Shermans March To The Sea Essays - , Term Papers

Sherman's March to the Sea George M. Hovsepian December 14, 1998 Sherman's March to the Sea On November 15th, 1864 Major-General William Tecumseh Sherman, commander of the Grand Army of the West, embarked on a raid which would become known as the march to the sea designed to cut a 60 mile wide swath from Atlanta to Savannah. Once in Savannah he would turn north through South and North Carolina and on into Virginia to help Grant defeat Lee at Richmond. As Sherman's soldiers were leaving Atlanta, now in flames, they went forward with the intent of shortening the Civil War. Sherman's troops accomplished this with a brand of warfare seen only sporadically in the previous four years of battle. Sherman decided to turn his attention on destroying the "enemy's war economy" (Oates, 1998, p.594), going after the infrastructure of the South. Along the way his troops burned, pillaged, stole personal belongings, and confiscate possessions and property of the civilian population. Did the end justify the means and was this a just course of action? By November 1864, the Civil War had seen gruesome days to be sure. By the end of the war the total number of soldiers killed in combat and by disease and other non-combat related causes for both the North and South were 623, 026 (Foote, 1974). The total wounded for both sides were 471,427 (Foote, 1974). These numbers are staggering in that only 2,750,000 soldiers participated in the war. The battles of Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, and Antietem to name a few, were some of the most bloody of the war. The Union Army had changed commanders many times, among them Meade, Hooker, McClellan twice, Burnside, and Grant. Ulysses S. Grant was there to stay. Grant's best subordinate officer was General Sherman. Sherman had taken command of the Western Theater and pushed Joseph Johnston off Lookout Mountain outside of Chattanooga, then maneuvered him out of position after position until Johnston fell back upon Atlanta, where Joe Johnston was relieved and the firebrand John Bell Hood took command. This was significant because Hood's aggressiveness, it was feared by his troops, would surely get them killed (Carter, 1976). They were not very wrong. Hood attacked Sherman almost immediately, launching several failed attacks intended to push Sherman away from Atlanta. They all failed and weakened Hood's army so severely he had to give up Atlanta and allow Sherman many options on what to do next. Sherman's intent was to tear through the heart of Georgia wrecking the infrastructure of the state. Sherman's orders upon leaving Atlanta were "that nothing be left intact that might be of use to the rebs when they returned" (Foote, 1974, p. 641). Sherman's orders for the march were similar, though he instructed his troops not to enter civilian dwellings or commit any trespass (Foote, 1974). Sherman did order his men to "forage liberally" (Oates, 1998) in organized details. Sherman wanted to bring the war to a region of the South previously untouched, middle Georgia. The tactic of foraging has certainly been used throughout history. Sun Tzu wrote essays about the art of war around 500 BC and even that far back the concept he proposed was "the wise general sees to it that his troops feed on the enemy" (Griffith, 1971, p. 74). When discussing doctrinal stability, Archer Jones writes "the Union's logistic strategy never had a chance to demonstrate its effectiveness" (1987, p. 417) because what ultimately shortened the war was Southern troops deserting their units. This may have been a lesser factor, but was likely brought about due to raids like Sherman's that showed the true vulnerability of the South. The destruction of the South's infrastructure such as rail lines, bridges, warehouses, and material that could be used to support military operations, is another principle which is a common occurrence in war. In Atlanta, the Mayor "begged Sherman to rescind his order expelling the citizens from the city" (Groom, 1995, p.112) which Sherman refused to do because he was about to fire the town. While his intention was not to disturb civilian homes on the march, he would in fact authorize the burning of homes if it was found that owners had willfully destroyed crops or other things which the Union Shermans March To The Sea Essays - , Term Papers Sherman's March to the Sea WILLIAM TECUMSEH SHERMAN AND HIS MARCH TO THE SEA William Tecumseh Sherman was born on May 8, 1820 in Lancaster, Ohio. He was educated at the U.S. Military Academy and later went on to become a Union General in the U.S. civil war. Sherman resigned from the army in 1853 and became a partner in a banking firm in San Francisco. He became the president of the Military College in Louisiana(now Louisiana state University) from 1859-1861. Sherman offered his services at the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 and was put in command of a volunteer infantry regiment, becoming a brigadier general of volunteers after the first Battle of bull run. He led his