the american schooling system...

[ArcusPuer]

can someone please me how it works?
i dont get it at all,
like what is the diff between a college and university?
what age do u start college or whateva.
explain to me junior high .
and why is there a year called freshman? WTF!?!
im sorry it just really annoys me how weird it is...
like in australia (vic)it is so damn simple.
u have prep then grade 1 to grade 6which is primaryschool
then high school is year 7 to year 12 and then you can decide if you want to do a university course or not. well theres also tafe, which is more trade education i think.


anyway, somebody explain america to me,
include the average age for each year level please.

srry if this seems stupid to people but i just dont understand

The years are: (Elementary)Kindergarden, 1st through 5th, (Middle school) 6th through 8th, (High school) 9th/Freshman, 10th/Sophomore, 11th/Junior, and 12th/Senior.

Kindergarden- Five and six years old. There's a basic rule, which is take the year the student is in, and add 5 to it. That's how old they usually are when they start the year, and add another for the usual age when they finish. Example: 3 grader is 3+5=8 years old.

I'm not really sure of the difference between college and university... except that maybe university is bigger? The average age starting college/university is 18.

[George]

Also don't forget that down in Australia our school year is from January-December instead of July-June.

I usually go August-May.

[ArcusPuer]

ok,thanks
and now with college, does everyone move on campus? coz it seems that way, whereas i dont reallyt know anyone who has moved on campus in order to go to uni in australia.

oh and frats and sororites? whats up with that? seems like a stupid social clique system

Most people move on campus their first year, then they either stay or move after that I think.

Oh, they are.

[Wander]

Elementary School (usually ages 5-10)
Kintergarten
1st Grade
2nd Grade
3rd Grade
4th Grade
5th Grade

Middle School (Junior High, usually ages 11-13)
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade

High School
9th Grade (Freshmen, don't ask me why)
10th Grade (Sophomore)
11th Grade (Junior)
12th Grade (Senior)

College
Usually lasts four years, plus more years depending on your major and what degree you want. The schools themselves are called universities (Alabama University, Kentucky University), the act of attending them is "going to college". Each college has dorms on campus where the students can live, and some allow the student to live at home or an apartment. Fraternities and sororities are indeed just a stupid clique system - remember those silly clubs you made as a kid with initiation and secret codes and nonsense? Now imagine 20-year-olds doing it. That's a fraternity.

Most school years run from August of one year to June of the next, with several weeks taken off during the winter and various holidays throughout the year.

[Lexington]

>>>can someone please me how it works?

It doesn't.

Wander hit many of the main notes, but I'll expand on it a bit.

In elementary school, you tend to have one teacher for everything. You may have other teachers for "speciality subjects" like gym or music, but generally, you stay in one classroom and have one teacher. Elementary school normally goes until 5th grade, but some places (like here in Denver), 6th grade is part of elementary school, as well. It made it kind of confusing when I lived in California, started 6th grade in a middle school, and then moved to Colorado during that year...and ended up back in elementary school.

6th through 8th grade is middle school or junior high. Two different names for the same thing. I've seen middle schools that go through 9th grade, but that's sort of rare. In middle school, you go to different class rooms for each subject. You get a locker in the hallway to store your things (rather than just putting them in your desk in elementary school).

9th grade until 12th is high school. Same set up as middle school.

"College" and "university" tend to be used interchangeably, but they're technically different things. Any school of "higher learning" is called a college. If there's a group of colleges that operate collectively, sharing an administration, admissions program, athletic program, and so forth, that group of colleges is called a "university". So Cornell University (to pick one at random) has:

College of Arts and Sciences (the "generic" one)
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
College of Architecture Art and Planning
College of Engineering
School of Hotel Administration
College of Human Ecology
School of Industrial and Labor Relations

No matter which of these colleges/schools you're interested in attending, you would apply to Cornell University. Once there, you can take courses from any of the other colleges there, and they'd apply towards your graduation.

I attended a group of schools called the Claremont Colleges (because that's what city they were in). There were five main colleges, plus a graduate school (and a theological school that was a bit further away). We shared libraries, I could eat at the dining halls on the other campuses, and I could and did take classes at the other schools. But note that we were the "Claremont Colleges", not "Claremont University". That's because each of the schools there had different admission programs. I applied to each school directly, rather than through one over-reaching admission program.

All states operate state-sponsored universities, and most (all?) have campuses at various locations. These university campuses are usually known by the initials of the university, followed by the location. There's probably some reason why the University of California is "UC", and the Univerisity of Colorado is "CU", but I don't know what it is. So UCLA is "the University of California at Los Angeles", and CU-Denver is "the Univeristy of Colorado at Denver". Many state universities have one main campus, which tends to dominate the other ones. For instance, the Colorado University campus in Boulder is the main one. If you want to make it clear that you're talking about the main campus, you can say "CU-Boulder", but most people say just "CU", and it's assumed you mean "-Boulder."

