How do they study at school in America? Schools in America How many schools are there in America

In the United States, parents have a choice of where to send their child to study: to a public free school, a fairly expensive private school, to a so-called private school, for which both parents and the state pay, or even leave the child to study at home. ForumDaily studied the pros and cons of each of the above options.

Public schools

School years in the United States begin at the age of five or six. It is at this age that children go to the so-called Kindergarden, or “K” (pronounced “kay”). This is already part of free compulsory school education - the so-called public schools. The duration of schooling is 12 years.

School education for children up to 16-18 years of age (depending on the state) is compulsory. It is usually divided into several stages: 6 years of primary school, 3 years of secondary school and another 3 years of higher school, or high school. But there are also options for 5-3-4 years, old-fashioned 8-4 and 6-6 years. When choosing a school with an 8-4 plan, the child spends the first eight years in elementary school, and then goes straight to high school for four years. 6-6 means that after six years of primary school the child enters a mixed secondary-high school.

What plan schools propose depends directly on the guidance of the city department of education and the preferences of each individual state government. It’s hard for us to imagine, but there is not a single education law, not even a single school curriculum in the United States. The national government has handed over the reins of school education to the states, each of which has an education department with its own vision of schools. Subordinate to him are the city education departments, which control public schools.

An indicator of the quality of education in a public school is its rating: it ranges from 1 to 10. Accordingly, the higher, the better. A number of factors influence the rating of schools: the amount of funding (money for schools comes from the state budget and city property taxes), student performance, test success, etc. The rating of a school in your area can be found on special websites:

School ratings are so important that they even affect the cost of nearby houses. In areas with good schools it is always significantly higher. The fact is that in the vast majority of cases you cannot choose a public school. The child will go to school, which is assigned to the area of residence. Because of this restriction, some lucky owners of the “correct” addresses even make an illegal business - they rent out addresses to unfortunates who are not in the area of the desired school.

However, often in large cities and small overpopulated areas there are not enough places in high-rated schools for all the children living in the area, and then these places are awarded by lottery. If the child loses, they are sent to the school where there are free places.

Applications for participation in the lottery must be submitted long before the start of the school year - in January or February, sometimes even in September - a year after admission. Lottery results can also come at different times - both in March and in August, a few weeks before the start of the school year. The exact deadlines for submitting documents and receiving a response should be obtained from your local education department.

What does an immigrant need?

To enroll a child in school, an immigrant who arrives even in the middle of the school year needs a minimum of documents:

- vaccination card translated by the parent himself;

— confirmation of place of residence (water or internet bill, rental agreement, etc.).

That's all. Confirmation of the legality of the child’s stay in the country is not required - school education is available to everyone. For children who go straight to secondary or higher school, a list of subjects with the number of hours is also not needed.

Charter schools

Charter schools are something between a public and private school, they also have their own rating d. The state allocates money for each student, but the school also collects contributions from parents. They are voluntary - the amount can range from several tens to thousands of dollars. The result is a kind of learning by sharing.

As a rule, the teaching system in such schools differs from the standard one - it could be a Waldorf school or Montessori. There are currently more than 1,200 employees in the United States charter schools, where almost 600 thousand children study.

Private schools

Private schools are another fairly popular type of school in the United States. Training in them, of course, is paid.

The average cost in the country is about $9.5 thousand.ranking of the most expensive private schools In the first positions are states such as New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vermont and Connecticut - where, on average, tuition costs more than $20 thousand per year. In California, on average, a private school costs $12.5 thousand, but in the heart of Silicon Valley - in the city of Palo Alto - a private school will cost $26 thousand. Litchfield County, Connecticut, the most expensive in the field of private school education, is also impressive, with an incredible $46 thousand per year But for residents of Nebraska or Wisconsin, a private school will cost only $3-4 thousand a year.

Public vs. private school

Elena Odintsova came with her two daughters from Moscow to Palo Alto two years ago. The eldest, Dasha, had just turned four and a half years old - it was time for Kindergarden. Actually, the choice when moving to Palo Alto fell precisely because of the schools. The right to get into a good local public school had to be won in a lottery, and Dasha won it. A school with a rating of 9, primary school graduates pass all tests perfectly, classes are well equipped, highly educated teachers, an art focus - in a word, a dream. However, after a few weeks, Elena realized that she expected more from a school with such a rating: “They don’t teach children self-discipline at all. In addition, a lot depends on the environment. And if all the children go to school unkempt and ragged, it’s difficult for my daughter to adhere to any dress code.”