division at the Battle of Shiloh and was then promoted to major general of volunteers. Soon after Sherman fought in the battle of Chattanooga he was made supreme commander of the armies in the west. Sherman fought many battles with such people as Ulysses S. Grant, and against people such as Robert E. Lee before he was commissioned lieutenant general of the regular army. Following Grants election to presidency he was promoted to the rank of full general and given command of the entire U.S. Army. William Sherman published his personal memoirs in 1875, retired in 1883, and died in 1891. William Tecumseh Sherman, as you have read, was a very talented and very successful man. He is remembered by many accomplishments, but probably most remembered by his famous March to the sea. Sherman's march to the sea was probably the most celebrated military action, in which about sixty thousand men marched with Sherman from Atlanta to the Atlantic ocean, then north through South Carolina destroying the last of the souths economic resources. Bedford Forrest was in Tennessee, and with Atlanta secured, Sherman dispatched George H. Thomas to Nashville to restore the order there. John B. Hood threatened Thomas's supply line, and for about a month, they both fought north of Atlanta. Sherman decided to do the complete opposite of what the strategic plan laid down by Grant six months earlier had proposed to do. In that plan Grant had insisted that Confederate armies were the first and foremost objectives for Union strategy. What Sherman decided now was that he would completely ignore the Confederate armies and go for the "spirit that sustained the Confederate nation itself", the homes, the property, the families, and the food of the Southern heartland. He would march for Savannah, Georgia and the seacoast, abandoning his own line of supply, and live off the land and harvests of the Georgia Country. Grant finally approved Sherman's plan, so Sherman set off on his march eastward, "smashing things to the sea." On November 15, 1864, Sherman began his march to the sea. "I can make . . . Georgia howl!" he promised. Sherman left Atlanta, setting it up in flames as they left, with 62,000 men, 55,000 of them on foot, 5,000 on cavalry horses, and about 2,000 riding artillery horses. It was an army of 218 regiments, 184 of them from the West, and of these 155 were from the old Northwest Territory. This army was remembered as a lean and strong one. The bulk of the army was made up of Germans, Irish, Scotch, and English. Sherman and his army arrived in Georgia where there was no opposition, and the march was very leisurely. The army fanned out widely, covering a sixty mile span from one side to the other. The army destroyed, demolished and crushed whatever got in their way, the land, homes, buildings, and people. Bridges, railroads, machine shops, warehouses- anything of this nature that was in Shaman's path was burned and destroyed. As a result of this march eliminating a lot of the food to feed the Confederate army and its animals, the whole Confederate war effort would become weaker and weaker and weaker. Sherman went on toward the sea while the Confederacy could do nothing. Sherman's march to the sea was a demonstration that the Confederacy could not protect its own. Many agree that Sherman was too brutal and cruel during the march to the sea, but Sherman and his men were effectively

The Downside Risk of Easy Argumentative Essay Topics for Kids That No One Is Talking About

The Downside Risk of Easy Argumentative Essay Topics for Kids That No One Is Talking About It is essential to opt for a great topic as a way to compose a terrific paper. Quite frequently, the ideal topic is one which you truly care about, but you also will need to get ready to research it. Deciding on an emotional topic is also a great idea. If you select boring, bland or irrelevant topics, you won't have an extremely prosperous paper. Ensure you are aware of what the distinctive features of an argumentative essay are. Argumentative essay is about arguing and debating on a subject, which is debatable. An argumentative essay is a certain kind of academic writing. It requires you to decide on a topic and take a position on it. To locate argumentative essay topics easy on various platforms, you want to comprehend about the argumentative essay. Argumentative topics can be a number of the widest-reaching essay assignments on Earth. Argumentative essay topics are so important since they are debatableand it's important to at all times be critically considering the world around us. Moral argumentative essay topics are a few of the simplest to get carried away with. What the In-Crowd Won't Tell You About Easy Argumentative Essay Topics for Kids Writing argumentative essays requires plenty of time to finish, especially when you don't have an assigned topic. Books should not be banned. Thesis Statement Thesis statement holds a great deal of importance in any sort of essay writing. You are able to ask your teacher for approval if you're not certain which topic is more interesting. Teens should be asked to take parenting classes. Kids need to be able to vote. Parents should speak to kids about drugs at a youthful age. Parents of bullies should need to pay a fine. When it has to do with writing an argumentative essay, the most significant matter to do is to select a topic and an argument you can really get behind. 