warksgirl

I'm curious about people's opinions on schools here.

I like the idea of the extracurricular social and sports programmes offered to students in the American schools. It seems to give children a focus outside of the classroom.

But what about the academics? Are they prepraring the children properly for univiersity life?

I hear of so many university students dropping out because all they do is "party" and neglect studies. Mind you, that's life at uni in England (along with being a pauper). However, it doesn't seem to me that drop outs are as common as here.

I'd have thought that with the fees that have to be forked out here, it would be taken more serioiusly. I can only conclude that the children are not being aptly prepared.

Perhaps I have observed things incorrectly? I'd be greatful for other's experiences and thoughts, please.

Mad Max7

Oh no, something I feel real strongly about!! We have a 15 yr old girl and I would say IMHO that the school system here sucks big time. If you are good at sports (that means everything here!!) you are off to a good start. But if that is of no interest to u it seems to me that u are pretty much left to your own devices. They are given open book test (which to me defeats the object of the test) or they are given the answers on the blackboard (at the time of the test) There seems to be largly a lack of discipline and if you do have issues with schooling her superintendant and principal just ignore what is being said to them and do nothing about it. The education authority just ignores "issues" as well and passes the buck downwards back to those that have already ignored u. This is probably my biggest "pet hate" about the USA, no-one seems will to do anything about it and then we wonder why we produce a nation of kids that are un-educated and think that the world owes them a living. I am sorry if I appear angry but when its your kids who you want the best for it makes it real frustrating. To do nothing means looking back and saying "Oh I wish we had done something", well we have tried and no-one wants to know.

Manc

Max, where does your 19 year old go to school?

From my own personal point of view, the USA school aren't on an academic par of British schools. I am appalled at some of the work my stepkid turns in and it is accepted at school.

However on the flip side, Addam isn't an sports player at all, however he isn't looked down for it. He participates in extra curricular activities with regard drama and Odyssy of the Mind and in general from the parents evenings we go to it seems that the teachers really like him and want him to do his best.

If we moved back to the UK I fear he just wouldn't cope in school, he would klearn stuff that just isn't relevant like British History (tudors, Cromwell etc etc) At 14 and having never lived in the UK, it just isn't relevant to him.

I didn't do well at school either however. Growing up in Trafford where they still have the 11+, grammar and comprehensive schools was archaic and stupid. I passed my 11+ and because of that the teachers at Sale Grammar school thought we were all child prodigies or something and they thought they didn't have to teach us. I'd have been better off being a regular kid at a comprehensive school rather than a perceived clever kid whom didn't need teaching.
So in effect, British schooling in my opinion is far from brilliant either.

jjmb

They don't drop out of university here because they just stay on longer. My daughter's ex boyfriend is now in his 4th yr and he might graduate in 2006 if he has enough hours.

Most of the time, it depends on the structure of the school they are attending and how you register for your hours. So far, Elisabeth has been lucky because she is on the honors programme which means she gets to pick her subjects a week before the students. All the other students are allotted time to register via a computer terminal depending on their last name. Tough luck for souls with "young' as a surname. Then of course you have to hope the computer system works. Last yr Byron didn't get the hours he needed because the computer didn't record his entry. He noticed it almost immediately (before Mr Young entered his entries) but he still had to wait for late registration the week before the semster started but he still didn't get all the hours he required.

Of course the biggest problem with American universities are the number of kids who enter as undeclared because the schooling they recieve at High school has left them with no idea what they really want to do. As its the rite of passage here to go to college, you go regardless, whereas in Europe a lot of kids take a year out before deciding what to do. Byron was undeclared for 2 yrs (the max). Several of Elisabeth's friends have changed their majors a couple of times and even university, all of which adds up to more years in education as they need to make up the hours they don't have in that subject.

Then of course, now a degree isn't enough to get most jobs so then they are on the bandwagon for a masters. By the time they are in late 20's they might be able to get a job they are qualified for. Not that they haven't been working all that time, the local shops and restaurants would be lost without this valuable source of cheap labour, so they can pay their way through university.

NC Penguin

Purely based on what my US spouse has seen and my experience with some US students who spent a semester at my university in the UK, these are my comments:

US bachelor degrees are generally easier than UK bachelor degrees. I think this statement excludes the American "Ivy League" schools which are possibly more academically challenging.

I met my spouse whilst I was at university and he commented on the much higher workload that I had during my three years compared to his university course in the US. During my degree, I submitted coursework/projects/experiments on average every two weeks!

Also, it's not that unusual for US bachelor degree students to take more than the standard four years to graduate. The OP is quite right that American uni students like to party hard (especially if they belong to fraternities and sororities) to the point that they have drop out or retake a year.

Yes, going to university is a dead serious matter for the parents since they will be bearing more of the financial burden (initially speaking) than the student. For the student, heading to university is the opportunity for some freedom, i.e. away from home (even if it's within the same state as the parents), the opportunity to drink, take drugs, etc.




NC Penguin

warksgirl

Thanks so much for all of your input.

I have a lot of time before the university decisions have to be made. But you really need to get things right from the start and build the correct foundation.

As our kids have dual nationalities (US and British) we are hoping that ours will go to uni in England. However, you know how kids are and they may want to go where their friends go, which could be here.

We made the tough decision of sending my eldest son to a private school for gifted children. We really worried about whether he should be "out of the mainstream" so to speak. But we felt that this was the best place for him given he had an excellent start in a small village school back in Warks.

However, I don't know what we'll do when high school approaches. This is where my concerns are...

I don't know what to do, other than try to gather as much information as possible, follow my son's progress (both of them) and try to make an informed decision at the time.

Ah, parenting! Hard enough under normal circumstances, but throw in an international family and it just gets better!

Mad Max7

Manc, have just pm'd ya!