In Dasha's class there was one teacher for every 30 students. Children, in principle, were not forced to study. Parents of other schoolchildren hired private teachers to teach their children to read and write. By the middle of second grade, Elena decided to transfer her child from a public school to a private one.

Elena Odintsova with her daughters. Photo from the family archive

However, Dasha was not accepted into one of the popular networks of private schools - after a year and a half at a public school, she could not pass the entrance test. Elena did not give up, and, in the end, found a nice private school in a neighboring town, where they agreed to help and provide, as part of the regular fee, a teacher who would help Dasha catch up with the program.

Elena says that since October there has been a dramatic change in the girl. Dasha turned out to be a clean and disciplined child, not prone to being late. She wanted to learn and achieve success. The training program fully stimulated such changes. At the end of each week, the kids have a spelling test, and they also constantly write essays. As a working mother, Elena really likes the additional and inexpensive activities on school grounds after the end of the school day - tennis, chess, music breaks. In a word, there would be no happiness, but misfortune would help, Elena jokes now.

Choosing between good and very good

Tatyana Abdikeeva came to San Francisco from St. Petersburg 7 years ago. I started looking for a private school for my youngest daughter, as soon as she turned 2.5 years old. Initially focused onprivate school. I went on a tour of a girls' school in one of the most prestigious areas of San Francisco. According to her,no innovations were introduced there, relying specifically on the old tradition of separate education for girls and boys.

Tatyana had good impressions of the school itself: “The premises are wonderful, there’s nothing to complain about. A good library, classrooms have glass walls. Spacious, clean, lots of air. The girls wear uniforms, even their hairpins match. Of course it looks wonderful. Children express themselves through manicure.”

Tatyana also liked the teachers. However, she believes that the approach to education in this private school is completely standard. “I wanted to be shown how my child's education here would be broader and deeper than in a public or other private school. It looks like they don’t have anything like that,” Tatyana states. But since the school has good teachers, the children simply won’t be able to do poorly, she thinks. Moreover, there is one teacher for every seven children. For comparison: in a public school there are one or two teachers for 30 children.

Tuition at this school costs $29 thousand per year. After the introductory tour, Tatyana thought about it and decided that there was nothing to pay that kind of money for here.

Tatyana Abdikeeva began choosing a school for her daughter in advance. Photo from personal archive

Next on her list was a German bilingual private school, where tuition costs $18,500 a year. For Tatyana, a big plus was that after graduation the children can speak both English and German perfectly. In addition, at the end of secondary school, children choose another language to study (Spanish or French), and in high school they can either choose a fourth language or deepen their existing knowledge. Upon completion, the school issues two diplomas: one American, the second German. With the latter, you can enter European universities. Tatyana liked almost everything about this school, and for now she has chosen this private school, but she still has time to think.

Certificate delivered to your home

Another option to obtain a high school diploma in the United States is homeschooling. This type of free education is quite common - 3.4% of all schoolchildren (and this is more than 1.7 million people ) in the USA they study at home.

Alexey, the ten-year-old son of Ukrainian woman Elena Anikina, has been homeschooled for the second year. Elena and her husband came to Hayward, California, from Canada - Alexey was born there. The California public school near their home no longer suited Elena and Alexey by the end of the second grade. The morning began with the baby's tears - he flatly refused to go to school. When Elena began to figure it out, it turned out that Alyosha completed the tasks before everyone else, and the teacher forced him to solve the same examples in the second round. And then I gave them again as homework.

Elena thought about what to do. She learned from friends that children could be educated at home, and decided to try this option. As a rule, all information about this type of training can be obtained from your local school district.

Elena is now provided with everything she needs for home schooling by a special school , intended for “homeworkers”. There is an excellent library where you can choose textbooks on all subjects. You can choose andtraining program by subject. Textbooks and workbooks are provided for each program.

Alexey has a weekly work plan. If something is not clear, Elena explains it to him. Once a month, mother and son go to report to school. The teacher-curator looks through the workbooks and talks about each subject. These students take a standardized test at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year.