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If as you are preparing a report you merely analyze specific literature, the essay demands a superb penetration into the issue. The intent of assigning an essay to middle school students is to make awareness and permit them to develop writing skills. The Unexposed Secret of Easy Argumentative Essay Topics for Kids To help students just like you find debatable topics, we've gathered a wide variety of ideas on distinct subjects and academic levels. Students with good academic results must find the chance to go to college free of charge. School should happen in the evenings. Year round school isn't a good idea. Although having the ability to write persuasively can look like a difficult thing for children to learn, remind them that everyone has valid opinions. From time to time, it's a great idea in order to add something funny to your argumentative essay. There's something for everybody in here. 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Choosing topics is a distinct skill you need to learn and practice at school, so quit procrastinating and adhere to the simple tips below as a way to develop fresh ideas and make a great topic to work on. Otherwise, you've got to consider about choosing another topic. Contradictive Your topic should stir a selection of opinions among the general public. What You Should Do to Find Out About Easy Argumentative Essay Topics for Kids Before You're Left Behind Understanding how to compose a strong argumentative paper will help you advance your very own argumentative thinking. It is impossible to generate a true friend online. Droz If the money doesn't serve you, it is going to rule over you. An excessive amount of money isn't a good thing. Top Easy Argumentative Essay Topics for Kids Choices The reader needs to be impressed by how you defend your ideas. It is very important t o get started with demonstrating the principal idea of the entire piece so you and your readers are going to be on the exact same page. As soon as you have the topic, answer the question and after that support your answer with three or more explanations for why you believe it.

How to Come Up With an Essay Topic

How to Come Up With an Essay TopicWhen you are thinking about how to come up with an essay topic, you might find yourself with quite a few choices. These topics will depend on the type of school you are attending and will reflect the subjects that will be covered. However, you can use these tips to come up with a topic that is both interesting and different. This can help you improve your chances at getting into a good college.Before you begin thinking about the topic for your essay, you need to think about how long you plan to spend writing it. Write a couple of drafts and decide what is most appropriate. There are some essays that are required and others that are written for fun. Make sure that you do not write for fun at all.After you have decided on the topic, the next step is to decide on the structure. A typical essay consists of five main parts. These are the introduction, body, conclusion, questions and conclusion.The introduction is where you will begin to express the main p oint of your essay. This should start out with a few sentences to get the reader interested in what you have to say. This should include a broad overview of the topic that the rest of the paper will cover. This is also where you can give examples to help the reader understand the topic.The body is where you will go through your thoughts on the topic. It should give you an idea of the main ideas that you would like to share. It should also be accompanied by examples of specific topics that you have written on in the past. This can help make the body more relevant and interesting.The last part of the essay is the questions. This is where you will answer questions asked by the reader. The more relevant questions are asked, the better your chances will be at scoring well.To help you with coming up with an essay topic, use a variety of sources. Use books, magazines, newspapers and other resources. This will help you avoid plagiarism. It will also help you to create a list of common quest ions that you might encounter in real life. If you keep these questions in mind while writing, this will help you answer these questions correctly and avoid a lot of potential problems.Remember that the most important thing about this task is that you do not procrastinate. By giving yourself ample time to figure out how to come up with an essay topic, you will find that you are more likely to succeed. It is vital that you put in the necessary work when writing a good essay and then you will be able to impress your professor.

