EDUCATION
Year in England Nursery
Reception Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Year 9
Year 10 Year 11 Year 12 Year 13
Age of student Grade in the US 3–4 4–5 5–6 6–7 7–8 8–9
Preschool Preschool
9–10
10–11 11–12 12–13 13–14 14–15 15–16 16–17 17–18
Kindergarten Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
In the early years, children are eased into academic studies, and
there is a heavy emphasis on socialisation as well as developing basic English and maths skills. Indeed, it is generally agreed that, from Kindergarten to Grade 3, children are given an academic foundation that will be applied and developed more rigorously during Grade 4. The US system is typically divided into three levels or schools:
elementary (Grades K–5), middle (Grades 6–8) and high (Grades 9–12). Some districts vary this, occasionally including Grade 6 in the elementary level and offering a junior high school for Grade 7 and Grade 8, for example. Some districts may separate Kindergarten from the rest of the elementary school. Generally, however, the three divisions are acknowledged in the different configurations offered by districts.
How does the US curriculum content differ from the UK? In its content, the US curriculum is typically quite broad, and
students are expected to study a range of subjects – English, math, sciences, foreign languages, history, art, music and physical education – all the way to Grade 12. In the final two years of high school, students will typically have room in their schedules to take more than the required number of courses in areas that particularly interest them. They are assessed at the end of each grade as they move to the next, but the examinations used for these assessments are not national and have traditionally had relatively little bearing on their progression from year to year. They may contribute to the determination of which level of a course a student may take the following year and whether it would be at the most advanced or less advanced level. There are no exams comparable to GCSEs or A Levels.
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APPLYING TO ENTER A US UNIVERSITY
What does it take for foreign students to be accepted
into US universities? We asked some leading schools for their expert advice. Here were some of their top tips. Patrick McCarthy: high school principal of Town
Centre Private Schools in Ontario, Canada, “Foreign students who wish to be considered for
admission to top North American universities need to be able to demonstrate excellence in three areas:
• Academic achievement • English language proficiency • Community, social and extra-curricular involvement
Academic achievement means attaining good grades,
but for top schools students need more than just a high GPA. Students should be able to show they measure up against the best candidates, so they should look for a school where they can take IB or AP courses and do SAT preparation. English language proficiency means averaging at
least 6.5 or 7.0 on the IELTS test. Students whose first language is not English should look for schools with established ESL/ELL programmes. Early entrance to North American schools is often helpful. Students who complete four years in a North American secondary school are often exempt from the IELTS/TOEFL requirement. Community, social and extra-curricular involvement is
often overlooked but it is critical for students applying to top schools to show that they are well-rounded individuals. It often makes the difference in being accepted to the best universities and programmes. Students should look for schools that offer a wide range of sports, clubs and community service opportunities.” Harry Lynch: headmaster at The Newman School in
Boston, USA, “International students applying to American
universities should seek to demonstrate their potential for success in academically demanding English-language classrooms. Many students have strong mathematics and science backgrounds and while such skillsets are important, the question on the minds of an American admissions officer is what is the candidate’s English proficiency, not just in the intended major, but across the board?” Presenting a credential showing accomplishment in
English as an acquired language, such as participating successfully in IB English studies and passing the various components of the course (written and spoken) is an excellent way to give the evaluator confidence in the applicant’s potential. An English-language IB Diploma is even better, demonstrating emerging fluency across the liberal arts curriculum while affording the student opportunities to create thoughtful and original work in a favourite subject through the Extended Essay (EE). Newman students often submit a copy of their EE to the colleges considering their credentials.”
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