Lena shares the advantages: “Firstly, we all get enough sleep. Secondly, dad has time to study with Alexey for an hour before work.” The child’s day is filled with interest groups: music plus choir, French, robotics, tennis, swimming, chess, drawing, science - on average two or three classes a day. Some of them are paid, some are free. The teacher-curator recommends spending four hours a day directly on mastering the school curriculum. Alexey can do it in three. Myself. “I hardly have to push him. Well, if only sometimes you threaten with school,” Elena smiles.

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Finishing school is the responsibility of any US citizen. Currently, 85% of adults in the United States have completed high school. And only 15% either have no basic education at all or have incomplete education. Compared to other developed countries, this is a very good indicator.

The average level of American education covers ages from 6-7 to 17-18 years.

Levels of school education in the USA

Primary school

Primary school education for American children begins at the age of 6-7 years. It all depends on the laws of the specific state or school the child attends. For children who want and can go to school a year earlier, “zero classes” (KinderGarden) are provided. Here the child is prepared for classes and for communication with peers.

The Elementary School teaches writing, reading, counting, and the basics of fine arts. There are music lessons and physical education.

The tasks here are creative and interesting. For example, students might be asked to describe something they saw on the street while walking. It could be a flower, a park, some unusual tree or a house. This is how young children develop creative thinking.

The standard class size in an elementary school is 25 people. One teacher works with them. Only classes in creative or sports subjects are taught by another person.

Middle school

Children aged 11-12 years study here. In middle school, different subjects are taught by different teachers. At this stage, children are introduced to the liberalism of American school education. They can already choose the lessons they want to take. Music, foreign language, fine arts and a number of other disciplines to choose from. However, at this stage there are still compulsory disciplines: mathematics, English, history, physical education. There is another subject called "science". Here schoolchildren gain knowledge in such areas as chemistry, biology, physics, geology, and astronomy.

At this stage of education, children are divided into two streams. One is attended by schoolchildren whose academic performance is at an average level. In the second place are those who study well. It is believed that the second stream is more honorable, since children there are given a greater workload than in the first, students learn the material better, they are more capable and smart.

High school

This is the last school stage in the life of an American child. It begins at the age of 14-15 years and lasts three years. The freedom to choose disciplines increases here. As a rule, mathematics (must be studied for at least two years), English (four years), and natural sciences (three years) are required to study. Exact disciplines can consist of branches of mathematics. Social subjects may include narrow areas of knowledge. For example, the history of a particular area or region of America in the 19th century, world history, and so on. Each of the disciplines is taught at different levels: from the basics to a fairly serious university level. As you can see, everything here is quite individual.

In high school, students are offered a large selection of electives. Depending on his interests, a student can attend, say, music, a healthy lifestyle, or business lessons. All of them are also divided into several areas.

This type of learning scheme stimulates children's activity. You will never see the same group of children attending the same elective in an American school. Students are constantly changing. Thus, the teenager grows up comprehensively developed, sociable, open to new people and knowledge.

The subject of physical education stands apart. More precisely, there is no such discipline at all. In US schools, children play a specific sport. This could be basketball, swimming, football or track and field.

In high school, schoolchildren have semi-official names among teachers and the whole society, depending on the class in which they study. Ninth graders are called freshmen, tenth graders are called sophomores, eleventh graders are called juniors, then seniors.

Unlike the system we are familiar with, when a graduate graduates from school and only then applies to a university, the system in the USA is different. There, a student already in the 11th-12th grade knows not only where he is applying, but also the results of admission. While at school, he prepares for and takes college entrance exams (SAT or ACT).

Classification of schools in the USA

Public schools

Free secondary schools that are publicly funded.

Public schools are subordinate to school districts (with the exception of Maryland). It is an administrative division of the United States. It is created by the government of a particular state and is a syndicate of legally independent organizations. In terms of territory, the boundaries of school districts are identical to the boundaries of counties or towns. Overall, there are nearly 15,000 school districts in the United States.

School districts set essentially all the rules for schools. This applies to training programs, rules of conduct, entrance test standards, student assessments, and so on. All these standards can be discussed and challenged at the school board. In turn, it includes the board of trustees, the board of education, and the school committee. Including parents of children. The school board is elected by a vote of the residents of the district.

Districts sit above America's entire Public School system. They run primary, secondary and higher schools.

Private schools

Quite a popular type of school in the USA. Training in them, of course, is paid.