Using College Essay Yoga

Using College Essay Yoga Whatever college essay topic you select or are assigned, the trick is to compose an excellent stand-out essay. Before you even begin writing the content of your college essay, there are a number of essay writing basic guide that you need to always remember. You need to have a plan, an established structure, as soon as you are writing an essay. There are a number of ways to begin an essay, so this would solely rely on the concept you've got in mind. Two new essay options are added, and a number of the previous questions are revised. One very simple, tempting alternative is to use college essays samples. Share an essay on any subject of your selection. By employing various compare and contrast essay examples, you can find a better idea about what format you need to compose your essay. Compare and contrast an essay is a typical kind of writing. To learn about essays, it's important to see why essays are such an important portion of academics. A typical essay includes various information that's often located at specific portions of the essay. Developing a terrific college essay are able to lose its purpose in the event the content of what you've written is not what the university is asking for. For college applications, you might want to have a 10-step course on college application essay writing to learn more. You wish to tell if you're able to cope with studies or if you are able to fit in the curriculum. Upcoming college students might also be requested to compose a college essay for a portion of their first requirements. The Number One Question You Must Ask for College Essay Yoga Anyway, voice tone of the yoga instructor affects the potency of yoga class. A student can receive multiples benefits with the assistance of yoga. In many instances, weak students feel discomfort and might have some emotional stress. In the second portion of learning yoga I get to comprehend my personal ego. Yoga is the power for several of the students that assists in enhancing their memory and offers them more energy and power. It is known for its ability to ease stress and promote relaxation. It is a huge discipline with several hundreds of asanas or postures. It is most important for everyone's life as it helps in balancing the relationship between body and mind. Yoga includes pranayama and kapal bharti which are among the greatest and efficient breathing exercises. Therefore it helps in building your strength and gives you power. Keep yoga is just one of the biggest apps with regard to yoga asana choices. To summarize, the limb Yoga is a superior shield from opportunistic diseases as it assists in the improvement of someone's concentration. Definitions of College Essay Yoga If one paragraph appears weak, then the general caliber of your essay will be lacking. It isn't a specific essay, but it includes yet another paragraph in an essay. The bulk of the essay utilizes standard English and English grammar. Reviewing some narrative essay examples can enable you to organize your information and help you decide how to compose each paragraph to acquire the best outcomes. There are lots of solutions to your essay writing needs on the web but some are much better than others. If quality work is all you want, you should think about giving u s an opportunity to follow you and supply you with college essay help that will provide you with value for each and every penny you pay. Paper Writing Services There is a significant great number of paper writing services sprouting on the web. There are plenty of formats to select from when considering how to compose your essay. Well, you are aware that it a vital part of short-term exams. Sample college admission essays give applicants an opportunity to figure what things to write and what things to avoid. The duration of your essay is not what universities start looking for. Colleges are searching for a feeling of maturity and introspectionpinpoint the transformation and demonstrate your private growth.

