Education in the USA

America has had a great respect for education from its earliest times. Education is now the most important factor in determining a person's social role and economic prospects.

In the USA there are two major divisions in the elementary and secondary school system – public schools and private schools. The money for public schools is given by each state, so education in these schools is free. The cost of education in private schools is paid by the parents of the children who attend them. Not each family can afford it.

Education in the USA is compulsory for children from 6 to 16-18, depending on the state. Most children attend mixed schools with boys and girls together. A class of pupils is called a grade. A lesson is called a period.

The U.S. has the shortest school year in the world, an average of 180 days.Elementary (primary) and high (secondary) schools are organized on one of two bases: 8 years of

elementary school and 4 years of high school, or 6 years of elementary, 3 years of junior high school and 3 years of senior high school.

At elementary school lessons last 30 minutes. At high school lessons last 50 minutes. Usually there are two buildings: one for elementary school, another – for junior and high school. Pupils have no bags. At school they have boxes for books and notebooks. When they leave classroom they take a pass where the teacher writes his/her name. If the schoolchildren don't have it the director expels them for three weeks.

The pupils of high school are called students. Marks given to students for their work are called grades.Marks: A – excellent, B – very well, C – satisfactory, D – poor, F – unsatisfactory.An average day for a high school student begins with a brief "homeroom" period, when the roll is taken

and announcements are made. The rest of the day is divided into 8 or 9 periods. Each student has got his/her own class schedule. Every period students have a different class, with a different teacher in different room.

One of the characteristics of high school education is its great breadth. Students do not specialize in any particular direction, and they take classes in all kinds of subjects all through the high school period. They are given an immense choice of academic and non-academic courses.

No one high school is exactly like another. Both public and private schools possess a high degree of autonomy in organizing.

Teenagers are very conscious of the need to obtain good marks in their high school work if they wish to go on to a college or a university of high reputation. They also participate in a lot of extra activities, since colleges and universities want students with broad interests and talents. Some universities are very selective in their admission.

Higher Education in the USAThe cherished desire of any U.S. school leaver is to enter Harvard University (situated near Boston),

the most prestigious educational establishment in the USA. In their last year of high school, students often apply to more than one college or university. Each college or university in the U.S. has its own requirements for admission. Most schools require students to take a standard entrance exam. To decide whether or not to accept a student, colleges or universities usually consider the tests scores as well as the student’s high-school grades. In addition, some schools require a personal interview.

There are about 3000 institutions of higher education in the United States. American colleges and universities are either public or private. Private schools, like Columbia University and NYU, are more expensive than public institutions, which receive money from state or city governments.

Some of the best-known private universities are the oldest ones in the Northeast, known informally as the Ivy League. These include Harvard (1636), Yale (1701), and Princeton (1746). Most public colleges and universities charge tuition, as do private institutions.

The academic year is usually of nine months duration, or two semesters of four and a half each. Classes usually begin in September and end in June. During one term or semester, a student studies four or five different subjects. The students' progress is often evaluated through quizzes (short oral or written tests), term papers, and final examination in each course. Much instruction is provided by the lecture method.

The four years of study are uniformly known as the freshman, the sophomore, the junior and the senior.The crowning honour of the University students is the degree of Ph. D. (Doctor of Philosophy) although

that of M.A. (Master of Arts) – obtainable in less time and much easier condition.