Understanding the American Education System
The American education system offers a rich field of choices for
international students. There is such an array of schools, programs and
locations that the choices may overwhelm students, even those from the
U.S. As you begin your school search, it’s important to familiarize
yourself with the American education system. Understanding the system
will help you narrow your choices and develop your education plan.
The Educational Structure
Primary and Secondary School
Prior to higher education, American students attend primary and
secondary school for a combined total of 12 years. These years are
referred to as the first through twelfth grades.
Around age six, U.S. children begin primary school, which is most
commonly called “elementary school.” They attend five or six years and
then go onto secondary school.
Secondary school consists of two programs: the first is “middle
school” or “junior high school” and the second program is “high school.”
A diploma or certificate is awarded upon graduation from high school.
After graduating high school (12th grade), U.S. students may go on to
college or university. College or university study is known as “higher
education.”
Grading System
Just like American students, you will have to submit your academic
transcripts as part of your application for admission to university or
college. Academic transcripts are official copies of your academic work.
In the U.S. this includes your “grades” and “grade point average”
(GPA), which are measurements of your academic achievement. Courses are
commonly graded using percentages, which are converted into letter
grades.
The grading system and GPA in the U.S. can be confusing, especially
for international students. The interpretation of grades has a lot of
variation. For example, two students who attended different schools both
submit their transcripts to the same university. They both have 3.5
GPAs, but one student attended an average high school, while the other
attended a prestigious school that was academically challenging. The
university might interpret their GPAs differently because the two
schools have dramatically different standards.
Therefore, there are some crucial things to keep in mind:
- You should find out the U.S. equivalent of the last level of education you completed in your home country.
- Pay close attention to the admission requirements of each
university and college, as well as individual degree programs, which may
have different requirements than the university.
- Regularly meet with an educational advisor or guidance counselor to make sure you are meeting the requirements.
Your educational advisor or guidance counselor will be able to advise
you on whether or not you must spend an extra year or two preparing for
U.S. university admission. If an international student entered a U.S.
university or college prior to being eligible to attend university in
their own country, some countries’ governments and employers may not
recognize the students’ U.S. education.
Academic Year
The school calendar usually begins in August or September and
continues through May or June. The majority of new students begin in
autumn, so it is a good idea for international students to also begin
their U.S. university studies at this time. There is a lot of excitement
at the beginning of the school year and students form many great
friendships during this time, as they are all adjusting to a new phase
of academic life. Additionally, many courses are designed for students
to take them in sequence, starting in autumn and continuing through the
year.
The academic year at many schools is composed of two terms called
“semesters.” (Some schools use a three-term calendar known as the
“trimester” system.) Still, others further divide the year into the
quarter system of four terms, including an optional summer session.
Basically, if you exclude the summer session, the academic year is
either comprised of two semesters or three quarter terms.
¿Eres
estudiante o padre de un estudiante de América Latina que se pregunta
cómo es realmente estudiar en una universidad en Estados Unidos? En ese
caso, ¡Este charla virtual interactiva de EducationUSA de EducationUSA
es para ti! Únete a expertos en educación superior que representan a
colegios universitarios y universidades estadounidenses con programas de
dos y cuatro años, estudiantes latinoamericanos matriculados en la
actualidad, y un funcionario del Departamento de Estado de Estados
Unidos para participar en un seminario interactivo de EducationUSA sobre
la vida académica y universitaria diarias tal y como las experimentan
estudiantes universitarios de América Latina en Estados Unidos. Haz
preguntas y conoce lo que están haciendo los recintos universitarios de
Estados Unidos para dar la bienvenida a estudiantes latinoamericanos e
internacionales.
Alfred Boll, EducationUSA, U.S. Department of State
Gerardo Alan Mendoza Sosa (“Alan”), Student at Brown University (Class
of 2020)
Dr. Gabriela Polit, Profesora Asociada, Departamento de Español y
Portugués, Universidad de Texas en Austin
Yosimi Mitsuta, Student, University of Texas at Austin
William Velez, Assistant Director of International Admissions and
Recruitment and Chair of Study Oregon Consortia, Chemeketa Community
College
Juan Diego Quintero, Student, Chemeketa Community College
