Understanding the US Education System: A Comprehensive Guide

The US Education System

The US education system is divided into three distinct educational stages; elementary/primary education, secondary education and post secondary/higher education (college or university). Education is mandatory until the age of 16 (18 in some states).

The term K-12 is commonly used to refer to the period from kindergarten through to 12th grade, which represents all of the primary and secondary education available. The pattern of study in these years varies across the country, and includes kindergarten, elementary, middle or junior school and high school or senior high.

The reason for the variations is that the state governments are responsible for setting the general educational standards and also define and administer standardised tests.

Furthermore, public school curricula, budgets, and policies for K-12 schooling are defined by locally elected school boards. These boards have authority over the individual school districts.

Private schools are largely permitted to determine their own curriculum and staffing policies. Voluntary accreditation is available through independent regional accreditation authorities.

Approximately 87% of school-age children go to public schools and about 10% attend private schools. There are approximately 3% of children who are schooled at home.

For students in the US to progress to higher education they must complete a high school diploma. During their high school years students are given grades for all their courses and at the end of the 12th grade these are averaged to provide a Grade Point Average (GPA), often used as a selection criteria for higher education. Scholastic Aptitude Tests (SATs), or American College Tests (ACTs) are also used as criteria for admission to higher education and generally one or the other is required for admission.

Throughout the country, there are also a large number and wide variety of publicly and privately run institutions of higher education. Higher education is divided into college, university and graduate schools. You can find a more comprehensive description outlined later in this module.

Accreditation

Accreditation is a process of external quality review created and used by higher education to scrutinise colleges, universities and programs to determine if applicable standards are met. When standards are met, accreditation is granted.

Key points-

• Accreditation ensures that education provided by institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality.

• Accreditation is conducted by private not-for-profit bodies.

• Accrediting agencies have national or regional scope and develop evaluation criteria.

• Accrediting agencies conduct peer evaluations to assess whether or not those evaluation criteria are met.

• CHEA and the US Department of Education accredit the accreditors.

Overview of the Education Levels in the US

The US Education Path Preschool (Ages 3 - 5)

Preschool (or pre-kindergarten) involves both non- compulsory classroom- based and early childhood education prior to the age of five to six. Preschool education may be delivered through a preschool or in an Elementary school.

Elementary school (Ages 5 - 18)

Elementary school usually goes from kindergarten through to the sixth grade, although there are some variations where the student moves to middle school for their fifth grade or junior high school for their sixth grade.

Basic subjects are taught in elementary school, and students often remain in the same classroom throughout the day, except for specialized programs, such as physical education, library, music, and art classes.

Middle/High School

Secondary education is typically divided into two stages, middle school and high school. Students are usually given more independence and tend to change classrooms according to the subject. They’re also permitted to select some of their class subjects.

Middle school usually involves seventh and eighth grades, although some schools start from the sixth grades.

High school involves grade nine to grade 12.

The common terms used to refer each year of high school are:

• Freshman = 9th grade

• Sophomore = 10th grade

• Junior = 11th grade

• Senior = 12th grade

At the high school level, students typically take a wide variety of classes without specializing in any particular subject, the exception being with vocational schools. Students are usually required to take a wide range of mandatory subjects, yet may choose additional subjects known as electives.

Higher education in the US is optional and is the final stage of formal learning after secondary education.

Higher Education (Ages 18+)

The US higher education is comprised of over 4,500 accredited institutions.

Higher education institutions in the US are not centrally organized or managed which is different to many other countries. However, they’re accredited on either a national or regional level by independent accrediting bodies.

Similar to high school, the four undergraduate grades are commonly divided into freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior years. Students traditionally apply for admission into colleges where there is often a great deal of difference between the schools in regards to their reputation and competitiveness.

Overview of the US Higher Education

There is a wide range of options for higher education in the US, in fact there are over 4,500 public and private institutions located across the 50 states which students can choose from.

There are almost 150 universities and colleges which are considered as being ‘highly regarded’. With a total of 128 different cities appearing in the ‘THE’ 2023 rankings, nearly all the states are represented in the best US universities list.

The US has a population of approximately 335 million and over 25 million people are enrolled in one of these universities. A choice of programs is offered to graduating high school students.

Many universities have on-campus residences available and new incoming freshmen are sometimes expected to live on campus. It’s important to check the campus residence policies for the schools before making an application.

The main types of institutions are:

• Junior or Community Colleges

• Vocational Schools

• Colleges or Universities

What’s the difference?

Junior or Community Colleges

Community colleges are much more affordable and offer two year associate degrees. Upon graduation, students can continue their studies in a university for another two years to complete their undergraduate programs.

Vocational schools

Vocational Schools only focus on certification for specific vocations. This includes dental hygienists, civil engineering, culinary arts, and a number of other vocations that do not require a degree but do require training.

