Both A Levels and IB Diploma Program offer comprehensive knowledge, and work exceedingly well for students who have decided to pursue their undergrad abroad for a specialist degree. Let’s take a look at what the two curricula encompass.
IB
IB offers a broad curriculum made up of six subject groups – three at a higher level and three at a standard level. These subject groups include Studies in Language and Literature, Language Acquisition, Individuals and Societies, Sciences, Mathematics, and the Arts. Each subject is graded on a scale of 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum). The students also complete a two-year course called Theory of Knowledge (TOK), write an Extended Essay, and take part in Creativity, Action, Service (CAS).
A Levels
For A-Levels students usually choose three or four subjects, for the last two years at school. Pass grades are A* (the top grade), followed by A, B, C, D and E.
There are no compulsory subjects, and there are as many as 50 different subjects offered by schools that can be taken up by the students in any combination.
The Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) is offered by some schools alongside A Levels. EPQ is similar to the IB’s Extended Essay, wherein the student chooses a topic, carries out research, writing a 5,000-word dissertation, and delivering a 10-minute presentation.
Some schools also offer extracurricular activities such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, which would be an equivalent to the IB’s CAS programme.
Is the IB harder than A Levels?
Three A*s for A Levels require the same amount of hard work as would a score of over 40 points for IBDP. However, what makes A Levels seem less exacting is that it is compulsory to study 6 subjects for IBDP, and each individual subject counts towards the final grade; on the other hand students can choose just 3 subjects for A Levels.
But 6 subjects in IBDP are not as intimidating as they sound. Students can choose 3 subjects at the higher level and three, not so strong subjects at the standard level. In general, the IBDP is more suited to students who are all-rounders; A Levels are favoured by students who are stronger in one subject or specialist area.
Does a particular qualification hold more weight in college admission?
Certainly not. University admissions officers worldwide do not favour one qualification over the other. Both qualifications are treated equally by universities worldwide. However, the IBDP is what is popular in the US and A Levels are the curriculum in use in UK. Therefore IBDP is more easily understood by US universities while most UK universities set A Levels as their entry benchmark. However, the truth is that nearly all universities understand and recognise both IB and A Levels.
When are the results published?
A-Level exams are held in May/June, and the results are published in August. The IBDP exams are held in May for schools following the September to June academic year, and in November for those following a January to December calendar. Results are then published in July and January, respectively.
Students receiving IBDP results in July, can therefore receive their admission acceptance in advance of A Level students (since A Level results are out only in Aug).
Which curriculum should you choose?
IB would be a preferable choice if you would like to go to university in countries other than the United Kingdom. However if you are sure that UK is your country of choice for undergrad studies, A Levels would be a better option in high school as it is the traditional high school qualification in UK.
A-Levels would also work better when you are absolutely sure of the subject you want to pursue in college. A Levels would be more helpful when interview is an essential part of the college admission process, for example, fields such as medicine or for the universities of Oxford and Cambridge. This is because the A Levels would form the basis of questions that are asked during the interview. Another reason is that A-Levels help you build more in-depth knowledge in subjects that you want to pursue at university, because you are focussing on three or four subjects at max.
This is not to say that IB would not help you build in-depth knowledge but with way less subjects and coursework in A Levels, you have more time for independent study.
On the other hand, if you are not certain about what course you want to pursue at the undergrad level, IB would be a better choice. It is much broader in scope with six subjects, and will enable you to experience different areas of knowledge and help you gain clarity on what course you want to study at university. IB also has the advantage of working as a pre-course for university-level work, thanks to the research papers that you write in the two final years at school. These research papers and the essay contribute to the final grade besides the year end exams.
If you are a student who wishes to maintain breadth in your choice of subjects, then IB is ideal for you. You will get to work hard in a structured environment and be able to address your not-so-strong subjects with careful diligence.
However if you are someone with a very clear focus on a particular subject area, A Levels should be your choice of curriculum. You need to be more self-disciplined to work in a less structured environment as you play to existing strengths.
Conclusion
Ultimately, opting for IB Diploma or A Levels boils down to what you want to achieve, both academically and in your career. Both curricula offer immense benefits and prepare you for the college path ahead. IB helps you keep your options open with respect to subjects you’d like to choose at the undergrad level. A Levels is great if you know for sure what it is that you’d like to pursue at the university. This enables you to study only those subjects that you are most passionate about and become a master at them. Both qualifications are given equal recognition at the time of college admissions, depending on what your academic and career goals are, you may choose either of the two curricula.