Writing A Consoling Response To A Consoling Sample Essay

Writing A Consoling Response To A Consoling Sample EssayCongratulations on taking the first step of an amazing future by receiving a congratulatory sample essay. This is your opportunity to go beyond the normal comments about how well you did. This is your chance to be so much more.You are becoming a better writer. You are making a tremendous leap toward excelling in school, and this congratulatory sample essay is your best opportunity to do that. It is your chance to show a prospective employer what you can do.This congratulatory essay may not be a sequel to a piece that you already wrote. This depends on the specific situation. In general, you may not write a rejoinder to a congratulatory sample essay. If you write a rejoinder, it will likely follow a 'stubborn set of responses' template. This prompts you to write a rebuttal, which you must use as a 'catch-all' to write an original piece.The rest of this article will discuss some of the more technical aspects of writing a response to a congratulatory sample essay. First, remember that the easiest way to improve at writing is to practice your own writing. Many people have a habit of reading too much material before writing.The reason this is the case is that we are all 'eager readers.' We take pleasure in first reading a piece and then immediately recognizing the key words that make the piece tick. There are few things that can enhance your enjoyment of reading more, other than actually writing.If you have time, do some preliminary research on the person who sent you the congratulatory sample essay. Take the time to read through it and really analyze it, trying to determine what the point of the essay is. What is the purpose of the article? What are the major themes?Another important quality of a good response is that it has great detail. You want to be able to focus on a specific theme in the essay. If you can't, it is often best to provide a general response that captures the essence of the core idea of the piece.After you've read through the congratulatory sample essay and identified what it is about, you can now begin your response. Practice is your friend when it comes to writing. Look over the sample and work out what the central idea is. If you practice, you will come to know how to formulate and structure a response that is your best yet.

Retire With Pay

Retire With Pay Fill your retirement years with golden opportunities. Freelance writing opportunities, that is. Apply what you learned from your past career field (or fields) advertising, graphic design, technology, education, health, etc.- to your advantage. As a retiree you are in a great position to not only write on the technical aspects of your previous job, but on your workplace experiences those insights you gained into personalities and office politics, for instance, as well as those skills or capabilities you picked up, multitasking, leadership, organization, photography, social-networking savvy, etc.  Ã‚   If you had your own business, share your secrets for success. How did you get started? Was the business a family affair? What marketing strategies did you use? If you were in a specialized trade, carpentry, electrician, master plumber, etc., write about some of the tools of the trade. Did you have any special licenses or certifications? Were you a licensed, certified animal control worker, for example? If you were, you most likely have enough on-the-job training to write about animal behavior and training. Take advantage of fellow retirees’ former careers. If you have a solid relationship with the former chief executive officer of an environmental waste company, ask him how his company went about obtaining government contracts or restoring contaminated sites.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One way to uncover good workplace technical, experience, and skill, topics is to ask yourself what it is that you would like to have known when you started your career or what you would have done better had you been in a position of authority.   Writing about your past career is not the only way to cash in, however. Consider copywriting/editing for said former workplace; who better than a former employee already familiar with the business, to edit those company newsletters, annual reports, marketing brochures and other company publications? Call your former boss and ask if he needs someone to pick up some of those jobs. I have a friend who, after retiring from his job as Site Safety Officer for an environmental company, continued to write manuals for them for on-site safety procedures. Likewise, if you were in business for yourself you can offer your services as a copywriter for other small business owners. Small businesses typically don’t have time to write a daily or weekly blog, and if a small business has a newsletter, it may also need someone knowledgeable to put together a professional piece.    A word of caution: If you are writing about the technical aspects of a previous career, you must be careful to stay within ethical boundaries of what is or isn’t permissible for you to write about. Also, if you’ve been away from your former career for a while, you may need to sharpen up your technical knowledge. It is doubtful that you would want to write an article on Five Easy Steps to Mastering Shorthand. Okay, that’s an exaggeration. But you get the point.    The same basic rules apply to writing about your past career as with any other kind of freelance writing. Mainly, you must be able to provide short feature articles covering specialized topics in your area or areas of expertise and be able to communicate that expertise to a specific audience. You also need to possess adequate marketing skills to discern a particular magazine’s exact needs. You don’t have to have a degree for the field you were in. Your on-the-job experiences are what are important.   The market for your articles in this category are wide open. You can submit to any number of consumer magazines (business, finance, health and fitness, inflight, retirement, etc.) and trade magazines (marketing and PR, electronics, energy, government, etc.) So sharpen up that pencil and get busy. Your retirement years can be your best years ever. Entrepreneur Magazine entrepreneur.com Pays $1 a word Horizon Edition Magazine alaskaairlinesmagazine.com/horizonedition/guidelines/contributor Pay starts at $450 for features; $100 for short pieces. E The Environmental Magazine emagazine.com/writers-guidelines Pays 30 cents a word.

