I believe that if those particular courses are more advanced than AP Calculus BC, then they should be at least the same grade value as an AP course. If someone attended an IB school but doesn't do IB, and if they are in AP Calculus while someone with IB does Pre-Calculus gets the same grade weight, isn't that just a little undone? I mean, someone who worked hard without having to work by a program has to get the same grade value as someone who has the program to help them actually try harder. The IB program, I think needs to be revised, at least for the grade weighting of courses.

I agree. even though i won't ever take calc 3, it is unfair that it counts as honors. That only encourages overachieving students to stop taking math, and kids who have gotten that far should be encouraged to continue their studies without threatening their GPAs.

On a similar note, I wish music classes were offered as even honors. At my school, vocal ensemble, the highest level of chorus, is given honors credit. Although it is a select class, you must audition, any person can join. However, in my orchestra class, you must participate for all 4 years just to get honors credit senior year. I know many students who have quit orchestra when they had to choose between GPA and music, and it has personally lowered my class rank and GPA. There are no higher level orchestra classes to audition for, and therefore no way for upper-level musicians to receive weighted grades regardless of their work in the class. Does anyone else have any similar problems?

I just found out some more information; in the AACPS coursebook, Calc 3 is listed as receiving the grade-weighting of an AP class.

[quote]On a similar note, I wish music classes were offered as even honors.[/quote]
I agree. The only honors music classes at my school are Music Theory, and Band/Orch 4. We also offer AP Music Theory, but that's still not addressing the problem with the regular music classes.

I do see why music classes are treated as normal electives, but they definitely seem like they take more to excel in than other electives like, say, Sports Nutrition or Keyboarding.

I am actually in the IB programme. I am currently taking "IB Math HIGHER LEVEL", a 2-year math course that is also the most difficult IB offers. My class definitly goes way beyond Pre-Calc (I was in pre-calc last year) and in fact, pre-calc is a prerequisite for IB Math HL. My class is essentially equivalent to AP Calc. Next year, the curriculum goes beyond AP Calc (I'm not precisely sure what we study...lol).
There are two other IB Math classes. "IB Math Standard Level", which is only one year, and goes through pre-calc and calculus AB only. The other IB Math class, "IB Math Studies", is also a one year class that does not cover ANY calculus or precalc. It is basically a review of general mathematics and statistics (so I hear).

I definitly agree that Calc III should be AP! I planned on taking it next year, as well. Its ironic that my IB math class will be getting a 5.0 while a math class that is probably beyond my IB math will only recieve a 4.5.