IB credit?

36falcon36

36falcon36

5-Year Member
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Hello everyone, I was curious if anyone knew anything about USAFA's policy on IB credit. I am a junior in high school and plan to earn my IB diploma when I graduate. I am currently taking HL Biology, HL English, HL History of the Americas, SL Spanish, SL Mathematics, and SL Sports Medicine, as well as Theory of Knowledge.

1) If I were to attend USAFA, would I be able to receive any sort of validation credits for my IB tests? If so, does anybody know which tests would be able to be validated?

2) Is any extra weight given in the admissions process to IB students, due to the rigors of the program?

Any help is appreciated, thank you in advance :)
 
Hey, my name is Mike and I am a fellow IB student.. currently a senior.

1) As far as credit goes, I don't think they allow you start school as a sophomore, like a civilian university.. I could be wrong though. The benefit would really be personal, as you should have an easier time dealing with the academy's rigorous course work

2) I may be wrong, but I do believe it affects your gpa , as USAFA puts gpa on a 4.0 scale, but they have formulated my to a 4.46... although this may be updated with time... :)..


... according to Billberna they do as seen here :http://usafa.smartcatalogiq.com/en/...nternational-Baccalaureate-IB-Transfer-Credit
 
You may be able to validate some classes, many students do. Validated courses will not count towards your GPA. Additionally, for Class of 2021 and beyond, you will need 125 semester hours in residence to meet graduation requirements. (Prior classes were 131 hours.). So validating courses will not mean you graduate early, but you may have more time in your schedule to pursue a double major or a minor or other interests such as study abroad.
 
meganetzel said:
Is any extra weight given in the admissions process to IB students, due to the rigors of the program?
Click to expand...

While strength of high school schedule is a factor that is considered, a large percentage of individuals applying to USAFA will have AP or IB classes so don't count on "extra weight" for these programs. IMHO, high SAT/ACT scores will trump AP or IB classes when it comes to assessing an applicant's academic merits.

As 2021mom indicated, USAFA is a full four-year program. I would focus on packaging a strong application in the short term and then think about course validation once you have become an appointee. Good luck.
 
meganetzel said:
Hello everyone, I was curious if anyone knew anything about USAFA's policy on IB credit. I am a junior in high school and plan to earn my IB diploma when I graduate. I am currently taking HL Biology, HL English, HL History of the Americas, SL Spanish, SL Mathematics, and SL Sports Medicine, as well as Theory of Knowledge.

1) If I were to attend USAFA, would I be able to receive any sort of validation credits for my IB tests? If so, does anybody know which tests would be able to be validated?

2) Is any extra weight given in the admissions process to IB students, due to the rigors of the program?

Any help is appreciated, thank you in advance :)
Click to expand...
Our 21er DS also went to an IB school. From what I can see, your schedule looks very similar to his when he applied. Also, the final IB exams results are released well past your HS graduation. Good luck.
 
I can go either way with "validating" (ie, if you mean placing out). But i'll post this as a pro-"retake".

I would seriously consider viewing IB courses (and APs) as a way to get a good base and confidence booster rather than how many classes to place out of, both for civilian college (Plans BCD, haha!) and SAs. Even if you have had a class before, WHEN did you have it? You also have to have a very honest look at yourself if you think you have mastered the entry level class to be able to step into the next level at college and excel right off the bat. My 2 DDs are at Magnet schools where it's lots of AP. One will have a minimum of 19, most likely 21. SA-focused DD will have 16-19 APs. So for many of their AP classes, they will have had them 2 or 3 years AGO by the time they start college. I don't recommend that either of them place out of so many classes that if they have to go to Plan B schools (ie, civilian colleges) they start out as sophomores. I want them to stay in college 4 years and get the most of it. Place out of a few, but you may want to beef up that college GPA for graduate school or applying for jobs! Set expectations very high for grades and free up time to participate in clubs, sports, volunteer, work!

Something a bit similar for SAs. SA-focused DD we aren't even considering any deviation from the course progressions because the Academies are all so rigorous that you will want to "retake" a class, and view the AP classes as "good exposure" and confidence boosters to an extremely rigorous load. Unless you are truly gifted, which my DDs are not - they are the Talented part of "Talented and Gifted", you might want to consider using IB/AP classes as strategic confidence/exposure boosters when you take that class in college.

This is just one other take on "validating" courses.
 
PS - GREAT JOB on your IB track! I have so much respect for IB. My SA focused DD applied and was very humbled to be accepted to the IB program at her feeder high school. If she had not been accepted to the Magnet, she would have gone IB!
 
DS full IB. Scored 5-7 on all exams (results not until July 2017). Plans on engineering. Able to validate out of history and english. I believe also foreign language, but opted to take German as elective.
 
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