programmes. [1] It was originally established in 1968 to provide college preparatory education for children of families in diplomacy, international work and business, and politics.

The IB education focuses on creating a complete, integrated curriculum across six core classes, plus the DP core: Theory of Knowledge, a course on the nature of knowledge; the Extended Essay, an independent research paper; and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS). Therefore, as a whole, the program is intended to develop young people who are communicators, risk-takers, thinkers, and inquirers (in addition to knowledgeable academics).

The IB Program also has affiliated curriculum for younger students, such as the Middle Years Programme for Middle School students. If you are leaning toward IB, our guide to choosing your IB classes explains how to plan your subjects.

What Is the AP (Advanced Placement) Program?

The AP Program was designed and implemented in the U.S. and Canada by the College Board (the same folks who do the SAT!) in 1955. This program is intended to offer “college-level” courses to advanced high school students. Some colleges offer credit for AP classes taken in high school, but this varies widely by school and major. Recently, the focus has moved away from taking AP classes to count toward college credits. Today, many students take AP classes to show colleges they have challenged themselves in subjects they care about.

After a year long course, students take an AP exam in the subject in May. [2] The exams are scored by readers who are often college professors themselves. Students receive scores of 1 through 5 and report these scores with their college applications. Students can also be recognized within the program for lots of high scores on their exams. For example, the AP Scholar with Distinction award goes to students who earn an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken and scores of 3 or higher on five or more exams. [3]

College Board currently offers course and exam information for 43 AP subjects, although most high schools offer only some of them, depending on their faculty. [4] Our guide to choosing your AP courses can help you decide which ones fit your goals.

IB vs AP: Pros and Cons of Each Program

Considerations for the IB Program

• IB exams occur after two years of instruction at the end of senior year. Therefore, IB examination results are not included in the college application process. This provides less quantifiable information about a student’s standardized testing abilities.
• Some students who take the IB program in junior and senior year take AP courses and exams as freshmen and sophomores to compensate for the above difficulty.
• The IB Program is less commonly offered in the U.S. Therefore, admissions officers are less familiar with the program. AP courses are available at far more U.S. high schools than IB programmes are. If your school offers IB, your counselor’s school profile will explain the program to admissions officers. 
• The IB Program requires course enrollment for two years. This is both an advantage and a drawback. Students have to select classes and commit for a long period of time. Also, this limits the opportunity to take certain classes. It can be difficult to cover Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, which all matter for STEM students (in addition to any general science requirements or Environmental Science options) within this structure.

Advantages of the IB Program:

• The IB Program includes designed curricula for all instructors ensuring quality education.
• The IB Program’s international focus exposes students to literature, politics, and social issues from around the world.
• The DP core, which includes Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay (a 4,000-word independent research paper), and Creativity, Activity, Service (CAS), exposes students to real-world applications of their learning. [5]
• This is an integrated program, so the classes complement each other. The courses are intended to achieve a well-rounded curriculum. Students have options for course selection within the program, but more structure is provided than within the more than 40 AP courses.
• The IB Program requires course enrollment for two years. This is both an advantage and a drawback. Students acquire deep knowledge and apply their knowledge rather than studying for success on a single test.

Considerations for the AP Program

• College credit policies vary by school: some colleges award credit for a score of 3, while others require a 4 or 5 or offer placement instead of credit.
• AP courses are individual classes, so they do not include a connected core like IB’s Theory of Knowledge or Extended Essay.
• The number of AP classes varies widely from school to school, so colleges evaluate your AP load in the context of what your school offers.
• AP is a North-American centric program in history, design, and focus.
• AP classes “teach to a test.” Therefore, the teaching is focused on, and limited to, what will be on the test. Teachers must move quickly to cover all the information that could be included on the exam, and so the pace of classes can be rushed.

Advantages of the AP Program:

• The AP Program is broadly familiar to college and admissions officers and recognized as rigorous and impressive.
• Top scores on AP exams and high grades in AP classes make students competitive candidates for the best colleges and universities in the U.S.
• There are comprehensive test-prep materials and resources for all the AP exams.
• The AP Program allows students to select a course schedule that meets their needs. They can select AP courses in certain subjects and not others. Outstanding students can challenge themselves with additional AP courses.
• The AP Program is offered at so many high schools throughout the U.S. and across the world that scores on the AP exam are an excellent way to compare students from very different backgrounds. International students can use AP exams to show how they’re competitive with U.S. students.

IB vs AP: Which One Should YOU Choose?

There is no single correct answer to the question of which is better between IB vs AP. Both programs have pros and cons. There is, however, a correct answer to the question: which should YOU choose?

As you make this decision, ask questions:

1. Which program is more popular at your high school?
2. Which teachers instruct IB vs AP classes? Where are the best teachers teaching?
3. Where have students from your high school been admitted to college? Which program did they choose?
4. How many AP classes do students at your high school typically take? How many would you need to take to be competitive at your school?
5. Do students at your school combine the AP and IB programs?

Answering these questions will help you understand how these programs work at your specific high school. These programs have pros and cons nationally and internationally as programs. But when an admissions officer sits down and looks at your application he or she will be evaluating you within the context your high school.

The Admissions Office will ask whether you challenged yourself and showed a love of learning within your high school environment. You don’t have to take 15 AP classes if only 5 are offered at your high school! Our guide to how many AP classes you should take can help you find the right number for your goals. Finding out the normal practice at your high school and how you can excel within that is what matters most. As with anything in the admissions process, when you choose IB vs AP, follow your interests, and pick the one that’s best for you.

How Colleges View IB vs AP

Admissions officers read your transcript alongside your school profile, which explains the courses your school offers and how students typically challenge themselves. That means colleges are less interested in which program you chose than in whether you took on rigorous work and did well in it. A full IB Diploma and a thoughtful set of AP courses can both show that you are ready for college-level academics.

Your choice can also shape other parts of your application. IB students often draw on the Extended Essay or CAS projects in their activities list and essays, while AP students may use the flexibility of their schedule to go deeper in a favorite subject. Whichever program you choose, think about how your coursework connects to the interests you want to highlight.

Make the Right Choice Between IB and AP

Deciding between IB and AP can shape your high school experience and influence how colleges view your application. Our admissions experts can walk you through the pros and cons, help you map out the best path for your goals, and ensure your course load highlights your abilities.

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