Secondary education in the USA

Primary / Elementary school in the USA

Curriculum

Primary school begins at the age of 5-6. The first year is called kindergarten. Some schools also have pre-kindergarten groups for kids aged 3-5. Typically, primary school lasts up to grade 5, less often up to grade 4 or 6.

Formally, there are no age restrictions for foreigners — you can send a child to a private school starting from the kindergarten level. However, there are not many primary schools in the US that accept foreigners. As a rule, this option is used by those families who live in the States on a permanent basis.

There is no strict discipline in the class for the first 2 years. Children play a lot, communicate, master basic skills like counting, reading, and writing. Then the core subjects are gradually introduced. One teacher conducts classes in English, math, science, geography, and history. Special subjects such as art, music, physical education, computer science, and a foreign language (most often Spanish) are studied by schoolchildren with other teachers. Also, students are regularly taken to the library.

Grading system

In most schools, grading starts in year 2. At first, a simplified ESNU scheme is often used:

• E (excellent);
• S (satisfactory);
• N (needs improvement );
• U (unsatisfactory).

Then they usually switch to a standard letter scale (from A to F) or introduce their own grading system.

Standardized tests are conducted every six months for each subject to track student’s progress and overall school performance. The teacher can use other forms of performance control at his own discretion. There are no final exams at the end of primary school in the United States.

Accommodation

Although there are boarding schools for elementary students (at least from grade 3) in the United States, few parents choose this option for their child at such a young age. Therefore, almost all primary schools in the United States are day schools. Children often stay at school until 6-7 pm: attend extra classes or do homework. There should also be a guardian permanently residing in the United States who is responsible for a foreign student during the rest of the time. Unlike Britain, there is no visa for parents of young children.

How to get into an American elementary school

You must apply for elementary school almost a year before starting your studies. The typical deadlines are usually January-February. Depending on the school, the child and parents may be invited for an interview (in person or online) and/or a test day at school. During the visit, teachers look at the future student in a new environment, conduct classes in groups, and additional tests. The decision is made by March.

• Age. Children are accepted to kindergarten from the ages of 5-6. If the school has a pre-K year, a child can enroll there at the age of 4-5, respectively.
• Academic performance. There are no strict requirements for grades in primary school. The absence of unsatisfactory ones is good enough. The admissions office looks at a child's overall social and intellectual skills, relying heavily on feedback from parents and previous teachers.
• Language proficiency. Elementary schools in the United States do not provide additional classes in English for foreigners (English as a Second Language — ESL). Therefore, children should speak English virtually at the same level as their American peers.

Middle school in the USA

Curriculum

Children enter middle school (grades 6-8) at the age of 11-12. At this age, foreign students can already enroll in many private American schools.

Here, each subject is taught by a separate teacher. Between classes, which are called periods, there are short breaks 5-10 minutes long. During this time, students must reach the next class. In the middle of the day, there is a lunch break for 1-2 hours.

Middle school students have a more flexible curriculum compared to younger students. Compulsory subjects include English, mathematics (algebra and geometry), science and social sciences, history, and sports. At the same time, schoolchildren can choose the level of education: basic or advanced. In the second case, the program will be the same, but the studies will be more in-depth. Additionally, each educational institution has a list of elective courses. You can take 1-2 new disciplines annually. This can be acting, graphic design, French literature, and even the editorial office of a school newspaper. With such a system, all students get a different schedule, and there are no permanent study groups.

Grading system

In middle school, students regularly write short tests on the material they have passed. The grades for these tests tend to affect the final score even more than the final test. Therefore, students should always be actively involved in the educational process. Good academic performance at the end of the year gives you the right to take more advanced courses next year.

Each school independently determines the assessment format: it can be a unique point system or a standard letter scale adopted by many schools.

To graduate you must get a satisfactory grade (by the standards of that particular school) grades in every compulsory subject.

Accommodation

There are junior boarding schools in the USA. They accept students aged 11-13. Educators usually live at the same student residence. As a rule, these are teachers or school administration staff who monitor the daily routine of schoolchildren and help them in difficult situations. In fact, they function as parents, and therefore they are called dorm parents.

Day schools sometimes organize housing with a host family, but generally require the student to have an official guardian residing in the United States.

How to enroll in an American middle school

Application deadlines are in December-January, that is 8-9 months before the start of school. However, many schools advise to make an application a couple of months earlier — interviews are scheduled as new candidates appear. Interviews (in person or via online video call) are usually conducted until February. Students receive an invitation in spring — March-April.

