IB’s mission statement says, “…IB has built a reputation for high-quality, challenging programmes of education that develop internationally minded young people who are well prepared for the challenges of life in the 21st century…” The IB curriculum was originally designed to provide a standardized curriculum for students who might be traveling worldwide, guaranteeing the same level of education no matter where they studied as well as providing “a globally recognized university entrance qualification.” The IB curriculum emphasizes a worldview in the coursework, with classes such as History of the Americas rather than US History and World Literature. Most classes are offered at a Standard Level and a Higher Level, providing options for students who want more in-depth studies of particular courses.
IB math offered at the standard level “… is designed to build confidence and encourage an appreciation of mathematics in students who do not anticipate a need for mathematics in their future studies.” The HL math classes are designed for “students who will be likely to include mathematics as a major component of university studies -- either in its own right or within courses such as physics, engineering or technology.” The SL math curriculum contains about 150 hours of classroom instruction while the HL math classes offer 240 hours. Both courses aim to allow students to develop critical thinking skills as well as understand the principles of the course. The HL math goes further by providing course work in classes such as statistics, probability and discrete mathematics. Both classes include written assessments and an individual portfolio, but the HL class requires more in-depth writing and more portfolio pieces for review.
Most students think of AP classes when they think of honors classes instead of IB because more schools offer AP classes than IB. Both classes require a test at the end of the course to receive college credit. Some schools offer credit for individual IB classes; however, some colleges may offer as much as 24 hours of college credit for students who receive the IB diploma compared to the three hours of credit granted for each AP class.
Most importantly, IB's academically challenging curriculum provides a solid framework for college entrance. Students should check with prospective colleges to see how much credit can be granted for IB classes before making a decision about what level of classes to take in high school. But the rigor of an IB math class can give students interested in mathematical careers the background knowledge needed to help them succeed in college.