The American system of secondary education is considered one of the best in the world, as its development is directly related to the history and political system of the country, where the acquisition of practical knowledge and needs was prioritized, unlike European schools with a significant influence of the church.
Schools in the United States are focused on providing students with individual and independent skills that will be useful to them in their adult lives. Also, cognitive and creative activities of students are developed in US schools.
School education in this country consists of several structures:
- elementary school in the USA – 5 grades, from 6 to 11 years old
- secondary school in the United States – grades 6-12, from 11 to 18 years old, and it is also divided into middle and high school
In middle and high school, in addition to studying such compulsory subjects as English, mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography, art, students can choose from a variety of electives, such as journalism, photography, painting, and others, which may vary depending on the state.
The last stage of secondary education in the United States, high school, begins in the ninth grade and ends in the twelfth grade. At this stage, students are given more freedom and are given minimum requirements that must be met to receive a US high school diploma. Usually, a student needs to gain from 20 to 24 credits of compulsory and optional subjects during his/her high school education, from the ninth to the twelfth grades. The compulsory subjects for which credits are awarded are biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, English, history, political science, economics, national history, physical education, health and art.
In addition, eleventh and twelfth grade students can take several subjects of increased complexity that are studied at a higher level corresponding to the level of higher education institutions. When applying to a university or college, the exam score in these subjects is taken into account, and its positive value gives a significant advantage to applicants. This program allows teenagers to study in-depth the most interesting and important subjects for them, be it Latin or additional physics courses.
Also, US schools have a thirteenth grade, where the subjects of future specialization in higher education are studied in depth, and after graduation, the graduate is enrolled in the second year of university.
American schools use letter grades: “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “F”, where traditionally “A” is considered the best grade and “F” the worst.
A high school diploma in US schools is internationally recognized and is awarded upon completion of all twelve grades.
Schools in the United States pay great attention to extracurricular activities, many of them have their own stables, swimming pools, and sports grounds for various sports.