Separate schools exist for children with unique abilities, talents, or gifts in the United States. However, getting there is difficult. The child needs to prove that he is better than his peers in some matter. There are also schools for children with various disabilities: in particular, this applies to children with hearing, vision, and physical development impairments.

An interesting fact is that twins study in different classes. This (like many other things) creates independence.

In the last article we got acquainted with. This article will tell you about secondary education in the States. Namely, what documents are needed, what methods exist to get into such a school and much more, read below.

general information

The academic year in an American school is divided into two semesters. A school day can last up to 6 hours, including a lunch break, each lesson lasts 25 minutes (one module or block).

The school day lasts until 14:40, and begins differently for each school (more on this below).

A child can get to school either with the help of a free school bus or with a student brought by his parents.

Children spend holidays such as Christmas or Easter, as well as summer holidays, at home.

American schools pay enough attention to physical development, so students have the opportunity to additionally engage in swimming, basketball, tennis, golf, etc. Competitions between city and regional schools are required.

During the entire period of study, schools are required to host extensive cultural events and programs.

For an additional fee, there are “extended hours” where your child will be played educational games or helped with homework.

There are always police officers on duty at the school before the start of the school day and at the end. Additionally, in the mornings and at the end of the school day, school staff go to intersections and, as traffic controllers, help students cross the road.

Choose a school you can based on its rating, which is in the public domain, and is determined based on the students’ results at the end of school.

Documents for admission:

Visa;
Medical certificate in English (translated), as well as information about the last medical examination;
Results of English testing and interviews;
Some schools may also require a transcript or report card with grades for the last 1-3 years, as well as a recommendation from an English teacher.

Knowledge of English

Any student, upon admission to either a private or a municipal school, must pass an English language test. If a child does not speak the language well, he may be transferred to a preparatory class, in which such gaps will be actively made up.

Structure:

School curricula may differ from state to state because America does not have a uniform curriculum. By the way, all schools are located separately from each other.

After graduating from grades 9, 10, 11, the student has the right to go to a technical school, thus, in addition to the general education program, the teenager already has the opportunity to obtain any specialty (designer, teacher in a preschool institution, electrical mechanics, etc.)

Zero grade (preschool kindergarten). Age 5-6 years.
Primary School(Primery or Elementary School). Grades 1 to 5, ages 6-11 years. Lessons start at 08:40.

Before the start of the school year, all children take an IQ test. Based on this test, children are divided into several groups depending on their abilities. Upon reaching third grade, each child is tested annually. There are classes for children with better academic performance, where subjects are studied in more depth and vice versa. Until the fifth grade, children are allowed to move around the classroom, or even conduct a circle in the open air, and then they are asked to write an essay about a leaf from a tree or a beetle on a tree. Actually, this approach is one of the differences between American schools.

Most subjects are taught by one teacher, with the exception of fine arts, music and physical education. As a rule, writing, reading, natural and social sciences, and arithmetic are studied.

Averageschool(Middle School orJunior High). Grades 6 to 8, ages 11-12 to 14 years. Lessons start at 08:00.

By the fifth grade, all children sit at single desks, and lessons already look familiar to us. In American schools, there are compulsory subjects (mathematics, English, science, physical education, social studies and art studies) and elective subjects (each school has different elective subjects, for example, journalism, theater arts, rhetoric). Each subject is taught by a separate teacher.

By the way, every year, children are assigned to new classes, so each subsequent year, students study in a new group.

High School. Classes from 9 to 12 grades, age from 15 to 18 years. Lessons start at 07:30.

Students are given even more freedom to choose what subjects to study. Thus, each student studies according to a program chosen by him. That is, total attendance is checked every morning, after which the students go to the required classes.

Also, high school students can choose additional subjects in an in-depth course.

But in order for a student to be awarded a certificate of completion, there is a certain list of subjects that he must learn and successfully pass.

By the way, in college, as you know, you have to pay for each course you take. But not everyone knows that some subjects studied in school can be the same in college. Therefore, a student can pass such additional subjects with excellent marks after graduating from school and no longer study them in college in the future.

Schoolchildren study on a 100-point scale, where points have letter values, namely:

How to get to school

There are three ways to enroll in an American school:

Private school.

Most private schools accept foreign students without any problems. In order to get into such a school, it is enough to contact the school yourself to find out all the details, or contact a private office (intermediary). The approximate cost per year can range from $10,000 (depending on the state and the school itself).

