IB Program: the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme (DP) is understood as the most rigorous curriculum a student can undertake, especially from the perspective of college admissions. Designed in Switzerland in the 1960s, the International Baccalaureate is intended to prepare students for the type of rigorous critical inquiry that’s expected in college. IB coursework begins in eleventh grade with a focus on three core elements: the theory of knowledge, the extended essay (in the form of an original research paper), and the CAS project (Creativity, Activity, Service). In general, IB offers a holistic approach to learning and students’ are required to balance their course load across 6 core subjects. 

Pursuit of IB studies is a two year commitment and students hoping to earn college credit for their IB courses are awarded credit based on both their performance in the class and on the corresponding IB exam. Note: students must be in the IB course in order to sit for the exam. 

Advanced Placement (AP): Founded in 1955 and operated by the College Board, Advanced Placement coursework allows high school students the opportunity to take college-level coursework and perhaps even earn college credit (depending on their score on the corresponding AP exam). 

The AP program has two primary goals for students: to not only provide challenging and rigorous coursework for motivated students, but to also allow those same students to jump into more rigorous college courses once they become freshmen. Unlike IB, AP courses do not exist in a broader curriculum, allowing students to focus their efforts on subjects that interest them most. Additionally, students may earn college credit by sitting (and scoring well) on an AP exam without taking the corresponding AP course. 

Dual Enrollment/Dual Credit: From a college admissions standpoint, Dual Credit isn’t considered as rigorous as the previous two programs, but it’s still a great option for learning, earning credits, and exploring more niche subjects of interest. 

Dual Enrollment courses allow students to earn both high school and college credit for a single course. Dual Enrollment courses are college courses, typically offered by a local community college or university (like UT OnRamps).



Credit is conferred to the student upon completion of the course, rather than sitting and passing an exam (like AP and IB). However, because dual enrollment courses aren’t standardized like AP and IB curriculums, students hoping to transfer credit to private college should first consult with their counselor .