ContentsContents

General introductionGeneral introduction Early childhood educationEarly childhood education Primary and secondary schoolsPrimary and secondary schools Higher educationHigher education Supplementary information Supplementary information

Americans are proud of the fact that the window of knowledge is never slammed shut for any of the nation’s citizens.

Children are allowed to attend classes with kids of various races, schools have equal opportunities for both males and females, and for children with disabilities or handicaps.

Now each and every student can get an equal chance to be educated.

General Introduction

General IntroductionGeneral Introduction

American public schools have four basic American public schools have four basic characteristics in common: they are locally characteristics in common: they are locally controlled, free from religious influence, controlled, free from religious influence, coeducational, and publicly supported by coeducational, and publicly supported by taxes.taxes.

Early Childhood EducationEarly Childhood Education

In most areas, free public school education begins In most areas, free public school education begins with kindergarten classes for with kindergarten classes for five-year-oldsfive-year-olds..

Some public school systems also offer pre-Some public school systems also offer pre-kindergarten programs for four-year-olds.kindergarten programs for four-year-olds.

Some are introduced to the classroom situation at a Some are introduced to the classroom situation at a much younger age, either through nursery schools or much younger age, either through nursery schools or day care centers.day care centers.

Some communities have pre-and post-school Some communities have pre-and post-school programs for school-age children whose mothers programs for school-age children whose mothers leave for work before school begins and come home leave for work before school begins and come home after school lets out.after school lets out.

Primary and Secondary SchoolsPrimary and Secondary Schools

In the United States, classes of students are In the United States, classes of students are divided into twelve academic levels called divided into twelve academic levels called grades.grades.

One academic year is required to complete One academic year is required to complete each grade.each grade.

The child enters the first grade, at about age The child enters the first grade, at about age six, to do some academic work (learning to six, to do some academic work (learning to read, write, and do arithmetic) read, write, and do arithmetic)

Primary and Secondary SchoolsPrimary and Secondary Schools

The first academic institution that a child attends The first academic institution that a child attends is called grammar school or elementary school.is called grammar school or elementary school.

In some school systems, elementary school In some school systems, elementary school includes grades one through eight. The next four includes grades one through eight. The next four years are called high school.years are called high school.

In other school systems, there are three divisions: In other school systems, there are three divisions: elementary school (grades one through six), junior elementary school (grades one through six), junior high school (grades seven through nine), and high school (grades seven through nine), and senior high school (grades ten through twelve).senior high school (grades ten through twelve).

High schoolHigh school

Subjects (more specialized)Subjects (more specialized) English---grammar and literatureEnglish---grammar and literature social studies---American historysocial studies---American history American governmentAmerican government European historyEuropean history algebra, geometry, and trigonometryalgebra, geometry, and trigonometry 三角学三角学 general science course (one year) general science course (one year) detailed courses in biology, chemistry, and physicsdetailed courses in biology, chemistry, and physics foreign languageforeign language music, art, and physical educationmusic, art, and physical education

High schoolHigh school

Students meet a different teacher and a Students meet a different teacher and a different group of students for each subject.different group of students for each subject.

The high school student’s day may be divided The high school student’s day may be divided into nine periods: five for academic subjects, into nine periods: five for academic subjects, one session for physical education, a lunch one session for physical education, a lunch period, and two study periods(visiting the period, and two study periods(visiting the library or participating in an extracurricular library or participating in an extracurricular activity)activity)

At the stage of elementary education, the teachers At the stage of elementary education, the teachers have for a long time accepted the idea that the have for a long time accepted the idea that the important thing is to make the children important thing is to make the children happy and happy and interested.interested.

Schools in the United States have always stressed Schools in the United States have always stressed character trainingcharacter training or or social skills trainingsocial skills training through through extracurricular activities.extracurricular activities.

School and home are closely linked, and there is, School and home are closely linked, and there is, ideally at least, a sense of ideally at least, a sense of partnership between partnership between teachers and parents.teachers and parents.

Higher EducationHigher Education

American education on the college level is provided by American education on the college level is provided by more than 3,000 institutions. more than 3,000 institutions.

Some of them are supported privately and some by Some of them are supported privately and some by local and/or state government. local and/or state government.

Most are coeducational.Most are coeducational. Since World War II, one of the most dramatic Since World War II, one of the most dramatic

developments in higher education has been the developments in higher education has been the enormous increase in the number of students.enormous increase in the number of students. This expansion reflects the nation’s population This expansion reflects the nation’s population

explosion as well as a trend toward democratizing explosion as well as a trend toward democratizing higher education.higher education.

Higher EducationHigher Education

admittance: good high school record and test admittance: good high school record and test scoresscores

classification:classification: college--- offer only undergraduate coursescollege--- offer only undergraduate courses university---have undergraduate, graduate, university---have undergraduate, graduate,

and professional schoolsand professional schools junior college---offer the first two years of junior college---offer the first two years of

college onlycollege only

Some attend junior colleges with two-year Some attend junior colleges with two-year courses, most start full four-year degree courses, most start full four-year degree courses.courses.

