Advantages of education in the USA:
- Universally recognized academic standards of education;
- After graduating from the 11th grade of high school, students have the right to choose where to enter – college or university;
- The option of transferring between universities, including unrelated specialties;
- The student independently chooses subjects for study;
- Payment is made not every semester, but for the subjects studied;
- During the period of study, foreign students have the right to work officially;
- Students have the opportunity to receive scholarships;
- Flexible visa policy towards students;
- Lively and vibrant life on campus;
- US universities practice inclusive education – adapted for people with disabilities.
The education system in the United States consists of three levels:
preschools,
middle school,
higher school.
Experts advise to start getting acquainted with the American education system from high school. General educational institutions are divided into commercial, public, day and boarding schools. A US high school diploma gives the right to continue studying at the top universities in the world.
In the United States, children study at school for 12 years and, having received a certificate, do not hurry to apply to universities. School graduates use a gap year and decide on their further plans. Students who have not decided on a specialty, get a job in the field they are interested in, and find out how their expectations coincide with reality.
Students of American colleges receive a full-fledged diploma of completed education. Universities in the United States are divided into 2 types: colleges and universities. The diplomas received and the quality of education in universities and colleges are similar, the differences are in the size and number of specialties. A college prepares bachelors in a certain field of knowledge (engineering, economics), and a university is a kind of a conglomerate of colleges in a certain number of areas. In short: for those who want to get a bachelor’s degree, a college will do, and for those who plan to get a master’s degree, it is worth applying to a university.
Universities and colleges in the United States are private and public depending on the sources of funding. Although education in non-public colleges is more expensive, it is valued higher. For-profit universities in the USA have a brilliant reputation. Colleges of non-state ownership use an individual approach to students and provide a more serious knowledge base.
Separately, it is worth highlighting community colleges – public institutions where students undergo 2-year training and receive an associate degree – Associate Degree. It allows you to work, apply for an internship, enter the 3rd year of a prestigious university, saving a significant amount of money. Education in community colleges is beneficial because of the low cost: university tuition costs $20-60 thousand, and a year of study in a community college – $3000-$10000. Two-year colleges are ideal for applicants who have not decided on their future profession and want to delve into the study of the field to make an informed choice. In community college you do not need to pass entrance exams, it is enough to present a school certificate and a certificate in English.
The United States boasts outstanding universities that are consistently among the top world rankings. American educational institutions are famous for their exemplary academic standards and unsurpassed material and technical base, which allows to maximize the quality of education. In the ranking of 100 universities of the world QS World Ranking – 33 positions are occupied by US universities. And Times Higher Education magazine included seven American universities in the ranking of the top 10 world universities.
The main advantage of education in the United States is as follows: after completing a 2-year bachelor’s degree in college, from the 3rd year a student has the right to enter the desired university. Do you dream to enter the famous Ivy League universities, Princeton, Harvard? No problem! Students whose attempt to enter a prestigious university in the 1st year failed, in the 3rd year of study is again given such a chance.
Students independently choose subjects for study
The US universities have a credit system. Intending to obtain a bachelor’s degree, you will have to complete a training program that includes 120 credits (for 4 years). To obtain a master’s degree, students study another 30-45 credits (1-1.5 years). The average is 30 credits per year.
In American universities, credits often differ, and students who plan to transfer should pay attention: which credits coincide in university programs, and which ones will have to be completed.
In the process of admission to college, a student is provided with a list of possible credits within the chosen specialty. Some of the credits are compulsory (English, mathematics, history), and the second part is formed by the student independently, guided by personal preferences.
For example, future specialists in the field of accounting will have to include macroeconomics in the study program. This is the so-called major – the basic subject. There is also a minor, the second compulsory, more specific subject that deepens knowledge.