Exchange program.

Selection for such a program is usually carried out in several stages: a written exam, testing and an interview. In addition to language knowledge, adaptability is also taken into account during such a competition. After successful selection, the student is given the opportunity to live in an American family and study in a public school.

The United States of America is among the international leaders in the quality of education. According to the United Nations, the US education system in 2019 had an Education Index of 0.903, with a maximum possible value of 1. A large number of foreigners seek to enroll in American higher education institutions.

Specifics of the American educational system

In the USA, the educational system is not controlled centrally (by the Department of Education), but at the local level. Each state has an elected office that draws up educational plans and monitors their implementation. The function of the federal government is limited to financing educational institutions that are state-owned.

The American model of education is based on the principle of Liberal Arts. It involves students making an independent choice of life values and bearing responsibility for this choice. While still at school, students have the right to study those subjects that will be useful to them when obtaining a future specialty.

In American educational institutions, the number of hours of theoretical courses is kept to a minimum. Most classes are practical: students are given specific life problems that they have to solve using their existing knowledge.

Stages of education in America: preschool, elementary school, high school and higher education. We will talk about them in more detail later.

Preschool institutions

Preschool education is the first stage, which is known as Preschool. Within its framework, there are nursery groups for children from 2 years old, day schools and childcare centers for children aged 3-4 years.

Some of these establishments are open 24 hours a day. Their visit, as in most countries, is not mandatory.

Kindergartens in the USA operate on a commercial basis. Average monthly fees range from $850 to $1,200.

Preschool education in America is aimed at the comprehensive development of every child. Teachers help children learn to speak correctly, play with them, teach them to dance, draw, stage skits, and so on. There is no clear educational program for such centers.

From the age of 5, every child can attend a preparatory class. Most of them work in schools.

Preparatory classes are free and funded by each state government. Here children are prepared for school, taught to read, count, write, and helped to adapt to the team. In parallel, there are also private paid training centers.

Many states issue certificates of preschool education. They indicate the name of the institution the child attended, the period of study, and characterize behavior and abilities. In some primary schools, such a certificate is a prerequisite for enrollment.

Primary School

Primary education in the United States is compulsory, known as Elementary School. Training lasts for 5 years: from 1st to 5th grades. All children must attend primary school from 6 to 11 years of age.

Students are assigned to classes after passing an IQ test based on their abilities. Elementary schools in the United States include public, private, and parochial institutions.

The training program includes the following academic disciplines:

arithmetic;
letter;
reading.

Little time is devoted to social and natural sciences. Most often they are combined in a subject such as local history.

All disciplines are taught by one teacher. The only exceptions are music, fine arts and physical education. The quality content of the program is not regulated at the state level.

In many states, elementary schools spend large amounts of time on field trips, art projects, and other forms of learning through fun.

Many immigrants from Russia are interested in whether there are Russian schools in America. It should be noted that there are no educational institutions in the country where teaching takes place exclusively in Russian. Nevertheless, there are charter (contract) schools whose curriculum includes the Russian language and literature.

Such institutions are public and free. But, unlike regular American schools, they are independent and free from many restrictions. Charter schools are small in size, ranging from 200 to 400 students.

high school

Secondary Education in the United States consists of two levels: junior and senior high schools.

Specifics of junior high school

The Middle School provides education for children for 3 years – from 6th to 8th grades. That is, students attend junior high school from 11 to 13 years of age.

Compulsory subjects include English, mathematics, natural and social sciences, and physical education. Junior high school in the USA provides for the formation of classes with various specializations. Those who have special abilities in a particular discipline attend classes with in-depth study of it.

In the 8th grade, students are given the right to independently choose some subjects that they would like to study. The choice must be made between art, foreign languages, and technologies.

After finishing the 8th grade, the time comes for High School - senior secondary school.

Both compulsory subjects and specialized disciplines are taught here, which are chosen by the students themselves.

To obtain an education document, each student must fulfill the following minimum requirements:

study mathematics for 3 years;
take a 4-year course in literature;
from 2 to 4 years, take a course in social sciences, including history and government of the United States;
complete a 1-2 year physical education program.

The specialized disciplines presented to students to choose from include:

Informatics;
computer graphics and web design;
statistics;
editing and journalism;
theatrical arts;
dancing;
foreign languages;
art;
labor training and others.

