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The College Prep Choice
How does IB differ from other college prep options offered in the tri-county area, such as Advanced Placement (AP), and CCP (College Credit Plus)
Students in the tri-county area may pursue college prep classes in International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement, post-secondary, or dual-enrollment. What makes IB unique is that students are challenged in all six areas of the curriculum while using critical thinking skills to consider the relationship between subject areas, rather than the pursuit of a single area of study. The study of foreign language, theory of learning, and the incorporation of international perspectives help to create well-informed learners, while the service learning component helps to assure that IB students are involved and engaged in the world and community around them. This attention to the education of the whole student results in a type of learner that colleges eagerly recruit and a future employee who is ready for the challenges of the global workplace.
While completion of the IB Diploma Programme does not guarantee college credit, colleges not only favorably weigh the student’s participation in the degree program when considering admission, but most offer course waivers or course credit to students for successful performance on IB assessments, even admitting students with sophomore status on occasion.
| PSEO | Dual-Enrollment | AP | IB | |
| College Credit | Granted for passing grade in course. Credit transfer applicability varies by institution and course. | Granted for passing grade in course. Credit transfer applicability varies by institution and course. | Can be awarded based on competency as demonstrated on end of course AP exams. Credit and cut-off scores vary by institution, although there is movement toward standardization. | Can be awarded based on competency as demonstrated on end of course IB exams. Credit and cut-off scores vary by institution and whether Higher Level (HL) or Standard Level (SL) exams are taken. |
| Acceptance by Colleges | Positively viewed by admitting colleges | Positively viewed by admitting colleges | Positively viewed by admitting colleges | Positively viewed by admitting colleges; In some cases, IB score totals are accepted in lieu of other admissions criteria, particularly internationally. |
| Courseload | Students select any number from available course offerings | Students select any number from available course offerings | Students select any number from available course offerings |
Diploma candidates: Complete advanced-level coursework in each of 6 areas in addition to the IB Core; Certificate-only candidates: Students select any number from available course offerings |
| Instructors | College/University faculty | College-approved high school faculty | AP-Trained High school faculty | IB-Trained High school faculty |
| Assessments | Varies according to instructor | Varies according to instructor | Single, end-of-course examinations, standardized by subject area. | Combination of Internal Examinations (teacher graded, IB moderated) and External Assessments (graded by IB-trained examiners globally). |
| International Focus | Mandated part of curriculum; Assessments are internationally normed and scored | |||
| Capstone | Extended Essay; Theory of Knowledge Presentation and Essay; Completion of Creativity, Action, and Service (CAS) requirements. | |||
| Location | College campus | Home high school campus | Home high school campus | Wooster High School Campus |
| Duration | Semester/Term courses | Single year course | Single-year courses | 1 and 2-year courses comprising a 2-year program |
For more information on the transferability of credits: u.select
For more information on the recognition of IB coursework at colleges and universities: IBO:University Recognition
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