The U.S. education system is flexible and democratic: with a high variety of programs, students, both high school and college students, have the opportunity to choose their own subjects and to change their major. Even at the university you can transfer from one department to another, study additional courses, and create your own educational program.
Preschool Education in the United States
Preschool education in the United States begins in early childhood almost from the womb. You can enroll your child in day care from as early as 6 months of age. There he/she may stay from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. A child may be taken to day care even after school since by law he/she may not be home alone until the age of 12. All kindergartens in America are paid; the average monthly fee is about $1,200.
For children from three to five years of age there are “preparatory groups” at schools. At this stage much attention will be paid to general development, socialization, and literature, as the preschool education system aims first of all to teach the child reading skills.
However, kindergarten and preschool classes are still an optional step. Compulsory education in America begins in school and lasts 12 years.
The U.S. School System
Unlike in many countries, there is no unified educational plan in America: the state board of education establishes a general plan, and the board of education at a particular school sets more precise plans.
The school year in the United States is divided into two terms. Classes are five to six hours a day with a lunch break. Afternoons are most often devoted to sports, hobby clubs, and other socially useful work, which are an essential component of an American school education.
Public and Private Schools in the United States
By the type of financing schools in the United States are divided into public (public schools) and private (private schools). The level of teaching in public schools varies not only from state to state, but even within the same city. The fact is that funding for public schools comes from the county budget (most often from property taxes). As a result, schools in “expensive” districts are well resourced, and as a consequence – material facilities, strong teaching staff, and overall high academic performance. Since, under U.S. law, a child can only attend the school to which he or she belongs where he or she lives, this system leads to higher property values in areas with “strong” schools. Taxes go up, the school gets even more funding. The opposite is true in “cheap” districts: the lack of funding leads to the fact that schools remain weak.
Private schools are financially independent organizations that receive subsidies from sponsors, as well as charging tuition. The availability of high levels of funding allows them to maintain high levels of performance: excellent facilities, a strong teaching staff, and small class sizes make these institutions the “cradles” of future diplomats, politicians, and top managers.
Higher Education in the United States
The U.S. higher education system includes colleges and universities, both private and public. According to international rankings, most of them are among the best educational institutions in the world. It is worth replacing that, unlike the European education system, there is no qualitative difference between college and university in America. For example, even Harvard, first in the 2016 rankings, is actually divided into schools, colleges, and institutes. The only difference is that colleges only offer undergraduate programs, while universities and institutes provide opportunities to do research and pursue an academic career in graduate school (1-2 years), graduate school (3 to 6 years) and postdoctoral research. If the student’s specialization is in medicine, law, or theology, the study pattern is somewhat different: after completing the bachelor’s program, the student may enroll in a higher professional school. Such institutions exist at major universities, and they last three years.
Technical institutes and community colleges are part of vocational education, but they can serve as the first level of higher education if the student transfers to a university for a bachelor’s degree after completing a bachelor’s program. Usually the transfer takes place in the second or third year.