Whats Better for You IB or AP College Expert Guide

What's Better for You IB or AP College Expert Guide SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips The Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) programs are both high school programs that offer college-level courses and the opportunity to earn college credit. So what’s the difference between AP and IB? Does one look more impressive than the other? Which will improve your odds of getting into a top school the most? We’ll introduce you to both programs, and explain which one will look more impressive on your college applications. Key Differences Between IB and AP Both the AP and IB programs offer challenging courses to high school students that you can earn college credit while doing. However, their philosophies and goals are quite different. The AP program was developed in the US to help high school students prepare for college by taking advanced courses, with no set program of courses. Students could take just one or even a dozen AP classes, depending on their school, schedule, and goals. // In contrast, IB was developed in Switzerland to be an internationally recognized diploma. To earn the diploma, you have to take a certain amount of courses in a range of subjects. It is possible to just take a few IBs without earning the diploma, but IB was developed to be a set program of courses. #1: AP Is Much More Popular Than IB The IB program is much less common than AP. Over 2 million students took AP exams in 2014, but only about 135,000 took IBs. Furthermore, according to AP, over 30% of US public high students took at least one AP exam. While AP is quite widespread, the IB program is rarer since schools have to be able to offer enough classes for the diploma to host an IB program. Adding IB is often more costly than starting a few AP classes. // #2: IB and AP Have Different Program Goals The programs have different goals, as well. IB has more emphasis on writing and developing critical thinking skills- and not just on the exams themselves. The IB diploma also requires the extended essay, a long, college-style research paper. The IB program also has extracurricular requirements. In contrast, the AP is a program focused on teaching students specific content and testing their knowledge on the exams. There is more multiple-choice and emphasis on meeting certain content goals. #3: IB Is More Expensive Than AP IB exams are more expensive. There is a $172 registration fee each year plus a $119 fee per exam. // APs are $94 per exam without an additional fee. However, many schools have financial aid and fee-waiver programs, so your actual cost could be lower. Talk with a counselor at your school’s guidance counseling office to find out about testing costs. (Also remember that these fees, while steep, are much less than the cost of taking the equivalent course in college.) #4: Only IB Requires You to Enroll in Classes You can take AP exams without being enrolled in a class, but you have to be enrolled in an IB class to take an IB exam. If you have proficiency in a language not offered by your school, or if you want to self-study for a niche subject like Art History, the AP program gives you more flexibility. AP is a good option for students who like to study on their own. Also, IB offers higher-level and standard-level courses. To get an IB diploma, you have to take at least three higher-level courses. AP courses are offered at a single level, though there are certain subjects, like calculus and physics, that have different course options. 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. // You can search the AP credit policy of various colleges at the AP college database. The IB program doesn’t have a similar database, but you can look up the IB credit policy of any college or university by searching â€Å"[Name of College/University] IB Credit.† You may be attracted to the IB program’s focus on writing and a broad education, or you may think the AP program’s flexibility makes it a better choice for you. Definitely take these program differences into account as you make your choice. But what do colleges think? Does one program have a reputation for being more rigorous? What Do Colleges Think of IB and AP? Actually, colleges don’t automatically consider AP or IB harder or more impressive on a transcript. Since IB is a rarer program, they can’t penalize students for not taking it. Plus, there are huge differences in how both AP and IB courses are taught and graded at high schools across the country. // Because of the differences in IB/AP course grading, colleges- especially the most selective ones- just want to see you have taken the most challenging course load available at your high school. That means instead of worrying about AP versus IB, you should worry about taking the most rigorous classes your high schools offers. For example, Princeton says on their admissions website, â€Å"Whenever you can, challenge yourself with the most rigorous courses possible, such as honors, Advanced Placement (AP) and dual-enrollment courses. We will evaluate the International Baccalaureate (IB), A-levels or another diploma in the context of the program’s curriculum.