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The Daily Insight

Does harvard prefer ib or ap

Author

John Parsons

Published Feb 10, 2026

Do universities prefer IB or AP?

If all you want to do is gain college credits or complete admission prerequisites in specific subjects, then AP might be the right choice for you. But if you’re looking for a high quality, stimulating education that imparts skills you’ll need all through college and beyond, then IB might be the right option.

Does Harvard care about IB?

Like the AP tests, Harvard will not grant college credit for your IB exams, but taking them and scoring highly can strengthen your application. Finally, some high schools do not offer many AP or IB classes or any at all.

Does Harvard accept AP?

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.

Does IB help get into Ivy League?

A survey of more than 4,000 students conducted by the International Insight Research Group in partnership with the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO) showed that the acceptance rate of IB students into Ivy League universities is up to 18% higher than the total population acceptance rate.

Is IB harder than AP?

IB higher level is, at some high schools, considered harder than AP. Most colleges give credit for AP exams and higher-level IB exams, but not all give credit for standard-level IB exams.

Can IB students take AP exams?

AP and IB are both high-quality programs that colleges and universities consider when making admissions decisions. You can take AP courses and/or exams even if you’re enrolled in IB courses. Learn more about the benefits of taking AP.

How good is a 6 in IB?

IB teachers also use school-based student assessment in addition to IB internal and external assessments.

Reporting IB Grades.
7Excellent Performance
6Very Good Performance
5Good Performance
4Satisfactory Performance
3Mediocre Performance

What percentage of IB gets 44?

Four students excelled achieving top marks with 45 points, and four other students achieved a point score of 44. According to UNIS, “less than 1% of students receiving the IB diploma obtain a score of 45 points” and “only 7% receive the top grade of a 7” in each subject so all students have done phenomenally well.

Is IB useless?

The IB Diploma is useless.

Every colleges sets its own benchmark for offering college credit. For example, a student receiving a score of five or higher may qualify for credit in introductory courses. Keep in mind that only classes taken at higher level are eligible for credit at most colleges.

Is a 4 bad in IB?

For IB exams, students need to aim for at least a 4, Vivas says. But colleges and universities have varying policies for awarding credit, these experts say. 4. Even if a student receives a low score, there are benefits to participating.

What is the hardest IB subject?

Maths HL

Taking the position right after its big brother, Further Maths HL, Maths HL is one of the hardest IB subjects for high school students. Along with the difficult concepts and complex optional topics, the subject has an immense workload and tricky exam questions.

Is 41 a good IB score?

Figure 1 shows that the higher an IB student’s overall points score the greater their likelihood of a good result in Cambridge Arts & Social Sciences courses. A score of 41 points suggests an at- average likelihood of a II. 1 or a First; a score of 42 points suggests a better-than-average likelihood.

Is a 36 IB score good?

Top American universities such as Harvard and Yale require candidates to score at least 36-38 points to be considered for placement. … However, a good IBDP score may be generally interpreted as one that creates opportunities to join a fast-track system within a distinguished university.

What is a failing grade in IB?

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. … A grade E has been earned for the Theory of Knowledge oral exam and/or the Extended Essay.

How does IB compare to AP?

To sum up, the AP program is American based and provides courses that high school students can take for college. The IB course is international based and provides an integrated approach to learning. The biggest difference between AP and IB is that AP is more popular and useful for an American high school student.

Does UCLA recognize IB?

UCLA awards college credit for higher level (HL) exams only. Credit awarded by UCLA as a result of IB exams is subject to change without notice.

UCLA Credit Awarded for IB Exams.
IB Exam NameEnglish
IB Score5–7
Subject AreaENGLISH
Title/Course #ESL
Units8.0

Is IB weighted GPA?

All IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) courses (grades 9 and 10) are weighted 0.5 and all IB Diploma Programme (DP) courses (grades 11 and 12) are weighted 1.0. The GPA, grade point average, is a number used to measure a student’s achievement in school coursework.

Does UCLA prefer AP or IB?

UCLA awards college credit for most IB higher level exams with scores of 5 or higher. (We don’t award college credit for standard level exams.) The specific credit you receive depends on the college/school your major belongs to: IB Credit for the The College.

What IB score do you need for Harvard?

However, it is important for IB students to score at least 38 points and above if they are aiming for an ivy league school. Additionally, competitive universities like Harvard emphasize higher level (HL) IB subjects. Candidates should aim for a 6s and 7s for each HL subject.

Does Stanford accept IB?

Stanford awards credit only for certain higher level (HL) IB exams with a score of 5 or higher. Check the IB Credit Chart to see whether you can get credit for your IB exam. … To request IB credit, contact the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO) to request that your IB scores be sent to Stanford.

Does Princeton accept IB?

Princeton University in United States of America requires students to maintain a minimum IB of 40 in order to stand a good chance to get admission into Princeton University. The IB requirement of Princeton University is much higher than the average requirements of universities in United States of America.

How many AP classes should I take for Harvard?

Going up the selectivity chain, the average at Harvard is eight AP classes. To be competitive at some of the most highly selective colleges in the country, 8-12 AP courses may be the sweet spot amount, assuming the student can handle that level of rigor.