(see also the US-5 web resources, including the Structural Chart of U.S. Education)

General Background and Administrative Structure

1. Education is the responsibility of each of the 50 states. While overall structure is similar, there may be considerable differences in financing, options, 'equality' and other aspects from state to state.
2. Public education is further decentralized within each state from a State Board of Education down to local school districts; general requirements established by the State Board of Education are implemented by school districts relative to local need and financing.
3. Local school districts are administered by an elected School Board of public citizens, headed by a hired educational professional, the Superintendent of Schools. The School Board hires teachers, decides on textbooks to be used, and administers local school finances.
4. School financing is traditionally based on property taxation, but in recent decades has increasingly been supplemented by State and sometimes Federal funding in order to increase equal opportunity (for example between suburban and "inner city" schools).
5. Public schools provide a 12-year curriculum (K-12) of primary and secondary education leading to the High School Diploma. Usually structured in a "6-3-3" plan, but "6-2-4", "8-4" and other options are also used.
6. In addition to public schools, there may also be "parochial" and private schools which provide either all or parts of the 12-year curriculum.
7. In large public school districts [where the same district includes more than one school for each level] there may be "magnet schools," which "attract" higher-level students and offer a more advanced curriculum. There may also be "charter schools," which are publicly funded but privately administered, often with a specialized curriculum. Home schooling, often in loose coordination with the public schools, has been increasingly an option in recent years.

The Primary (Elementary, "Grade", "Grammar") School: Grades K-6

1. Usually begins with half-day kindergarten at age 5
2. Various "pre-school" options may be available; "Head Start" program...
3. Classroom-based teaching focusing on the "3 R's" (reading, writing and arithmetic)
4. "Tracking" often used to make teaching more specific to aptitude, though "mainstreaming" is also used.
5. Extracurricular and co-curricular activities have traditionally been emphasized from the beginning, with extracurricular activities increasing after the 3rd or 4th grade

The Junior High (Middle) School: Grades 7-9

1. Subject-based teaching, changing of teachers and subjects each class hour
2. Individualized curriculum begins with choice of different options for required subjects by ability level, and varying options for non-specific course requirements
3. Extracurricular activity widens, inter-school activities begin

The Senior High School: Grades 10-12

1. "Comprehensive" secondary education, combining 'academic' and 'vocational' subjects for 100% of the age cohort
   1. Preparation for higher education for those who are continuing
   2. Basic vocational skills and foundation for further training for those who will enter the work force directly
   3. Essential citizenship skills, both general and state-specific, for all
2. High School Diploma requirements are relatively general, and may vary widely from state to state, and over time within states. A common objective, however, is that HS graduation should be achievable by 100% of the age cohort at their different educational levels; one rough example of this is:
   1. 17 "units" required over the final 4 years, with a "unit" being one hour of a six-hour school day taken each day of a 5-day week throughout the school year
   2. Ca. 8-10 of these units usually specified by 'field' (3 English, 3 History/Civics, 1 Math, 1 Science, 0.5 "Health", 1 P.E. (over 4 years), with the remaining units comprising individually-chosen subjects by field, future need, and ability level
   3. Subjects like foreign languages often not required for the High School Diploma, but are taught and may be required to get into further education
3. Extracurricular activity widens further; it is noted on one's school transcript and is often influential in admission to higher education or competitiveness for employment
4. Urban school districts may have specialized high schools, eg. "Aviation High", "High School for the Performing Arts", Vocational High Schools, etc., and/or general or specialized "Magnet" schools
5. High-school-level "charter schools" have increased rapidly in recent years. Charter schools are free public schools with competitive admission for a 'specialized' study curriculum. There are presently charter schools in 40 states plus the District of Columbia, comprising over 15% of U.S. secondary students (vs. ca. 12% for private schools, including parochial schools)
6. Options to public schools include parochial schools (administered by a church or religion), private day and boarding schools, military academies, and home schooling

After High School: Admission to Further Education

1. Primary choices: Vocational colleges or institutes, Community Colleges, Liberal Arts Colleges, Universities
2. Universities offer a wide range of Master-level degrees in addition to the Bachelor's degree; research universities also offer doctoral degrees (academic and/or professional)
3. Requirements: High school diploma, transcript of grades & activities, references, financing. For admission to private (vs 'public' state universities) institutions, often also personal interviews, high scores on the "SAT" or equivalent exams, evidence of personal distinction vs other potential applicants, 'suitability' for the institution in question, etc.
4. Students obtain the undergraduate (Bachelor's) degree, and then apply for admission to a graduate (Master-level) program, often moving to a different institution for each degree
5. Admissions policy at all institutions and levels tends to focus more on the individual as opposed to a statistical entity (cf. Finland), also subject to political and social policies