Colleges or universities

Both types of institutions offer four year bachelor’s degrees. Programs that offer these degrees are call undergraduate schools. The main difference between a college and a university is that colleges are often smaller in size than universities and they usually don’t offer ‘graduate’ programs (also known as postgraduate programs). Universities offer both bachelor degrees and graduate degrees such as master’s degrees (M.A.) and doctorate degrees (Ph.D.).

Community college

Community colleges offer two-year programs which lead to Associate of Arts (AA) or Associate of Science (AS) degrees. These colleges also provide technical and vocational programs which have close links to high schools, community groups, and employers within the local community. There are also more substantial sized community colleges which have multiple campuses in both urban and suburban settings as well as smaller campuses in more rural settings.

University

Undergraduate education in the US is based on the concept of liberal arts and sciences. Students can take classes in a wide variety of subjects in addition to their major field of study and can be awarded a bachelor’s degree after completing a specified number of credits in their selected major field of study.

The term ‘credit hours’ refers to the number of hours spent per week in a classroom. Every program has a certain number of credits that students can ‘earn’, and each institution has its individual requirement for the number of credits required to graduate.

The two main types of universities in the US:

• Public universities - most of which are state universities. These were established and continue to be run by the state government.

• Private universities – a mix of profit and not for profit, approximately 20% of students attend private universities.

The majority of universities operate undergraduate courses but some also have graduate schools. Undergraduate degrees at US universities usually take four years to complete. Students typically spend the first part of the degree learning a wide range of subjects. Some of these subjects are mandatory and some are electives where the student is able to choose the subject(s) which they want to focus on. This is known as the ‘major’.

Universities in the US place great importance on diversity, which means classes are made up of students of different ages, religions and nationalities. This provides a stimulating and rich learning environment which encourages cross- cultural understanding and networking.

There are three levels of universities depending on the different IELTS entry requirements, i.e. if the student needs an actual IELTS score or if they’re just taking IELTS.

Graduate schools

Graduate school in the US are typically known as postgraduate school in other countries. Graduate schools are often associated with a university which also offers

undergraduate (bachelor’s) degrees. These institutions are able to offer master’s and Doctorate level degrees.

There are two main categories for Graduate programs in the

US which are:

• Masters degrees

• Doctoral degrees

Masters programs in the US are available in a number of different areas and have two main course types, academic and professional. Some courses, like medicine where the student is required to complete an undergraduate course first and then be able to apply for the course.

There are two kinds of tests that graduate programs may require applicants to undertake; the GRE and GMAT. The GRE is a standardised test that’s becoming an requirement for admission to most graduate and business schools, especially for those interested in pursuing a master’s in business or doctoral degree. The GMAT is used in admission to a graduate management program, such as an MBA.

The highest degree available in the U.S is the doctoral degree. Students are required to produce an original piece of research in a doctoral degree. Doctoral students in the US are still required to complete coursework and written examinations rather than just focus on their research.

Fields of study

The US offers thousands of course leading to internationally -recognised qualifications in fields such as:

• Law

• Accountancy

• Medicine

• Engineering

• Teaching

• Marketing

• Business and Management

• Art and Design

• Architecture

• Physical and life sciences

• Humanities

• Social Sciences

Academic Year

Individual states in the US determine the K–12 school calendar, and in some cases the local school district determines the calendar so there can be considerable variation. Usually the school year begins in August or September and ends in May or June, depending on the region. The number of semesters may vary as well.

The vast majority of universities and colleges usually operate between August to December and January to April. There are also a variety of summer school studies which are offered between May and August.

Depending on the university, undergraduate degrees can take either three or four years to complete. Masters programs usually take between one to two years.

Doctoral degrees or PhD programs take a bit longer than in other countries and usually take between four and seven years to complete. Doctoral degrees typically have a number of phases including classes, qualifying exams and then the doctoral candidacy when students focus on their dissertation.

Education Pathways

Most destinations offer a variety of pathways for both domestic and international students to make the transition into further education; these programs are typically referred to as either pathways or foundation courses.

Pathway programs

What are pathway programs?

• Pathways provide support for students who wish to improve their English skills and want the opportunity to demonstrate they can perform well in US university classes.

• Agreements are designed to allow international students to easily move from one educational level to another.

• Involve formal recognition of credentials or program completion.

Different types of pathways

• Secondary to Higher Education

• Language program to Higher Education

• Colleges to University

• University to University

Secondary to Higher Education

• Formal agreements help facilitate admissions

• Other partnerships and initiatives help to pave the way for students transitioning from high school to higher education.

• Designated scholarships and dual- credit courses

Language Program to Higher Education

• Students in a language pathway program will not have to take higher education language entrance evaluations.

• Learning a language in an accredited language school also allows students to get a better understanding the culture of the country.

• Internal research suggests that students having attended a language school before higher education institution perform better.

Advantages of Pathways for Students

• Pathways simplify the process to move from one institution type to another.

• Students applying to a pathway program indicate their long term commitment to their study goals in the US.

• Often receive additional service

English Language Training

Courses for English language training vary from a beginning level, for those who have never studied English, to advanced courses for students who are preparing to enter a college or university in the US. Curricula are typically designed to improve students’ understanding and use of English in reading, writing, listening, and speaking.

