What do you mean by "that way of learning"? AP and IB are essentially the same program, but IB uses more liberal textbooks.
I think that they are actually quite different. AP has a larger focus on learning the subject matter while IB has a larger focus on taking the concepts and expanding on them (if that makes any sense).
Example:
AP scores are determined by: One test per AP class each year, for the most part multiple choice (with some notable exceptions).
IB scores are determined by: An internal assessment done during the course of the class (usually an investigation or paper of sorts), and one test per class after two years, writing intensive (multiple choice is present on one section of the science test). Focus for grading is being able to explain your reasoning, though knowledge of the subject matter does have an importance in the grading criteria.
meh?
Nice attempt at self-justification, but, no, there is essentially no difference. I think having advanced classes in general is wonderful, but once that step is reached I suspect there is no difference whatsoever in the amount of learning each program imbues. For example, AP tests are biased towards males (who do better on multiple choice tests, though multiple choice usually is only 50% of an exam) and guessers (yes, there's a penalty for guessing, but eliminating that penalty is possible basically if you can eliminate one answer within a certain question), while evidently IB tests are biased towards females (who do better on essays) and B.S.ers (since evidently the tests do not test knowledge but how well one cleaves to the five-paragraph essay form ).
you write a 5 paragraph essay for an IB test and you are screwed.
This is likely entirely anecdotal, but I'm taking the November 2008 paper for IB. I'm an international student, and the main disgruntlement I have with the SAT paper is that it is nowhere near rigorous enough to serve as any sort of metric for the very top universities. I'm hardly the brightest, but a 800/790 (disregarding writing, because it is trash) on the back of no studying whatsoever really shouldn't be possible. Multiple choice is also a stupid exam format.
I am in total agreement with you.
I don't think you'll find anyone who thinks the SAT essay has anything to do with writing at all.