Senior secondary school must be attended for 4 years - from 9th to 12th grades. Teenagers aged 14-18 years study here. Thus, it becomes clear at what age Americans graduate from high school.

Some US schools provide 13th grade - the so-called Advanced Placement Program. It can be attended by those who have a desire to study in depth the disciplines that will be specialized at the university.

After graduating from the 13th grade and passing the exam with at least 3 points out of the maximum 5, you can immediately enroll in the second year of university. Students who graduate from this class with honors are eligible for admission to Princeton, Yale, and Harvard universities.

Studying under such a program provides benefits for admission to universities not only in the United States, but also in Canada, Great Britain and over 50 other countries.

The full answer to the question of how many classes there are in American schools is: 12, with the opportunity to extend education into the 13th grade under the Advanced Placement Program.

The road to prestigious universities in the country also opens up for graduates of boarding schools. These are private elite educational institutions with permanent residence for students, where they provide the opportunity to study in depth a certain set of disciplines. Their advantage is small classes, designed for no more than 15 people.

The teaching staff is highly professional. Famous boarding schools in the USA: Berkshire School, Hoosac School, Cheshire Academy (IB School), Lawrence Academy, Wyoming Seminary Prep School.

School final exams

After graduating from high school, students must take the final Scholastic Aptitude Test - SAT I or SAT II. The difference between these two types of tests is the focus and level of difficulty:

SAT I is taken by those planning to attend mid-level colleges or universities;
SAT II is required for those who intend to continue their studies at the best universities in the country.

After passing exams in American schools, graduates receive diplomas of complete secondary education.

Higher education in the United States is organized according to the following structure:

Bachelor's Degree. The program lasts 4 years and includes 30 subjects. Upon completion of training, students defend their final projects, receive diplomas and a bachelor's degree.
Master's Degree. The training lasts 1-2 years. Students engage in scientific projects in their chosen field of knowledge. At the end of the studies, exams are taken. Graduates receive diplomas and a master's degree. Economists are awarded the Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree.
Doctoral studies (Advanced Professional Degree). After receiving higher education in the USA in a master's program, you can enroll in doctoral studies. You need to study here for 2-3 years, the training ends with the defense of a dissertation and the awarding of a PhD (Doctoral Level) to the graduate.
Doctoral studies in the Postgraduate/Postdoctoral Level program. This is the highest and most prestigious degree. Only those who have PhD degrees and also have a large number of research papers and projects are eligible to study under this program.

Diplomas from American universities are valued all over the world.

Universities that offer only bachelor's programs, engage exclusively in student education, and do not engage in research activities are called colleges. Richard Bland College (Petersburg, Virginia), Baruch College (New York, New York), Hunter College (New York, New York) and others are popular.

Liberal arts colleges are also known as “liberal arts colleges.” Among the most popular according to the 2019 rating:

Williams (Williamstown, Massachusetts);
Amherst (Amherst, Massachusetts);
Swarthmore (Swarthmore, Pennsylvania) and Wesley (Massachusetts).

Universities are higher education institutions that, in addition to bachelor's degrees, offer master's and doctoral programs. One university may have several colleges; for example, at Yale University there are 14.

There are private universities and state universities. Among the first, the most authoritative (not only on a national, but also on a global scale) are considered to be universities that are members of the Ivy League association. These are 8 universities:

Brownovsky (Providence, Rhode Island).
Harvard (Cambridge, Massachusetts).
Dartmouth (Hanover, New Hampshire).
Yale (New Haven, Connecticut).
Columbia (New York City, New York).
Cornell (Ithaca, New York).
Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania).
Princeton (Princeton, New Jersey).

Among the popular universities of private ownership are New York universities: City, Rockefeller, Yeshiva and others.

State universities are funded by local governments. They are focused on educating the people of their state. Tuition fees for representatives of other states are higher in them.

Some of the most popular universities of this type are the University of California (Berkeley), Michigan (Ann Arbor), and Virginia (Charlottesville).

The quality of education in the United States depends on the form of ownership of the university. As practice shows, at state universities there are larger groups; teachers pay much less attention to each student, which is why the quality of education suffers.

Length of the school year in the USA

In most schools, the school year starts in late August - early September and lasts about 170-186 days (depending on the state). Children attend school from Monday to Friday.

