AP and IB: College Admission Guide

Both Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs offer advanced studies for students who want to challenge themselves. When students do well in either program, they can earn college credit or be exempt from taking certain courses in college. When colleges see that you have taken AP or IB courses, they feel more confident that you are ready for higher education.

Taking these advanced courses can help shape a student's study skills and ability to focus, which are important qualities for college success. Guidance counselors also point out that taking multiple AP and IB courses per year can help improve time management skills.

If students are not ready for a full AP or IB course load, they can work through some of their school's honors offerings, which are a solid way to begin training for more advanced courses.

Both IB and AP curriculums factor heavily into the decision-making process of college admission officers, but to what extent is not always clear; in many cases, the degree of influence will also vary between institutions.

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) has reported that only 5.5% of colleges consider Subject Test Scores in IB and AP courses to have considerable importance in admissions decisions. This statistic might be concerning to some parents. However, it is somewhat misleading, as these are the test scores, not the course grades. For example, a student's mark on their AP World History exam (graded out of 5) is not particularly impactful on their admission to most colleges. Their mark in the course, as a whole, on the other hand, is immensely important, as the NACAC reports that Grades in College Prep Courses, which include AP and IB classes, are among the most highly considered factors in admissions. 90% of all colleges consider college prep course grades to be considerably or moderately important to admissions decisions. While non-AP and non-IB courses, primarily for students in grade 12, are also considered College Prep Courses, the NACAC notes that Strength of Curriculum is of considerable or moderate importance to 74% of colleges. This means that to almost three-quarters of all colleges, the fact that a student has completed a high-level curriculum, such as AP or IB, factors strongly into admissions decisions. Therefore, while a student's IB or AP Subject Test Score may not be crucial to college acceptance, completing and excelling in IB and AP classes is enormously beneficial.

Admissions officers are aware of the number of AP and IB classes offered in every school. Thus, if you have only one AP class at school, and it is in line with the major you are applying to, it is worth your while to take it. On the other hand, if your school offers dozens of AP classes, it may be beneficial to take more than one; at the end of the day, admission officers are looking for students who challenge themselves in the context of the resources offered by their school and community. Nevertheless, it is always better to start early. Consider beginning AP classes in grade 10 so that you can avoid taking a full course load of them in grade 12. Avoid overloading yourself with all of the most challenging AP courses in one year; for example, taking AP Calculus BC, AP Chemistry, and AP Physics at the same time might not be the smartest choice!

Additionally, you should adjust the AP classes in your schedule to align with the major you want to pursue in university. If you want to get into a prestigious university's science program, focus on courses that are relevant, such as AP Statistics or AP Physics. Prospective Humanities majors would be wise to lean towards AP English classes, AP World History, and so forth. Regardless of your interest, it may be worthwhile to take AP Calculus if you think about getting into the sciences! Admissions officers typically view students who complete that course more favorably than those who do not.

Excellent SAT/ACT scores, an essay that conveys your personality and showcases your unique voice, a great recommendation letter from a teacher who knows you well and extracurriculars that display your leadership capabilities in an area you are passionate about are also extremely important factors in college admissions.

There are many factors to consider pertaining to AP and IB courses. First off, both curriculums are strenuous, difficult, and time-consuming. Overwhelming a student's calendar with a glut of elite-level classes may negatively impact their overall grades as well as other areas of their life, which should not be ignored. One option to mitigate the stress of a heavy academic workload is to begin AP classes in grade 11, which can help to avoid a bloated course load in grade 12.

Nonetheless, it might be the instinct of some students to fit as many AP or IB courses into their schedule as possible. However, for this reason, students should carefully consider what benefits they hope to gain from burdening themselves with additional advanced courses in their final year of high school. If you are uncertain that you can achieve a high grade in these extra classes, it may be wiser to limit yourself to only five.