Around last semester, a mother told us, "There is too much pressure on my child to study for IB!" School teachers have always asked children to think, not only to do research, but also to write reports.
She was confused:Why do children have to spend a lot of energy and time on school homework, and sometimes their results may not be very satisfactory?
➤Differences in experience determine competitiveness
This mother shared with me that she had also been exposed to AP in the past, and AP courses only require you to do well in the content taught by the teacher. You can get high scores by practicing the questions several times, and your children only need to review the important knowledge points of the class content.
So, I asked my mother: "If your child wants to study abroad in the future, what kind of courses do you think can prepare your child to face the high-intensity challenges of foreign universities?"
After my mother listened, she understood immediately!
➤If you choose a good course, your studies will be smooth and worry-free.
In fact, I wanted to write this article just to tell parents and students a concept: to choose a course that suits their children's learning style. Taking the IBDP as an example, students cannot be too partial to any one subject. They cannot say that I only like music but not other subjects - then the other five courses will not be competent.
For example, some students are not good at memorizing, do not like to answer questions all the time, or do in-depth study of any subject. But maybe he prefers to do research projects, communicate and cooperate with others and learn different skills, then he is very suitable for IBDP!
➤If you want to join the big ranks, first master the similarities and differences between AP and IB!
This mother also raised a good question: Should my child choose AP or IBDP?
First of all, in terms of goals, both systems can be accepted by American universities and provide credits! Having said that, it actually depends on the regulations of each university. Some universities only recognize AP or IBDP scores and must meet a specified score threshold to receive credits.
Secondly, it is worth mentioning that these score thresholds are not low! The IBDP requires a score of six or above, and AP also stipulates that a score of at least 5 points is required before credit can be applied.
Finally, I would like to share an important concept here: if you want to obtain an IBDP diploma, in addition to meeting the six subjects, you must also pass three core courses (CAS, TOK and EE) to obtain a full diploma! In addition to the selected subjects, AP also needs to be matched with other courses in the school to get the school diploma.
➤Free and smooth choice of studying abroad is the biggest charm of IBDP!
Parents often think that if they want to study abroad in the UK, Australia or Europe, they should choose the IBDP course, but if they want to study in the United States, they must take AP? actually not! Because the IBDP is an international diploma, not only is it recognized by many prestigious international schools, children can even use it to apply for universities in any country in the world!
(2011 IB students’ admission rates at top universities)
The chart above is a piece of information produced by the IBO (International Baccalaureate Organization) in 2011. The data comes from American universities. Taking Harvard University as an example, although the total admission rate for all high school students is only 7%, the individual admission rate for IBDP students is actually 10%! In other words, IBDP students have an additional 3% rate advantage compared to ordinary high school students!
If we look at UC Berkeley, which is the most popular school among Taiwanese students, the admission rate for high school students is 26%, while for IBDP students it is as high as 58%. This means that students using the IBDP system have more advantages than the overall population!
➤Cultivate all-round abilities to make the journey of studying and realizing your dreams smooth.
The IBDP system touches a wide range of aspects and is known for its flexibility in course design and course requirements. For example, when students are doing so-called "extended essays", whether they go to the library or use a database to find information, they need to refer to a large amount of analytical literature, write a paper with rich academic vocabulary, and fully express their opinions.
Both IBDP and AP are rigorous and complete learning systems and are suitable for different types of students. I believe that the key to choice lies in parents’ patient companionship and professional guidance to help their children find suitable courses. Only then can we see the forest for the trees. Studying at a top overseas university is a long-term challenge. In addition to the accumulated courses and examinations, comprehensive training of children's abilities through diversified courses and overcoming the difficulties of life and cultural differences are also the keys to success.
🗺️immediately with Contact AEI Education Counselor, to learn more about your goals and the most suitable AP and IB planning directions!
