Beginning at approximately six years of age (according to state law), it is mandatory to attend elementary school in the United States. This stage of education is provided free of charge, and places are often offered depending on where the family lives. Elementary school usually lasts five or six grades, starting from kindergarten class. While public education is generally free, there are some fees associated with public schools, including the purchase of books, equipment, and uniforms.
These rates vary from state to state and between schools themselves. The cost of education starts long before your child goes to college. The American education system offers a wide range of options for international students. There is such a variety of schools, programs, and locations that the options can overwhelm students, even those in the U.
S. As you begin your search for an educational institution, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the American education system. Understanding the system will help you narrow down your options and develop your educational plan. Prior to higher education, U.
S. students attend elementary and secondary school for a combined total of 12 years. These years are known as the first to twelfth grades. Children start elementary school, which is commonly called “elementary school”.
They attend five or six years and then go to high school. Like American students, you will need to submit your transcripts as part of your college or college application. Academic records are official copies of your academic work. This includes your “grades” and “grade point average (GPA), which are measures of your academic performance.
Typically, courses are graded using percentages, which are converted into letter grades. The rating system and the GPA in the U. UU. It can be confusing, especially for international students.
The interpretation of the ratings has a lot of variation. For example, two students who attended different schools send their transcripts to the same university. Both have 3.5 GPA, but one student attended an average high school, while the other attended a prestigious school that was academically challenging. The university could interpret its GPAs differently because the two schools have dramatically different standards.
Your education counselor or counselor will be able to advise you on whether you should spend an additional year or two preparing for the U, S. If an international student entered a U, S. University or College Before you are eligible to attend college in your own country, governments and employers in some countries may not recognize the U, S of students. The school calendar usually starts in August or September and continues through May or June.
Most new students start in fall, so it's a good idea for international students to also start their U, S. There is a lot of excitement at the beginning of the school year and students form great friendships during this time, as everyone is adjusting to a new stage of academic life. In addition, many courses are designed for students to take in sequence, starting in the fall and continuing throughout the year. The academic year in many schools is made up of two terms called “semesters”.
Basically, if you exclude the summer session, the academic year is made up of two semesters or three quarters. A student who is attending a college or university and has not obtained a bachelor's degree, is studying at the undergraduate level. It usually takes about four years to get a bachelor's degree. You can start your studies for a bachelor's degree at a community college or at a four-year college or college.
Many students choose to study at a community college to complete the first two years of the previous courses and earn an Associate of Arts (AA) transfer degree and then transfer to a four-year college or institute. A “specialty” is the specific field of study that your degree focuses on. For example, if someone's specialty is journalism, they'll get a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism. You will be required to take a certain number of courses in this field to meet the degree requirements of your specialty.
You must choose your specialty at the beginning of your third year of study. A very unique feature of the American higher education system is that you can change your major several times if you wish. It is extremely common for American students to change majors at some point during their undergraduate studies. Often, students discover a different field in which they excel or enjoy.
The American education system is very flexible. However, keep in mind that changing majors may result in more courses, which means more time and money. Currently, a graduate of a college or university with a bachelor's degree may want to seriously think about graduate studies to enter certain professions or advance their career. This degree is usually required for senior-level positions in library science, engineering, behavioral health, and education.
In addition, international students from some countries are only allowed to study abroad at the postgraduate level. You should ask about the credentials needed to get a job in your country before applying to graduate college in the U. A graduate program is usually a division of a university or college. To get admission, you will need to take the GRE (Graduate Registration Exam).
Certain master's programs require specific tests such as LSAT for law school; GRE or GMAT for business school; and MCAT for medical school Graduate programs seeking a master's degree usually take one to two years to complete. For example, MBA (Master of Business Administration) is an extremely popular degree program that lasts about two years Other master's programs such as journalism only take one year Most of master's program is dedicated classroom study and graduate student must prepare lengthy research paper called “master's thesis” or complete “master's degree” project Many graduate schools consider obtaining master's degree as first step towards obtaining doctorate (doctorate). But other schools students can directly prepare.