† Princeton is more interested in how hard your schedule is considered at your school rather than whether you chose AP or IB. So if your high school just has APs, then you should take some AP classes. If your high school has just the IB program, you should take some IB classes or, even better, go for the diploma. If your high school has both, you can take a mix. Since IB is a diploma program and AP is not, if you’re going for the most selective schools, it’s smart to pursue the IB diploma if it's offered at your school. If you don’t, you technically haven’t taken the most challenging courses available to you. However, if you have a demanding extracurricular schedule or are intensely committed to a few academic areas, you won't necessarily be penalized for not doing the diploma. Bottom line: consider your high school's offerings and how challenging your schedule (including extracurriculars) looks in comparison. // One thing to keep in mind is that the IB diploma shows you are challenging yourself in all subject areas, whereas with the AP program you could just pick subjects you are strong in. Colleges will notice this. If you can, try to take AP classes in a broad range of subjects while digging deeper into subjects you are passionate about. For example, if you’re a writer and do well in your English classes, definitely take AP English Literature and AP English Language if you can. But you should also consider trying AP Statistics or AP Calculus to show you also have quantitative skills. One of the single most important parts of your college application is what classes you choose take in high school (in conjunction with how well you do in those classes). Our team of PrepScholar admissions experts have compiled their knowledge into this single guide to planning out your high school course schedule. We'll advise you on how to balance your schedule between regular and honors/AP/IB courses, how to choose your extracurriculars, and what classes you can't afford not to take. Does IB or AP Give You More College Credit? Another difference between the AP and IB courses is how much course credit you can earn from them at different schools. If a college you’re interested in seems to favor one program or the other, it could help you decide which program to pursue. In most cases, if you earn a high passing score- for example a 7 on IB or a 5 on AP- you will get course credit. // But one thing to keep in mind is that while IB higher-level courses are usually accepted by colleges, standard-level IB courses aren’t always taken. In contrast, AP is offered at one level. So if you take three higher-level IB courses and three standard-level IB courses as part of the diploma, you may end up with less credit than you would for the same six AP courses. Furthermore, many colleges have slight variances in credit hours between AP and IB, which could affect your decision between the two programs. For example, at Stanford, the IB and AP credit lists are mostly the same, with language, math and physics getting the exact same credit. However, you can get more credit for IB Chemistry than AP Chemistry. But some colleges tend to give AP more credit. For example CU Boulder generally gives AP Language exams more weight than IB language exams. Some colleges give more credit for IB. The University of Michigan generally gives more credit hours for IB classes. // The bottom line? AP and IB credit are both widely accepted, but there are lots of slight differences in credit policies. We suggest looking up policies at your target schools since the credit policies can differ. How do you get this info? Search for â€Å"[Name of College/University] IB Credit Policy† or â€Å"[Name of College/University] AP Credit Policy.† The University's web page with credit information will often be the first or second result. If a school you’re really interested in seems to vastly favor one program or the other, you should take that into consideration when weighing the two programs. But odds are if you look up more than two or three schools, it will end up being a wash, with some schools slightly favoring IB and others favoring AP. Also, keep in mind you only get credit in most cases if you have a 5 or higher on IB exams or a 4 or higher on AP exams. So whether you take AP or IB, remember to focus on doing well and passing! // Want to build the best possible college application? We can help. PrepScholar Admissions is the world's best admissions consulting service. We combine world-class admissions counselors with our data-driven, proprietary admissions strategies. We've overseen thousands of students get into their top choice schools, from state colleges to the Ivy League. We know what kinds of students colleges want to admit. We want to get you admitted to your dream schools. Learn more about PrepScholar Admissions to maximize your chance of getting in. Other Considerations for Deciding Between AP and IB There are a