The Associate(The Associate( 大专毕业证书大专毕业证书 ) in Arts or ) in Arts or Sciences degree of the junior or community Sciences degree of the junior or community college is a transfer degree covering the college is a transfer degree covering the first two years of the bachelor’s degree first two years of the bachelor’s degree requirements. requirements.

TestsTests

SATSAT: Scholastic Assessment Test: Scholastic Assessment Test

学术评价测验学术评价测验 Scholastic Aptitude Test Scholastic Aptitude Test 学术性向测验学术性向测验 ACTACT: American College Testing: American College Testing GREGRE: Graduate Record Examination: Graduate Record Examination

美国研究生入学考试美国研究生入学考试

After completing four academic years with After completing four academic years with acceptable grades in an approved course of study, acceptable grades in an approved course of study, the student earns the student earns Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts or or Bachelor of Bachelor of ScienceScience degree. degree.

A A master’s degreemaster’s degree can be earned by one or two can be earned by one or two academic years of study beyond the bachelor’s academic years of study beyond the bachelor’s degree.degree.

A A Ph.D. degreePh.D. degree usually takes at least three years usually takes at least three years beyond the master’s.beyond the master’s.

Degrees

About one-fifth of college graduates continue About one-fifth of college graduates continue with studies for masters’ or doctors’ degrees in with studies for masters’ or doctors’ degrees in their own major subjects or for professional their own major subjects or for professional qualifications in law, medicine, business, etc. qualifications in law, medicine, business, etc. in graduate professional schools.in graduate professional schools.

College gradesCollege grades

from highest to lowest, run A, B, C, D, F.from highest to lowest, run A, B, C, D, F. F is a failing grade. A student does not get F is a failing grade. A student does not get

credit for having taken a particular course if he credit for having taken a particular course if he receives an F in that course.receives an F in that course.

College students must maintain at least a low College students must maintain at least a low C average in order to remain in school.C average in order to remain in school.

Campus lifeCampus life

A college community is an interesting and lively place. A college community is an interesting and lively place. Students become involved in many different Students become involved in many different activities---extracurricular, religious, social, and activities---extracurricular, religious, social, and athletic.athletic. Extracurricular activities are college newspapers, Extracurricular activities are college newspapers,

musical organizations, dramatic clubs, and political musical organizations, dramatic clubs, and political groups.groups.

Student union where students can get together for Student union where students can get together for lunch, study sessions, club meetings, and socializing.lunch, study sessions, club meetings, and socializing.

At many schools, campus life revolves around At many schools, campus life revolves around fraternities and sororities.fraternities and sororities.

Public or PrivatePublic or Private

Most college students in the United States are Most college students in the United States are in “public” institutions, and only a minority in “public” institutions, and only a minority are in “private” ones.are in “private” ones. The oldest, and in some ways the most prestigious, The oldest, and in some ways the most prestigious,

colleges are private, founded partly from colleges are private, founded partly from endowments, and partly by contributions from endowments, and partly by contributions from business and above all, former students.business and above all, former students.

costcost

The rapidly rising cost of higher educationThe rapidly rising cost of higher education Harvard University(private): tuition+housing and Harvard University(private): tuition+housing and

food+ personal expenses =$24,000+$8,000+food+ personal expenses =$24,000+$8,000+$8,000 $8,000

Arizona State University(public): tuition+housing Arizona State University(public): tuition+housing and food+personal expenses=$7,000-$8,000+and food+personal expenses=$7,000-$8,000+$2,000-$3,000+$4,000-$5,000$2,000-$3,000+$4,000-$5,000

Supplementary Supplementary InformationInformation

The Ivy League (The Ivy League ( 常青藤盟校）常青藤盟校） Some of the best-known private universities in the Some of the best-known private universities in the

United States are located in the Northeast. United States are located in the Northeast. They are the oldest ones in America as well, known They are the oldest ones in America as well, known

informally as informally as the Ivy Leaguethe Ivy League. . These include These include Harvard, Yale, PrincetonHarvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, , Brown,

Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, and University of Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, and University of Pennsylvania, with the first three known as Pennsylvania, with the first three known as “The Big “The Big Three”Three”..

Harvard UniversityHarvard University

Harvard College was established in 1636.

It was named for its first benefactor, John Harvard of Charlestown, a young minister who upon his death, left his library and half his estate to the new institution.

Yale UniversityYale University

It comprises three major It comprises three major academic components: academic components: Yale College (the Yale College (the undergraduate program), undergraduate program), the Graduate School of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and Arts and Sciences, and ten professional schools.ten professional schools.

Yale University was founded in 1701.

Princeton UniversityPrinceton University located in the heart of Princeton, New located in the heart of Princeton, New

Jersey,Jersey, Princeton simultaneously strives to be Princeton simultaneously strives to be

one of the leading research universities one of the leading research universities and the most outstanding undergraduate and the most outstanding undergraduate college in the world.college in the world.

Residential Campus, Distinctive Residential Campus, Distinctive Education, Uniquely AffordableEducation, Uniquely Affordable