The Foreign Service Journal, June 2019

70 JUNE 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL EDUCATION SUPPLEMENT a student has excelled. The Capstone provides a broad program for students and an opportunity for them to show their strengths in multiple ways. FLO: Some schools offer both AP and IB courses. When (if at all) might it be appropriate for a student to take some of each? KM: If a student is not interested in completing a full IB Diploma or an AP Capstone program, mixing IB and AP classes is fine; and because the teaching methods are different, taking classes in both may shed light on how the student learns best. Ultimately, any high-level class in either program will give the student an advantage when applying to college or university. FLO: Are you aware of any data on whether college admissions teams prefer one over the other? KM: In general, U.S. colleges and universities equally appreciate the AP and IB programs, because they show that a student has the dedication and determination needed to succeed aca- demically. Because the IB is taught much more like a college or university class, some schools believe that the IB offers a more seamless transition to higher educa- tion. Further, an IB diploma stands out because a student has had in-depth study in all types of subjects, not just the ones in which a student is “strong.” That said, the AP Capstone program, because of its similarities to the IB Diploma program, definitely gives students an advantage in the college process, as well. “When a college or university is famil- iar with the IB, and the admissions rep- resentative is willing to be candid, I often hear that they find IB students to be better prepared for college,” says Lauren Cuniffe, college counselor at Stoneleigh-Burnham School in Massachusetts. “However, col- leges tend to aim toward neutrality on this and don’t state preference simply because few students have a choice in programs. If they want rigor, students will have to do whatever their high school offers.” If students do not have the opportu- nity to take IB, they should definitely con- sider the AP or the highest level of courses available at their high school to enhance their college acceptance chances. n