For students involved in advanced classes, the end of sophomore years marks the start of quite a schism. There is something of a friendly rivalry between the two realms of higher education offered within Arlington High School: International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement. Each program has its unique assets, strong suits and idiosyncrasies. To detail these, among other features, The Colt has met with two of the highest ranking students in the senior class: Vivian Nguyen and Alex Melishkevich in order to get a load on their varying perspectives.

One primary divergence between the two programs is the motivation for becoming involved in each of them. Advanced Placement classes typically offer more selection and the ability to mix and match.

“I chose AP because of the flexibility of the schedule and wider availability of classes I wanted  to take,” Nguyen said.

International Baccalaureate offers a more fluid and intimate classroom experience.

“I do better in environments where I feel more comfortable to discuss aloud and I thought IB would be a unique way to learn because the classes are very discussion-based,” Melishkevich said.

Although both programs emphasize preparation for future education, they offer unique sets of skills to benefit students in their studies.

“I believe I am well prepared in terms of work ethic and time management and depth of material learned,” Nguyen said.

IB, with its accentuation of the diverse, prides itself on ideological variability within its structure.

“A major strength of IB is that you learn from an international curriculum and I think that allows for more input from the students. In English, we pull novels from multiple cultures and countries and genres,” Melishkevich said.

When asked to sell their respective academic routes in a simple sentence, Vivian opted for the practical benefits of the Advance Placement program.

“I would recommend AP for students who are pretty set on a college path and want to knock specific credits out of the way or get a head start in tough classes,” Nguyen said.

Alex touched on the high points of her experience.

“I’ve made some really close friends from the program, learned about fascinating topics and taught myself to manage my studies better,” Melishkevich said.