few other factors you should think about when deciding between AP and IB. How Do They Fit With Your Scheduling and Extracurriculars? Would doing the IB diploma prevent you from a certain extracurricular, like Yearbook or Debate or Band? Are APs and IBs offered as the same class at your school? Are you ready to commit to an IB diploma or do you want the flexibility of AP classes? These are questions you should consider before signing up for either AP or IB classes. Ask your high school if they have suggested four-year plans for advanced students. This will give you an idea of what your schedule might look like and how it could conflict with extracurriculars you want to participate in. // Do IB or AP Classes Have Better Teachers at Your School? Does your school have the same or different teachers for AP and IB courses? What are their reputations? The quality of a teacher can make or break your experience in a class. You can ask upperclassmen about their experience in certain classes, or see if there is a way to see syllabi from current and past years for AP and IB classes. You can also ask your guidance counselor about the exam pass rates for different teachers. This can give you a sense of a class’s reputation and how many students are successful in which classes. Should You Change Schools For IB? We’ve talked about deciding between AP and IB at the same school. But what if your local high school doesn’t offer IB, and you’re considering switching to a school that does? // Remember to consider the time it will take to commute! I had to make this decision myself. My district had three high schools, but only one offered the IB program. That high school was pretty far away from my neighborhood, but it drew tons of students specifically for the IB program, and a lot of my friends were going there because they wanted to get into good colleges. I strongly considered going to that different high school for the IB program. I eventually decided to go to my neighborhood high school that offered just APs. Going to the other high school would have involved at least an hour of commuting each day, and it would have strained my family’s schedule. Since I saved time by not commuting, it was actually easier to get involved in after school extracurriculars like debate and Model United Nations. I was also able to keep doing piano lessons and service work, activities I had done since I was little, since my schedule wasn't squeezed by commuting. // Furthermore, I was able to take a rigorous schedule of AP classes. I earned leadership positions in my extracurriculars by junior year. All of this helped me put together competitive college applications. I likely could have done as well at the other high school, but the point is that even without IB, I was able to pursue a rigorous and challenging high school program. Since I took the most challenging program available at the high school I attended, I didn’t hurt my admission chances. In fact, I might have improved them by having more time for extracurriculars. There is one exception to this worth noting- there was an in-state scholarship competition I was in the running for that ended up selecting most of its winners from IB schools. It’s possible that for some private scholarships and organizations, IB looks more impressive. But that is a factor that could vary state by state, and even district by district. // The key is to do your best at whatever high school you attend. Colleges are evaluating you in the context of your school. If you feel like you won't have many opportunities to be challenged at your local high school and really want to attend a different school, you can make that call. But don't feel pressured to switch just because you think it will look better on an application. Bottom Line: AP vs IB Taking either AP or IB classes will look very good on your applications, as it shows you are challenging yourself with college-level courses. There is no real preference or benefit from doing one or the other, as long as you do well in your chosen courses. As one admission officer at Northwestern University said, â€Å"one qualification (AP vs IB) is not better than another.† However, you want to make sure you are doing well in your classes and not overloading. There is no point in taking on 10 AP classes or the IB diploma if you get a low GPA and don’t pass the exams. // Finally, you want to make sure other parts of your application are strong, especially your ACT/SAT score. Along with your transcript and GPA, your ACT/SAT score can have an enormous impact on your admission chances, especially at selective schools. What’s Next? Speaking of the SAT and ACT, do you know which exam you’re going to focus on? Find out definitively which one you will be best at. Get a study schedule for the SAT and ACT. The earlier you start, the more opportunity you have for a high score. What’s a good SAT/ACT score for the Ivy League? Find out the scores you need to be competitive. Want to improve your SAT score by 160points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now: //