• Age. Children from the age of 11 are usually enrolled in secondary schools. But the admission criteria depend on the specific school.
• Academic performance. Admissions officers do not set the minimum GPA requirements, but they always look at the grades from the previous school. Achievements in English, math, and science are especially important, as these are the subjects that most American schools focus on.
• Language proficiency. For comfortable learning in middle school, the language level must be at least B2. Some schools have additional English classes for foreigners who are having difficulties.
• Entrance tests. International applicants must pass a standardized test to be admitted to US middle schools. The type of the test is decided by the school. Most often it is SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) or ISEE (Independent School Entrance Examination). They test various aspects of knowledge of the English language and mathematics.

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High school programs in the United States

High School

High School is a standard American high school program. It lasts 4 years, from grades 9 to 12. During this time, you must collect the minimum number of credits established by the state for compulsory subjects. Upon successful completion, graduates receive a High School Diploma, which reflects all the courses taken and the grades for them. Some states also require a final exam, but the result is not counted towards university admission. Private schools usually forgo such exams.

High School Diploma is accepted at all universities in the USA and Canada. For admission to many universities in Europe (for example, Germany^[2]) this document is not enough. Depending on the country and university, additional qualifications may be required:

• Preparatory program in the country of study;
• 1-2 years of study at a US university or college;
• High SAT I or SAT II Subject Test score;
• 2-5 AP courses with high scores;
• IB Diploma.

Advanced Placement — AP

Advanced Placement (AP) are university-level courses taught in high school. They can be studied in parallel with or instead of the required subjects. For example, the Advanced Microeconomics course contains all the material from the basic algebra course, so the latter is not required to be taken separately.

APs are elective courses of increased difficulty. Students are not required to include them in their curriculum, but this will be a huge advantage when entering a university. The courses and their number should be chosen, focusing on the future university and specialty. So, when applying to elite institutions like Harvard, it is recommended to have at least 7 AP courses under your belt. For universities with a lower rank, 4-5 will be enough. Some universities may transfer AP course credits.

Advanced Placement has 38 disciplines in total. Private schools usually have an average of 15. Apart from AP, there are other types of advanced courses: for example, CL (College Level) or Honors. Because of this, the total number of APs listed on the school's website may be more than 38.

Schools with a large selection of AP courses

International Baccalaureate — IB

International Baccalaureate (IB) is another alternative to the standard school curriculum. According to the IB system, you can study it in elementary, middle, and high school. American high school students often choose this path, since the IB diploma is often regarded as higher than the standard certificate. In addition, unlike the High School Diploma, it is recognized at universities in almost any country, which is important for those who intend to enter European universities. It is important to note that when entering American universities, an IB diploma does not exempt you from taking the SAT or ACT.

The IB course for high school students lasts 2 years, training usually begins at the age of 16. To obtain an IB diploma(diploma program — DP), which is equal to a high school graduation certificate, you need to study 6 subjects: 3 at honors level (HL) and 3 — at standard level (SL). In addition, students take a special course in Theory of knowledge, participate in sports and social work, and conduct research, finishing with a 4,000-word paper.

If the diploma program seems too difficult, you can take one or more IB courses while attending a regular high school. In this case, after passing the exams, the student receives a certificate, which will also become an advantage when entering the university.

There are 128 private schools in the USA that have the IB Diploma Program. Four of them teach in Spanish, three in French.

Read more

The best IB schools in the USA

University admission after an American school

For admission to an American university, you must pass one of the standardized tests: SAT or ACT. There are several universities where this is optional, and in general, in America, there is a lot of talk about the need to abolish the test system when selecting candidates. For now, however, SAT or ACT exams are still an important part of the application. Each school has its own learning characteristics, and tests help to equalize all graduates.

SAT and ACT are similar in structure and content. It is difficult to say if one is any harder than the other. In 2019, 2.2 million people passed the SAT and 1.8 million — ACT^[3]. Many students took both exams. It is generally accepted that the SAT is better at revealing mathematical abilities, while the ACT is better suited for testing language abilities. Both tests are created by private organizations and there is a fee to take them.

Although US universities actually treat all applicants equally, regardless of the previous place of study, the choice of the school still matters. If you are planning to enter a top university, it is advisable that teachers have experience in preparing applicants for universities of this level. Schools usually tell what universities their graduates enter on the websites.

The US high school programs are also recognized by other countries, but sometimes American graduates have to acquire additional qualifications in different ways. For European universities, the ideal option would be to complete an International Baccalaureate (IB), however, with a standard high school certificate, it is still possible to enter European universities as they take AP and SAT scores into account.

Top US schools based on SAT results

Source: Private Schools Review

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