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GENERAL INFORMATION
-School starts usually at 8.30 or 9a.m. and finishes at 3.30p.m.
-School week from Monday to Friday
-public schools provide books =>students don´t have to buy them
-official state school education starts at the age of 6
-nursery school at the ages of 3 and 4
Elementary School:
6 years; children learn: basic skills of reading, speaking, writing and ´maths´
age: 6-12
grade: 1-6
Junior High School:
2 years;
age:12-14
grade:7-8
High School:
age:14-18
grade:9-12
....Comprehensive High School:
most common; offers general academic courses and specialised subjects(mainly for students who want to go to University)
.....Specialised High Schools:
-agricultural schools
-business schools
-commercial schools
-trade schools
-vocational schools
In most American High Schools ´core´ subjects are studied (= the most important: English, Maths, Science, History and a foreign language)
The students can also choose from ´electives´ (optional subjects) for their own interests (arts, music, computer studies etc.)
For the completion of each course they get credits, which are essential for their high-school-diploma.
Graduation: A ceremony takes place where the students receive their diplomas. They wear caps and gowns and their family is invited.
THE AMERICAN GRADING SYSTEM
POINTS
GRADES GRADE POINTS
90-100 A 4
80-89 B 3
70-79 C 2
60-69 D 1
0-69 F 0
The teachers use a point system. The more points a student has, the better his/her grades are.
The grades range from A to F (failure).
The student´s grades of each semester are added up and a Grade Point Average is calculated. The higher it is at the end of school, the greater the student´s chances will be for getting a good job or college place.
To get a good job or into a good college it´s also appreciated if you have done extra-curricular activities during your school-time. This means: having played for a school´s sports-team (American football, Baseball, Athletics, Cheerleading.).
AMERICAN SCHOOLS
(see "Make your Way"5, page35)
At High school the students are called:
freshman = >9th grade
sophomore = >10th grade
junior = > 11th grade
senior = > 12th grade
HIGHER EDUCATION
America has about 3000 public and private Universities .
-independent from each other
-high academic reputation (best libraries and research facilities)
-high tuition fees (=>part time jobs)
´Ivy League´ : group of the best and most expensive Universities (Yale, Harvard, Princeton etc.)
To get into a good University, students have to do a Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). The better their result, the higher the chance of getting into a good University.
PROBLEMS OF OUR TIMES
Main problem: multi-culturalism
In America a wide variety of minority groups is still neglected.
This is a result of the immigration of foreign countries during the history. America tries hard to find solutions to help the minority-groups, but it takes a long time and is hard work.
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