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As university admissions grow more competitive, top institutions seek candidates capable of handling rigorous international curricula amidst a sea of applicants. But which courses pave the path to your dream university?
Let’s explore three globally recognized programs which are offered in International Schools—A Levels, International Baccalaureate (IB), and Advanced Placement (AP)—to guide you through your educational odyssey.
Comparing A Levels, IB, and AP
A Levels, IB, and AP courses are renowned for their academic rigor, representing some of the most demanding high school options available to students. Each culminates in an independent credential signifying attainment beyond a standard high school diploma, bolstering students’ applications to prestigious universities. However, despite these shared objectives, significant differences distinguish them.
A Levels, developed by the UK government, primarily draw upon British content but are tailored for international adoption. In contrast, the IB, an international organization, emphasizes global awareness, utilizing resources and content from around the world. AP courses, originating from the United States and devised by the College Board, feature predominantly American content within their high school curriculum framework.
| Curriculum | Age Range | School Year | Number of Subjects | Exams |
| IGCSE | 14-18 | Year 10-13 | 4-5 Minimum | External – Offered 2-3 Times a year |
| International Baccalaureate | 16-18 | Year 12-13 | 6 Subjects plus 3 papers | 1 Cumulative external exam with some internal weightage |
| Advanced Placement | 15-18 | Anytime in Grade 10-12 | Varies in addition to high school classes | External offered once a year |
Curriculum Structure
A Levels commence in Year 11, where students delve into a comprehensive selection of subjects, laying a strong foundation. Progressing to Year 12, the curriculum further bifurcates into AS Level and A2 Level. Typically, students opt for 4-5 AS Level subjects and 3-4 A2 Level subjects.
IB Diploma is geared towards students aged 16 to 19, the IB Diploma consists of six subjects, with three or four at Higher Level (HL) and the rest at Standard Level (SL). Beyond academics, students engage in Theory of Knowledge (ToK) Extended Essay (EE), and the Creativity, Activity & Service (CAS) Project.
AP Courses: AP courses serve as supplementary, college-level programs. Many students opt to self-study these year-long subjects in addition to their regular coursework, demonstrating their commitment to academic excellence.
Assessment Methods
The IGCSE’s are 100% externally assessed through a set of examinations at the end of your study. The same is true for most AS and A Level subjects besides arts courses like Drama, Music or Photography. There are usually two exam dates in the year giving students flexibility based on their schedule. Plus, this gives students the opportunity to re-sit exams if they feel they have underperformed.
The IB Programme is unique in that final scores are a combination of internal and external assessment. Internal assessment often takes the form of long-term projects such as papers, reports and presentations and comprise between 15 and 25% of your final IB score for that subject. The rest of the IB is externally assessed, mostly in the form of one cumulative exam at the end of your second year of study.
The APs are completely externally assessed through one standardized examination at the end of the academic year.
Grading Systems: A Levels vs IB vs AP.
During an examination series for the International GCSEs and A Levels, students sit a number of individual exams (known as papers) for a single subject. Each paper has a specific weighting defined in the syllabus of every course. The weighted average of these papers will be the students final grade.
Pearson Edexcel International GCSEs are awarded using the new nine point grading scale (9–1), introduced by the UK government to raise standards and recognise top perfomraing students. As part of this new system, each student’s raw mark is scaled on a bell curve against the performance of all other students taking the exam. Simply put, this means that you don’t have to get 90% of the questions correct to end up getting a 90% on your report card. Your scores are relevant to those of your peers.
In the IB, each academic subject is scored out of 7, with 7 being the highest possible score. The assessed components of the DP Core are scored on an A-E scale. CAS is a Pass/Fail requirement of the IB Diploma. Thus at the end of the IB Diploma Programme you will receive a score out of 45, with 42 of those attributed to academic subjects. Depending on the combination of your scores for ToK and EE, you will receive between 1-3 points, bringing the total possible score to 45.
The British Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) has developed a tariff system that helps compare IB scores with equivalent A-level grades. An IB score of 38 points out of a maximum of 45 is equivalent to five 8-9 grades at A-level. A score of 30 IB points reflects 6-7 grades at A level.
AP exams are scored on a scale of 1-5. Many US and Canadian universities give college credit for scores of 3 and above in the AP exams.
A Levels, developed by the UK government, primarily draw upon British content but are tailored for international adoption. In contrast, the IB, an international organization, emphasizes global awareness, utilising resources and content from around the world. AP courses, originating from the United States and devised by the College Board, feature predominantly American content within their high school curriculum framework.
| Curriculum | Advantages | Disadvantages |
| IGCSE and levels | Well recognised Structured curriculum Flexible subject choice Multiple exam dates | Lighter course load Limited subject selections |
| International Baccalaureate | Globally recognised Prepares students for university rigour. Holistic education | Heavy course load. Longer course, Limited flexibility |
| Advanced Placement | College credit in high school Boosts university application. Allows students to explore interests | Not as globally recognised. Not as easy to score on the exams |
Conclusion
The programme that is right for you should be the one where you feel most comfortable as a student. 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. The APs are also rigorous as they are college-level courses.