Generally speaking, anyone attending any of these schools says "I'm in college". One might say "I'm attending university", but that seems a bit high-falutin'.

Lex

[ArcusPuer]

hey thanks lex, that makes a lot more sense now.

[Étoile]

Originally Posted by Lexington

>>>can someone please me how it works?

6th through 8th grade is middle school or junior high. Two different names for the same thing. I've seen middle schools that go through 9th grade, but that's sort of rare. In middle school, you go to different class rooms for each subject. You get a locker in the hallway to store your things (rather than just putting them in your desk in elementary school).

You guys were lucky. When I was in middle school, the only lockers we had were in the gym and that was only for gym students. So, with no assigned desks or lockers, we had to carry those damn books on our backs and in our hands all the way until we graduated.

There's also a grade called Pre-K (Pre-Kindergarten). It's completely optional but it's for kids who want to get a head start at their education. Only certain schools offer the program and a limited amount of kids get in. Most kids are 4 when they are accepted but I've heard of students getting in at 3 years old. I took Pre-K and it was basically daycare with more learning and no homework. LOL

In middle school, you switch teachers but stay with the same set of classmates until that next school year.

School year varies from place to place, but it's usually August-May or September-June. Mine was changed from August-May to September-June to 'match up with the other schools in America.'

Staying on campus is either mandatory or optional depending on what college you attend but when it's mandatory, it's usually just for undergraduates then you're able to live off-campus.

I don't know the full purpose behind fraternites and sororities, but I hear they have wild parties, the hazing (initiation process) is ridiculous and people have died from them, and for some odd reason looks really good on a job application.

[kevinx519]

i always thought of a college as a local and small university. usually its the site of junior college. junior college refers to the first two years of college where you finish your general (GE) credits that everyone, no matter what major, has to take. after you finish junior college, you can apply to a larger university or stay at the small college depending on your preference. after your second year of college (or university), you declare your major, the field of study you wish to go into, and then take classes to fulfill the credits need to graduate under said major. you graduate and, if you wish, may move onto a graduate school (such as med. school, law school etc etc) or just get a job with your degree. tada!

[Matty]

I must mention that in the Northeast, middle school begins with 5th grade, rather than 6th.

Greek life is meant to give people an association and sense of belonging. I do not partake in Greek life, but my roommate is considering it (although his is a true association, he won't have to live with the members), and it is just a way for people with relatively common ideas and desires to live together. And yes, they are known for wild times.

In my school district elementary was K-6, junior high 7-9, and high school 10-12.

I go to a community college (also called a junior college), many people go to a community college to get a 2 year associate's degree and then transfer to a university.

Both a university and a community college can be called college, but a community college can't be called a university.

[Matty]

Precisely... My cousin went to community college for her first two years, and is now having her regular college tuition paid for by her employer. She made smart moves for herself.

Another thing about community college...it's way cheaper than universities. Each semester my classes only cost me around $1000, and another $400ish for books. I've paid for 3 full semesters and one summer term by myself and hopefully next semester I'll be getting financial aid. So no student loans for me=no debt when I'm outta school.

And for community college you don't live on campus, that's not an option (at least not for the ones I know about).

[BeautifulStranger]

Some school systems have a junior high instead of a middle school...

I went to junior high, which is 7th and 8th grade.

[xequar]

Just as a point that I didn't see previously...

In the U.S., we use the word "college" generically to refer to both Universities and Colleges, or really any institution of higher learning. The expression, "I'm going to college," can mean that the person is going away to a state university or that the person is taking a class at the local community college.

[jazzrawr]

It works pretty similar to the Canadian system, but we don't have Junior High. Just public school and high school...and here, Colleges are smaller and 'easier' than universities - Uni is intense, college is easier.

[musican]

Originally Posted by ColbieMarie

Another thing about community college...it's way cheaper than universities. Each semester my classes only cost me around $1000, and another $400ish for books. I've paid for 3 full semesters and one summer term by myself and hopefully next semester I'll be getting financial aid. So no student loans for me=no debt when I'm outta school.

And for community college you don't live on campus, that's not an option (at least not for the ones I know about).

You are right that most community colleges don;t have housing, but there are a few that you can live on campus. I only know because I might attend one of them in the fall.

[Gumtree]

Och that's all so confusing.

In Aus it's just Primary school (Years 1-6) Highschool (Year 7-12) then University.

In Aus, a college is a Highschool that only has years 11 and 12 (sometimes 10) - they're generally private and offer more facilities and study options.