AP vs IB difficulty: which one is harder? (2024)

FAQs

Is IB really harder than AP? ›

Difficulty. While HL (“High Level”) IB courses are generally considered to be more difficult than equivalent or similar AP classes, SL (“Standard Level”) IB courses are typically seen as similar or easier than their AP counterparts.

Do Colleges Prefer AP or IB? Both academic options are looked on favorably by colleges and universities, and both can help earn a student college credit, depending on exam scores. The IB is increasing in popularity in the United States, especially among international families and students who hope to study abroad.

To get an IB diploma, you must do more than choose HLs and SLs. You will also need to write an Extended Essay (EE), participate in the Theory of Knowledge (ToK), and indulge in Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS). IB is one of the most demanding courses that one can attend in high school.

Subjects generally considered hardest in IB – Math Analysis and Approaches (AA) HL, Sciences (HL), History HL, English Literature HL, and Computer Science HL.

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.

Students who take IB classes in high school have higher acceptance rates into Ivy League schools, but this doesn't necessarily mean a higher acceptance rate than AP students; it just means that IB students have a higher acceptance rate than the general application pool.

IB students are required to write an extended essay of 4000 words, participate in CAS activities, and study more subjects than AP students. Additionally, IB subjects are more in-depth and require students to understand concepts and apply them in different situations.

Harvard only accepts AP® scores of 5 for course credit. If you have 4 scores of 5, you can opt to obtain Advanced Standing. You can use AP® credits to opt-out of lower-level classes. Harvard has general academic requirements that all students must take.

Some colleges tend to give AP more credit.

For example CU Boulder generally gives AP language exams more weight than IB language exams. Meanwhile, other colleges give more credit for IB. The University of Michigan, for instance, generally gives more credit hours for IB classes.

Although you might believe that the number is 50% or less, there was around a 78% pass rate in the IB last year! That's around 4 out of every 5 students who are able to pass. The good news? That means you're quite likely to pass the IB as well!

Is IB extremely hard? ›

IB coursework is extremely challenging. Expect to study harder than you ever have before, spend many hours on homework, and do a lot of writing.

Attaining top grades in History HL can be particularly arduous, with only 3.7% of students achieving a score of 7. With a low rate of top grades, students often benefit from the guidance of an IB History tutor to enhance understanding and essay skills.

A IB score of 4 or higher is required in each subject, as is satisfactory completion of the extended essay and knowledge theory requirements. This shows that earning a IB diploma is no easy task and requires hard work, dedication and perseverance from each student.

FAILING CONDITIONS: A student will NOT receive an IB Diploma if one or more of the following occur: CAS requirements have not been met. Candidate's total exam & core points are fewer than 24. An N has been given for theory of knowledge, extended essay or for a contributing subject.

This means that doing well in IB courses can help raise your GPA and demonstrate your academic capability to college admissions officers.

Absolutely. IB courses were much more demanding and involved than the courses I take at college. My writing skills were strongly developed, however, most of my college courses only use multiple choice examinations. Critical thinking skills were the most valuable to me.

In a school with no AP or IB offerings, Honors or Dual Enrollment are going to be the most rigorous options. In a school that offers AP courses and the IB Diploma, taking a full IB course load is more demanding than taking a handful of AP courses.