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IB Class Ranking
As of right now in the three IB Schools (Old Mill, Meade, Annapolis) IB students are ranked (by GPA) with mainstream students. This ulitimately affects who the valedictorian and salultorian are at graduation and also has an effect on the ranking of other students who are not able to participate in IB but work hard in their AP or Honors classes. How would you all feel if IB students and mainstream students were ranked seperately, after all, IB students get a seperate diploma and at all three schools the number one and number two students in the class are IB students and remember IB students are graded differently, they are given AP credit to all classes starting in grade 9 with the exception of regular electives, and even then many IB students choose to take AP courses as electives and end up having weighted credit for every class they take, do you think this is fair that they are ranked with mainstream students? Only IB students in the 9th grade are eligible to take AP classes that goes for 10th grade as well with the exception of AP European History...A possible solution would be to separate the rankings so the IB students can compete amongst themselves and have a valedictorian and salutorian for both sets of students...remember they get different diplomas...I am interested in your feelings on this matter
Brittany Walker- Student Board Member
IB Class Ranking
I absolutely agree, there should be a separation between IB class ranking and the mainstream class ranking. Some IB students that I know personally just because they are in IB get a "++" and that is just because they are in the IB program. Considering that the grading is different with the IB program it is not fair that IB students should be in the same ranking with other hard working students who are not in the IB program for the spot of valedictorian.
IB Class Ranking
My older brother is in high school. He dropped out of IB because he considers it 'unorganized and the classes are the same', plus he couldn't take some classes he wanted to. He's really smart, and I think it's not fair that now, he's not even going to be in the running for Valedictiorian...Just my two cents.
Re: IB Class Ranking
When I was an ELP freshman the ELP classes were worth the same as honors, I believe that system worked well. Once the IB kids have entered IB level classes in 11th and 12th grade they should be on a 5.0 scale because they are supposed to have the same amount of work as an AP class. Now there are SL classes and HL classes in IB but I must say for my experience with AP and IB the SL tests were equivalents to AP tests if not harder because of the options. I took mostly science classes however, so I cannot speak for all the classes. The AP Biology test was not anywhere near as hard as the IB Biology HL test. The SL classes I spoke of were IB Math and IB Chemistry. I took the AP tests for BC Calculus and Chemistry to compare. As far as class availability, at Old Mill we had two sections for each HL IB class as the first class with only 36 students and that was more than adequate for me to fit in AP Calculus, Chemistry, Environmental Science, and IB Physics and Chemistry. Most of my classmates were also able to fit their AP Literature or AP Art Theory classes. IB students in general deserve the rankings we achieved.
Re: IB Class Ranking
I agree with c.wagner. You only get honors credit for ELP classes in 9th and 10th grade. And in 11th and 12th grade, taking IB is essentially the equivalent of taking almost a full courseload of AP classes. So yes, ranking IB students with regular students is fair. Regular students would have just as high GPAs if they took 7 AP classes in one year just like IB students have 7 IB classes, but they dont so they're GPAs arent as high. The IB students deserve the higher GPA for the greater workload.
IB Class Ranking
I might have a biased outlook on this seeing as I am an 11th grade IB Student at Old Mill High School, however the quotes above me had the right thought process. The course load we have is a lot more vigiorous than the average classes that we would take. Personallly my GPA has been shot because of the more difficult courses. The courses have been a great deal more challenging and their effort allows to be recognized on the same scale as the average students. So I agree the IB and regular class students should stay together in Valivictorian status, etc.