The education system in the United States is a major student magnet throughout the globe for study abroad programs. Each year, the States have the maximum number of international students from all over the world. It is a prime destination for education because of its world-class education system.

Synopsis of the education system in the United States

Before higher education, American students attend primary and secondary school for a combined total of 12 years. These years are referred to as the first to twelfth grades.

America has K-12 education meaning from Kindergarten to grade 12 which consists of 3 levels of schooling namely –

• Preschool
• Primary education
• Secondary education

Preschool (sometimes called pre-kindergarten or jr. kindergarten) refers to non-compulsory classroom-based early-childhood education. The student age ranges anywhere from 3 to 5 years old. The curriculum for the day will consist of music, art, pretend play, science, reading, math, and other social activities. Around age six, American children start primary school, which is most usually called “elementary school.” They attend five or six years and then go over secondary school according to the education system in the United States. The elementary school in the education system in the United States includes kindergarten through sixth-grade (or sometimes, to fourth-grade, fifth-grade, or eighth-grade).

Essential subjects are taught in elementary school, and students often reside in one classroom during the school day, except for specialized programs, such as physical education, library, music, and art classes. In general, a student studies basic arithmetic and many times basic algebra in math, English proficiency (such as basic grammar, spelling, and vocabulary), and fundamentals of other topics. Learning criteria are identified for all areas of a curriculum by specific states, including those for mathematics, social studies, science, physical development, the fine arts, and reading.

Secondary education is frequently subdivided into two stages, middle/junior high school, and high school. Students are normally given more freedom, moving to various classrooms for several subjects, and are given the liberty to choose some of their course subjects (electives). It usually includes seventh and eighth grades and occasionally also includes one or more of the sixth, ninth, and occasionally fifth grades as well.

High school includes grades 9 through 12. Students in these grades are generally regarded as freshmen (grade 9), sophomores (grade 10), juniors (grade 11), and seniors (grade 12)

At the high school level, students generally take a broad variety of classes without specializing in any particular subject, except for vocational schools. Students are generally required to take a wide range of compulsory subjects but may prefer additional subjects (“electives”) to fill out their expected hours of learning. In the education system in the United States, each state sets minimum requirements for how many years of various mandatory subjects are required.

These requirements vary extensively but commonly include 2–4 years of each of Science, Mathematics, English, Social sciences, Physical education; some years of a foreign language. Some kind of art education is often also required, as is a health curriculum in which students discover about anatomy, nutrition, first aid, sexuality, drug awareness, and birth control. In many cases, however, choices are provided for students to “test out” this specification or complete independent study to meet it.

Below the education system in the United States, during high school, students (usually in 11th grade) may take one or more regulated tests depending on their post-secondary education preferences and their local graduation qualifications. The SAT and ACT are the most popular standardized tests that students take when applying to college. A student may take the SAT, ACT, both, or neither depending upon the post-secondary institutions the student plans to apply to for admission. Higher education in the US is an optional final stage of formal learning following secondary education, often at one of the 4,495 colleges or universities and junior colleges in the country.

Perks of the education system in the United States

America is an assortment of a wide variety of people from all over the world having diversified cultural backgrounds.

People here are hospitable, kind, generous, curious, and are welcoming of foreigners. The US also has numerous institutions of higher education than any other country in the world along with a splendid education system along with highly qualified teaching staff. Moreover, the attraction towards the IVY League colleges such as Harvard, Stanford, MIT, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, etc. draws students even more so because of their top-quality education.

The education system in the United States also incorporates the use of the latest cutting technology and up-to-date pieces of equipment in the curriculum. Most American education services have recognized the importance of ‘global focus’ and offer a more comprehensive and global curriculum to meet the new trends of the growing world. However, the most inviting feature of the education system in the United States is the academic flexibility offered them.

Students get a massive number of academic options which gives them the liberty to choose the subjects according to their liking and omit the ones which are not needed. American schools provide state of the art facilities with captivating infrastructure, libraries with rare collections, well-funded student clubs, equipped gym facilities with health care centers along offices for international students.

Great bonds are formed between students and teachers through lunches and gatherings enabling better mentorship and innovative approaches towards academics. The education system in the United States allows students to become highly adaptive and aware of their surroundings and the challenging environments make them influential individuals.

They get to try the American cuisine filled with hamburgers and pies along with various barbeques and pizzas. They develop major skills which later become useful assets for the future. Their communication skills are also polished which is crucial for almost everything. Students instill a global perspective, make new friends, and have the best experiences of their lives.

They get to enjoy festivals like Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Hanukkah, 4th of July, and Halloween where people light bonfires and dress up in various costumes and children go all around the neighborhood trick-or-treating. Students get to experience a whole new lifestyle along with all-rounder personality development.