There are numerous providers where students can study English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. This includes universities, colleges, high schools and private institutions. The vast majority of these offer tests that provide students with an accurate assessment of their English, for example: IELTS (International English Language Testing System).

Education Costs and Scholarships for International Students

Education costs

There’s a great variance of tuition fees for international students across the different states and programs. Tuition will be the most expensive component of their educational costs. The price of tuition can range from $25,000 to $55,000 (USD) per year.

In the table below you can see by area of study, the average tuition fees for full- time international students. The students must also budget for items such as books, personal living expenses, and housing. Accommodation and living costs depend on the student’s personal lifestyle.

International student need to pay tuition fees before they begin their studies. There could also be additional costs for courses such as specific course materials and access to institution facilities.

Scholarships

Some American institutions offer a number of different scholarships and awards to international students who achieve exceptional results.

Students should be made aware that the amount and type of award varies from one institution to another. It’s also important to know that attaining a scholarship is very competitive. Students must apply directly to each school offering these scholarships and awards.

Students should be made aware that the amount and type of award varies from one institution to another. It’s also important to know that attaining a scholarship is very competitive. Students must apply directly to each school offering these scholarships and awards.

Teaching and Learning

Learning institutions in the US place an emphasis on leadership, broader global knowledge and passion for success. Because the US education system’s focuses on practical learning which encourages creative, independent thought and debate, it’s a favourite destination to study.

The aim of educators is to provide learners with a comprehensive understanding of a topic rather than just teaching by rote learning (memorising through repetition). There’s an expectation that students develop their own thinking and share their thoughts with their fellow students in class. This is vital as class participation is an assessable part of a student’s grade. There’s an emphasis on learning and thinking skills, not just marks and completing exams.

Classes at university are a combination of lectures and seminars. A lecture could be attended by up to 200 students from different courses within the area. Seminars are much smaller, with generally only about 30 students. In seminars, students discuss with each other and the lecturer about material raised in lectures.

Professors are very accessible, and students can talk to them in person and visit them in their office to discuss any issues they may have.

The Student’s Role in Higher Education

In the US, students need to plan so they can their take admissions tests at least 12 months in advance of the intended start date for their studies. Especially at the graduate level, studying in the US is more hands-on and interactive than many international students may be used to. This could be a bit of a shock for those international students who haven’t experienced this before.

Students in the US may take fewer courses but delve much deeper into the subject material than they might in their own country.

The focus of education is on student centred learning. Methods such as open-plan schools, team teaching and the use of visual aids have been implemented across the nation in the last several decades. Specific instructional outlines vary across states.

Most International students discover that the American teaching style is quite different to what they are used to. University environments are very liberal places and progressive politics are commonplace in the US at the student level.

Students are expected to speak up more in class than in their home countries. They are expected to be involved in class discussion and will have to present a speech or other performance to the class.

Every student is expected to:

• Actively participate in classroom work and discussions

• Manage time effectively to meet project, assignment, report deadlines

• Think critically, think outside of the box

• Think independently

• Present ideas clearly and concisely

• Manage assignment workloads

• Compete fairly

• Work hard and achieve excellent results

• Behave responsibly

• Treat all with a sense of equality.

Assessment and Plagiarism

Assessment

Even though every institution has is its own way to assess, among graduate programs there’s more variation so it’s vital for students to confirm requirements with institutions. In general, the way students are assessed in the US is as follows.

Standardized assessment

The vast majority of schools administer standardized tests. Every student at a specific level is required to take the same test. Everything about the test is standard including the questions and the length of time students have to answer.

Alternative assessment

Alternative assessment, which is also known as authentic, comprehensive, or performance assessment, is usually created by the teacher to gauge students’ comprehension of material. Examples of these measurements are:

• Open-ended questions

• Written compositions

• Oral presentations

• Projects

• Experiments

• Portfolios of student work

Alternative assessments are designed so that the content of the assessment matches the content of the instruction.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism means taking someone Plagiarism means taking someone else’s ideas or work and presenting it as their own, without acknowledging the original source.

Plagiarism is taken very seriously in the US. Students found to be plagiarising could fail the exam or assignment, or even be asked to leave the course.

Plagiarism: Understanding what this means in the US

The definition of plagiarism can vary significantly in different cultures and countries.

There are many ways of plagiarising; for example:

• Copying or paraphrasing text from websites, books, research papers, or papers written by other students, without acknowledging the source

• Paying someone to write an essay or assignment (also known as ‘ghost writing’)

• Duplicating work, for example a student submitting almost exactly the same work for two different assignments.

Students are part of an academic community in which ideas are shared, discussed and on the basis that the source of the ideas is acknowledged.

Acknowledging other people’s ideas is an essential part of academic integrity – values that students and academics follow to ensure their work is honest, fair and original.

Referring to sources can also help demonstrate a student’s depth of research on a particular subject.