Read in conjunction with our curriculum guide.
- The American education system is divided into three stages: Kindergarten/Elementary (K-grade 5, ages 5-10), Middle School or Junior High School (grades 6-8, ages 11-14) and High School (grades 9-12, ages 15-18).
- The curriculum is quite broad, and students study similar subject areas all the way through school, however, in the last two years of high school students can usually choose to study additional subjects to the required programs.
- The Common Core State Standards (CCSS) are a group of common standards in Language Arts and Mathematics which have been adopted by many American states for kindergarten through to the senior year of high school. They outline what students should know and be able to do in each year of school for these two subjects.
- At the end of high school, grades for the previous four years are averaged into a Grade Point Average (GPA) which students can use for college/university applications. Students are also awarded a diploma or certificate on graduation from grade 12.
- Students can tackle college level work through the medium of Advanced Placement (AP) courses whilst in high school. Through taking AP exams, they can earn credits towards college and or/boost their GPA score.
- During the Spring of their junior year of high school or the fall of their senior year, many students will take the SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) or ACT (American College Test) exam. These are multiple-choice entrance exams used by many colleges and universities (although some are now making it optional) to make admission decisions.