Should I do A levels or IB?

Asked by: Ms. Violet D'Amore  |  Last update: July 9, 2022
Score: 4.5/5 (26 votes)

If you are looking for a more flexible curriculum that allows you to pursue a variety of subjects while having multiple exam date choices then the A Levels are the perfect choice for you. On the other hand, if you are looking for a more rigorous programme, then the IB is the right choice.

Is it better to do IB or A Levels?

Is the IB more work than A levels? Broadly speaking the IB will take up more of your time than A levels. If you take the IB: You'll have more teaching time and fewer study periods (and still have plenty of homework and coursework on top).

Is the IB harder than A Levels?

The IB is considerably harder than A-levels. In the IB, students must study six subjects plus extras whereas with A-levels students study three subjects. With so much workload, it is no surprise that many students taking the IB end up with relatively low grades (24-30 points).

Is IB an A level equivalent?

How the IB Diploma compares to A-levels. Compared to A-levels, the IB Diploma is less specialised. Students usually write three to four A-levels, while students in the IB Diploma complete six courses from at least five subjects, plus the DP core.

Are International A levels easier?

However, considering the questions themselves, there is no difference in difficulty. Also, don't forget that grade boundaries are affected by difficulty so if an international paper is made more difficult than a UK paper or vice versa then the grade boundary for the difficult paper is lowered.

Should I take A-level or IB Diploma | A&J Education

16 related questions found

Do universities prefer IB or AP?

In a nutshell, IB is a whole curriculum leading to the IB diploma and the AP program is individual exams leading to a score for each subject test you write. IB is perhaps better for European/International universities, whereas AP is probably favoured by American universities.

Do IB students do better at university?

(2014) found that IB students fared better in university mathematics courses than non-IB students, while the HESA study in 2016 reported that they were more likely to obtain first-class degrees than non-IB alumni.”

Is IB harder than GCSE?

The myth probably comes from the fact that many students feel they absolutely must get an A* for every subject at GCSE, or at least most of them – only the top grade will do! A Level and IB are both clearly a lot harder than GCSEs – aim high by all means but do realise what it all means!

Is the IB program worth it?

The IB program is worth it for students who wish to earn a globally recognized diploma and get into selective universities. It's also for those who wish to have access to IB-specific scholarships and save up to 32 college credits. On the other hand, IB classes are hard and costly.

What are the disadvantages of a levels?

A major disadvantage, however, is that the student might have to delay his or her application for up to a year. There is also the chance of A-level retakes occurring at a similar time to other exams, which can increase stress during this difficult period.

Are A levels accepted in USA?

US universities do accept A Levels. In fact, A Levels are often a key factor for many universities in the United States when it comes to admitting students from the UK. However, many US universities do not require UK students to have completed A Levels. Each college in the United States has its own entry requirements.

Is IB good for UK?

The IB diploma is widely known and accepted as a qualifying programme to attend university in the UK. Individual courses and universities typically have specific IB diploma and individual subject score requirements, so it is important to be aware of the requirements for the courses in which a student is interested.

Does Harvard prefer IB or AP?

Does Harvard prefer IB or AP courses? Harvard does not explicitly state a preference for IB or AP courses. To receive credit for IB classes, accepted students must earn an IB diploma. Incoming students must earn a score of 5 on at least four AP exams to earn college credit at Harvard.

Is IB stressful?

The answer is simple. Although IB students aren't put under any extra stress, we tend to feel like we are. Research led by the University of South Florida suggests that IB students are more susceptible to the negative effects of stress. This include mental disorders and reduced academic performance.

Does IB look good on college applications?

Taking either AP or IB classes will look very good on your college applications, as it shows you're challenging yourself with college-level courses. There's no real preference or benefit from doing one program or the other, as long as you do well in your chosen courses.

Is IB maths harder than A level maths?

Thanks Bondgirl, His Maths teacher has now confirmed that the IB higher Maths is harder than A level Maths.

How hard is A level?

A levels are made painfully harder if you choose subjects you feel obligated to do for certain career paths rather than subjects you enjoy. The time you devote to A levels will feel much longer if you do not have a passion for the subject.

Does Harvard accept IB?

The short answer is that Harvard does take IB scores into consideration. In fact, it is believed that a high scoring IB diploma (DP) correlates well with success in the Harvard application. Non-IB applicants have a 5.1% chance of enrolment as compared to 12.2% for IB DP holders.

Are IB students more successful?

The following summary of research findings reflects how the IB helps prepare students for success by creating college- and career-ready global citizens: Among the findings: IB graduates are more likely to persist through college: A new research study conducted by Dr.

Do IB students have a social life?

So, will doing the IB Diploma completely squash any semblance of a social life? The answer is no.

Is IB program harder than AP?

IB is definitely more effort than AP (I've done both) because throughout the two year IB program there are several research essays and other assignments one has to complete that contribute to one's overall IB scores.” “If you can't manage your time well, don't take IB, because everything piles up and it gets very hard.

Is IB weighted GPA?

All IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) courses (grades 9 and 10) are weighted 0.5 and all IB Diploma Programme (DP) courses (grades 11 and 12) are weighted 1.0. The GPA, grade point average, is a number used to measure a student's achievement in school coursework.

Does IB give you college credit?

IB and AP Classes Can Lead to College Credit

Both IB and AP classes culminate in an exam, and students may be able to earn college credit depending on their scores.

Do Ivy Leagues prefer IB?

A survey of more than 4,000 students conducted by the International Insight Research Group in partnership with the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) showed that the acceptance rate of IB students into Ivy League universities is up to 18% higher than the total population acceptance rate.

Does Harvard look at freshman grades?

Colleges might not really care what grades you get in your freshman or sophomore years but the junior grades and senior grades will matter a lot. It's fine that you have B's now but in the future, you may have to get A's for Harvard to really think about accepting you.