In American schools, children study for 12 years - from the age of 5-6 to 17-18. Each school independently determines the age of entry of foreign students. In some cases, children are accepted from the age of 7, but few parents are willing to send their children abroad at this age. Therefore, as a rule, children of middle (13-14 years) or older (16 years) school age come.
The U.S. School System
The United States has a national education system. Most of the country's schools are public, although there are private institutions as well. All public schools are free, and they are funded and controlled at three levels: federal, state, and local authorities. Ninety percent of schoolchildren attend state educational institutions. Private schools in the United States provide a fairly high level of education to a large extent, but education there is quite expensive. The American school system
In addition, some parents prefer to have their children home schooled. Refusal of education is usually for religious reasons, when parents do not want their children to accept theories they personally disagree with (this applies mostly to evolution) or when they want to protect their children from possible violence.
For historical reasons, educational norms are not enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. The assumption is that this issue must be regulated at the individual state level. In addition, there are no strict state education and curriculum standards mandated in the United States. All of these are also installed locally.
Schooling in the United States is divided into three levels: elementary, middle, and high school. Moreover, schools at each level are completely separate institutions. They are usually housed in separate buildings and have their own teaching teams.
The time and age at which education begins may vary from state to state. Usually, children start their studies at the age of 5-8 and finish them at the age of 18-19, respectively. Also, at first they do not go to first class, but to zero (kindergarten), although in some states this is not mandatory. In the United States, the preparation for school is like this course. Children are taught to live in a new team, approach and classroom style for the next few years of schooling. Usually, American children are taught in the form of open dialogue or some sort of game. Although grade zero is considered preparatory, children have a strict schedule. And yes, homework is not yet assigned. American Elementary Schools
Elementary School
Elementary school in the United States lasts from first grade through fifth grade. During this time, most school subjects are taught by a single teacher, with the exception of art, physical education and music. At this level, children learn writing, reading, arithmetic, natural science and social science.
Depending on their performance, students can move to gifted classes, where they study more extensively and are assigned more homework, or vice versa, to lagging classes, with fewer tasks and a more relaxed curriculum.
Secondary School
American high schools are engaged in grades 6 through 8. At this level, each subject is taught by a different teacher. There are also required and optional classes. Required classes include English, math, natural science, social science, and physical education. When it comes to electives, the really good schools have a lot of variety of specialized courses. In addition, many of them are taught almost at the college level. Foreign language options may vary, but often there are: French, Spanish, Latin, German, Italian, and Chinese.
The final stage of secondary education in the United States is high school. It runs from grade 9 to grade 12.
In American high schools, students are given more freedom in choosing their courses of study. Therefore, in order to get a certificate, children must study a certain list of subjects. They can choose all other activities by themselves.
When it comes to mandatory subjects, they are set by the school board. This board sets the school curriculum, hires teachers and determines the necessary funding.
In addition, many prestigious universities set their own requirements for the subjects that each applicant must study.
The American High School Curriculum
In the United States, the typical classroom is a lively lecture in which the teacher asks questions and engages students in discussion. Children are taught to seek solutions independently through discussion and controversy and to critically evaluate historical events.
Collaboration is considered one of the most important skills for future careers, so students often work in groups on projects and in the classroom. For example, in the Computer Science course, teamwork is the main requirement: during the year, a group of 3-6 students can work on creating a simple application for a smartphone. If there are problems, the teacher will always offer help or suggest that you contact other people with similar projects and work together to find a solution.
The school places great importance on sports and health of children. Each school has an infrastructure that allows you to practice a large number of sports: from tennis to horseback riding. Students choose the sport they like best and practice it 4 days a week. Each semester, you can choose a new sport. These guys are part of regional and national championship school teams.
How to get into schools in USA
Students have several options for attending school in the United States.
Participate in an exchange program. The essence of the program is that competitively selected high school students can live with an American family for a year and study in a regular public school. Such competitions are usually conducted in three stages - a test, a written exam and an interview. This takes into account not only knowledge of the language, but also the student's motivation and ability to adapt.
Participation in a paid program. It is funded by the same funds and follows the same rules. The size and capacity of the fund determines the school and the region of the country where the child can attend. Thus, there are organizations like AFS that operate across the country, while smaller funds operate only in individual states. But this education is not free. In this case, it costs $4,000-8,000 a year to study in a public school in the United States.
Education in private schools. In the United States, as in other developed countries, there are many private educational institutions. Many of them actively accept foreign students into their ranks. In most cases, parents of children either independently contact their favorite institutions or resort to special private companies. Depending on the level of the school, the admission process can take from a few weeks to six months. When it comes to price, a year of study at such a school will cost you at least $10,000.
U.S. High School Tuition
Let's talk in more detail about how much a child's annual stay at a U.S. educational institution, whether it's a private or comprehensive school, costs.
As a rule, studying in the United States, even in high school, can be a rather expensive pleasure. The average cost of a one-year educational program is about $40,000. The cost of studying in the USA usually depends on the rating and prestige of the school, the state where the educational institution is located and its history.
The cost of a prestigious American education is high. However, it is important to note that this price includes not only tuition, meals, and accommodation, but also some additional bonuses.
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All study materials.
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Insurance.
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Preparation for the upcoming final exams.
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Participation in circles, various extracurricular activities.
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English classes for foreign students.