Typical Course Structure and Requirements in U.S. Higher Education

1. U.S. academic course structures and expectations differ considerably from those in Finland
2. Normal 'limit' on the number of courses students can take in a particular term; often 5-7 courses (16-20 'credit hours') based on the semester-long "3-hour course" concept. Students take fewer courses, but they will meet more frequently over a longer period and each require more work than a 'standard' Finnish undegraduate course.
3. A combination of basic textbook readings, supplementary readings, one or more term papers, a mid-term and final examination, plus class participation and occasional 'pop quizzes' is the norm for course structure; lectures will expand on the course readings.
4. Cumulative grades in all the student's courses form a "G.P.A." (grade point average) which determines whether a student will be eligible to continue in the university, and/or to be admitted into a particular major subject in 'upper-division' undergraduate studies, or qualify for academic scholarships and other honors.
5. See Grades and Credits in U.S. Higher Education for an overview of grading & course structure
6. See also examples one, two and three [all PDF] of individual course curricula and evaluation requirements from different subjects taught at the undergraduate level in different institutions

Higher Education: Community Colleges (Junior Colleges)

1. Intended mainly for residents of a particular community; do not provide housing
2. Combine a 2-year academic "transfer program" with vocational training specific to community needs and "recreational" adult education courses
3. Award the Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree (transfer program)
4. Low tuition cost, "low-threshold" admissions, accommodates both full- and part-time students

State (Public) Universities

1. Each state has a public State University system, often with multiple campuses, larger states may have multiple systems of Masters-level and Doctoral-level universities (cf. California State University System vs University of California System)
2. State universities designed to meet the higher education needs of that state, meant primarily for state residents, financed primarily by state funding, all provide a solid, quality education
3. Admission policies vary by state from open-admission to exclusive
4. Advantages: relatively low tuition (cf. private universities), relatively easy admission, wide range of study options, relatively close to home (for state residents)
5. Potential disadvantages: may be relatively "mass" education, especially during the first two years; fewer opportunities for personal interaction with teaching staff and fewer individualized study options, generally higher attrition rate

Liberal Arts Colleges

1. Mostly private (as opposed to public "state" institutions)
2. 4-year curriculum leading to the Bachelor's Degree
3. Admissions may be quite selective and tuition costly
4. Often provide a highly-personalized, supportive study environment
5. May differ significantly in status, orientation of studies, etc
6. Offer primarily the undergraduate (first, Bachelor's) degree, although some colleges may also have limited Masters-level programs

Private Universities

1. Extensive range of private universities of differing types, aims and qualities
2. Private universities may admit whatever mixture of students they wish, as long as they do not violate "equality" or "equal-access" statutes
3. Range includes very high-status universities (the "Ivy League" institutions, Stanford, etc.), less-selective provincial universities, religiously-oriented universities, special-curriculum or special-needs universities, ethnic-oriented universities, business-sponsored universities, etc.
4. Advantages: usually fewer students, lower student-faculty ratio, admitted as an "individual", more personalized support and study options, more personalized counseling & career services, high graduation rates
5. Disadvantages: often much higher tuition costs, more selective admissions policies, may be a much greater distance from home

Graduate School and Graduate Education (Public or Private)

1. Admission to a Masters program of ca. 1-2 years (full-time study plus a Master's Thesis), and then often separate admission to a Doctoral program of at least 1-2 more years of full-time coursework, plus the writing of the Dissertation
2. Academic graduate degrees (Humanities, Sciences, etc.) and Professional graduate degrees (medicine, law, journalism, theology, etc.).
3. With increasing specialization, students often move to different institutions which have more specialized profiles and professors in their area(s) of choice
4. Graduate students often receive financial assistance as "Teaching Assistants" (TA's) or "Research Assistants" (RA's)

Student Activities and Organizations, Student Life

1. Social "fraternities" and "sororities" (the 'Greek' system) sometimes the basis for campus social life; examples: Sigma Chi, Phi Gamma Delta
2. Also academic (honorary, professional) fraternities and sororities; example: Phi Beta Kappa
3. Rich menu of extracurricular and co-curricular activities, clubs, associations
4. Recent trend toward campuses providing health clubs, leisure centers, etc. as an incentive in the competitive recruitment of new students
5. History, especially for more ambitious students on more competitive campuses, of intense study pressure, long library hours from Sunday evening through Friday afternoon; may result in weekend 'blow-outs' (binge drinking, etc.) on Saturday evenings
6. Generally speaking, relatively few visits home per school year
7. Often (at undergraduate level) adjustment problems with being away from home & parents for the first time, temptations of extracurricular activities vs study pressures, etc.