The schedule is for 5-6 hours a day. One lesson lasts 30-45 minutes, recess is 2-5 minutes, lunch break is 30 minutes.

Answering the question about how long vacations last in the USA, let us clarify that their duration differs in different states - there is no single state vacation scheme.

Summer holidays usually begin at the end of May - early June and last on average about 10 weeks. In the middle of the year there are holiday breaks: Thanksgiving (4 to 5 days), Christmas (about 14 days), Easter (about 7 days).

The academic year is divided into two semesters, and in some universities - into three trimesters. There are universities that have introduced a 4th summer semester, which is optional.

American grading system

The grading system in US schools is letter, five-point.

The designations P (pass) and N (fail) are also used.

Teachers are not allowed to announce student scores in front of the entire class. It is believed that each student should focus solely on his or her own progress, and that a person's motivation may suffer from any comparison.

The academic grading system in the United States is also letter grade. Each letter represents a certain percentage of knowledge.

Letter designation	Knowledge percentage	Equivalent in traditional grading system
A	From 95 to 100	5
A-	From 90 to 94	5
B+	From 85 to 89	4
IN	From 80 to 84	4
IN-	From 75 to 79	4
C+	From 70 to 74	3
WITH	From 65 to 69	3
WITH-	From 60 to 64	3
D+	From 55 to 59	3
D	From 50 to 54	3
F	From 0 to 49	2

Scores up to 60% of knowledge (that is, those located on the scale below C) are included in the fail category.

How much does it cost to study in the USA?

At a private university, the average cost of tuition in the United States per year ranges from $15,000 to $35,000. At some universities this amount reaches $50,000. Tuition at state universities is cheaper: from $10,000 to $20,000 per year. This does not include accommodation, the cost of textbooks and other student expenses.

To “cheap” the cost of studying at a higher educational institution, you can study in college for the first two years, and then enter the third year of university. College tuition costs range from $5,000 to $7,000 per year.

Free study in the USA is possible in three cases: if the applicant has won a grant, received a personal scholarship, or got a job on a university campus.

English courses in the United States

In American language schools, everyone, including foreigners, has the opportunity to take courses aimed at deepening their knowledge of English and improving their speaking skills. Language courses in the USA can be:

are common;
academic;
for business;
for passing TOEFL, IELTS exams;
for teachers, doctors, representatives of other professions, and so on.

The cost of general courses ranges from $200 to $350 per week, specialized courses range from $300 to $500.

In the United States, there are summer language schools and camps where children and teenagers from various countries have the opportunity to receive high-quality language training.

Summer training in America is also carried out in accordance with combined programs: “English language and sports”, “English language and photography”, “English language and theater arts” and so on.

Interesting facts about the American education system

We bring to your attention a selection of the most interesting facts about education in the USA:

What makes education in the USA different from Russia is that in America there is no holiday symbolizing the beginning of the school year (analogous to September 1). Children start school at different times in different states (as discussed earlier).
Admission to many municipal schools is carried out exclusively at the place of residence. If parents want to send their child to an educational institution located in a certain area, but they themselves live in another, they need to purchase housing near the school. That is why the quality of education is one of the pricing factors for residential real estate in the United States.
On average, the country's government spends about $12,000 per year on each free school student.
Foreigners who are under 35 years of age can receive a second education in the United States.
The US Commission on Civil Rights controls college enrollment for men and women. If the number of boys or girls exceeds 60%, their admission is stopped.
In American universities it is allowed to study in two specialties at once. At the same time, you can receive both two complete higher educations, and one complete (major) and one incomplete (minor) professional education in the USA.
At the time of admission to a university, an applicant does not need to know what specialty he wants to study in. If a person has not decided, he must put the status undeclared in the questionnaire. During the first two years, all students attend general education subjects, so there is time to choose a profession.

Today in American universities you can register for the next semester online. Students have the right to choose teachers whose subjects they want to attend, based on the rating presented on the educational institution’s website.

conclusions

Let's list the pros and cons of American education. So, its advantages include:

great attention to personality formation;
game-based learning;
strict confidentiality at all levels of education;
high quality of educational services (for example, most university teachers are holders of a doctorate degree);
focus on individual preferences, abilities and skills of students and their future profession;
recognition of American diplomas throughout the world;
deep integration with employers and broad employment prospects;
availability of grants and scholarships.

Among the main disadvantages are:

high prices for training;
high competition for admission to prestigious universities;
the problem of public universities lagging behind private ones in terms of the quality of educational services;
significant workload for students;
the high cost of textbooks.

However, the number of people coming from abroad to the United States for education is not decreasing. After all, a diploma from an American university allows you to count on work in almost any country.

Advantages of education in the USA: Video

The education system in the United States is different from what we are used to: American students receive secondary education for 12 years, the year is divided into two semesters, and the grading system is based on a letter designation.

International students typically begin their studies in middle or high school in an American school.

High school in America is called Middle School (grades 6-8) or Junior High School (grades 7-9). People come here from the age of 11. During this time, students study a set of compulsory subjects (mathematics, English, natural sciences, social studies and art) and several elective subjects (journalism, rhetoric, theater arts and many others).

High school - grades 9 to 12 (High School) or 11 to 12 (Senior High School). There are more and more subjects to choose from, and students are already focusing on their goals for entering a university. Schools in America offer a wide range of subjects, from agricultural engineering to 3D design.

To obtain a High School Diploma, you typically need to complete 20–24 credits (special education units) of required and elective courses in grades 9–12. Each credit is the result of studying one subject during one academic year. Credit requirements may vary by state.

Why USA

America is a country of opportunity, a multicultural society and a high standard of living. The world's business and economic elite are concentrated here. US universities occupy the highest positions in authoritative rankings. Studying at school in the USA is the first step to entering a prestigious university and brilliant career prospects.

The American education system is considered one of the most progressive. In US schools, participation in real scientific and technical developments is encouraged, leadership skills and the ability to defend one’s point of view are developed.

In recent years, the USA has become a priority destination for Russian schoolchildren. Parents see more opportunities for their children in America than, for example, in densely populated Europe, where it can be difficult to obtain a work visa and put the education to use.

US private schools are the most prestigious secondary educational institutions. Here, children are purposefully prepared for admission to leading universities, including elite Ivy League universities. Career consultants work with high school students, so the students already know what they want to become and choose subjects depending on their future specialty.

Foreign students prefer to study in private schools in America, and here's why:

a higher level of student preparation (which reflects the percentage of those admitted to top universities);
small classes (10-15 people), where teachers can pay attention to everyone;
teachers who are interested in their work and the success of students;
technological classes and laboratories;
excellent conditions for sports and creativity.

Private boarding schools in the USA are a safe and picturesque area with educational buildings and residential residences.

Much attention is paid to physical training. Parents of athletically gifted children often choose schools that, without interruption from their studies, prepare their children for a professional sports career.

Educational programs of American schools

Each state has at least 50 private schools, each of which is an independent educational unit with its own administration and teaching staff.

American schools do not offer a single curriculum with the same set of subjects for all students. There are compulsory subjects and optional subjects. The older a child gets, the more subjects he can choose - in accordance with his plans for higher education.

To gain an advantage upon admission, students can take Honors courses and choose one or more AP (Advanced Placement) courses. The higher the level of a school, the more AP classes it offers.

In some educational institutions you can study under the international high school program IB (International Baccalaureate), the results of which are accepted by universities around the world.

Cost of education

Tuition fees at US private schools start at $39,300 per year. This amount usually includes accommodation, food, insurance, and educational materials. Excursions and extracurricular activities are paid additionally.

When to apply

The ideal age to start school in America is 11–13 years old. At this time, it is easiest for a child to adapt to a new system, make friends, and get comfortable in another country. By high school, it will be easier for him to choose subjects to study and the direction of preparation for university.

We recommend starting preparation for admission a year before the start of your studies. Each school has its own admission requirements, and conditions may vary by state. In some American schools, in addition to providing grades for the last 2-3 years of study, it is necessary to pass testing in individual subjects.

How can we help?

IQ Consultancy specialists will help you understand the variety of US schools and choose the one that is right for your child and will reveal his potential.

We will help:

understand all the intricacies of entry requirements;
improve your English and pass TOEFL;
prepare a motivation letter;
successfully pass an interview with the school admissions committee;
complete all necessary documents and visa.

We will keep in touch with the chosen school and help resolve all possible difficulties and force majeure. If necessary, we will recommend a language camp in the USA, organize a tour of schools if there are several options, and offer the service of supervising the child during the training.