The American Education System

Primary school

American children start school at the age of five years. The first year at school is called kindergarten. It is required of all American children to be enrolled in the American education system. The second year at school is considered the first year of primary school and is referred to as the first grade. In America, the word grade has two meanings: one is the score achieved on an exam or in a course, and other is a year of education in primary or secondary school. Primary school most commonly consists of five years of education, referred to as first through fifth grades.

Secondary school

Upon completion of fifth grade (the last year of primary school), American children advance to secondary school. Secondary school most commonly consists of a total of seven years, referred to as sixth through twelfth grades. The ninth through twelfth grades are most commonly referred to as the high school. Upon completion of twelfth grade, American students are awarded a certificate called the high school diploma (equivalent to the 12th class in India). In the American education system, just like India, students must have obtained a high school diploma before they are admitted into a college or university. Foreign students who wish to attend an American college or university at the bachelor's level must have completed the coursework that is equivalent to the high school diploma.  

Higher Education

After their high school diploam, the students enroll in a college or a university for a "four year" bachelor's degree which could be a BS, BA or a BPharma. With nearly 4,000 colleges offering almost 500 different fields of study, the United States provides countless options and opportunities for students looking for a successful and a rewarding program of study at bachelor's level. If you, as an Indian student decide that studying in the U.S. at a bachelor's level is a right  choice for you, it is important that you take the time and effort necessary to identify and apply to schools that best meet your adacemic needs. It is really easy to get confused with so many options available!

Undergraduate 

The goal of most students at the undergraduate level in the U.S. is to earn a bachelor’s degree, which usually takes four years of study. Students who have completed high school (12th class) and would like to attend college or university have a choice of two paths to a bachelor’s degree. One option is to begin your studies at a two-year community or junior college with an academic transfer program. Upon completion of your studies at a two-year college, you may apply for aa transfer to a four-year college or university, where you would complete your studies usually in two more years. The second option is to apply directly to a four-year college or university. These junior colleges offer either a two-year degree (called an associate degree-A.S.) or a four-year degree (called a bachelors degree-B.S.) in a specific course of study. That course of study is called the "major". While most schools that offer a four-year degree will admit students who have not yet chosen a major, all students are required to select (or at least declare) a major by their second year at college. Students who complete an associate degree can continue their education at a four-year college and eventually complete a bachelor degree.

In the United States, the terms “college” and “university” are often used interchangeably. College usually refers to an undergraduate institution offering the bachelor’s degree, while a university offers both undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Undergraduate programs in the U.S. colleges or universities are designed to give students a fairly broad educational background. Although Indian students may find it unusual, it is quite normal in the United States for undergraduate students to begin studying for the bachelor's degree without knowing what subject they will choose for a major. During the first two years, undergraduates usually take a variety of courses from different academic departments to fulfill what are often termed as "general education requirements." As a result, even those students who do declare or choose a major when they first enroll often decide later to change to another major that seems more interesting or is more suitable to their career goals. Most, if not all, coursework taken during this general education period will count toward graduation requirements. Usually, a student must select a major by the end of the sophomore (second) year. Thereafter the students will take many classes in their major, especially in the junior (third) and senior (fourth) years. In some cases, they may also be allowed to take a "minor," which is a secondary field which they want to persue in a little detail.

Graduate Education

Graduate education in the United States is very different from the system in India. This section gives you an introduction to the graduate degrees available in the U.S., the different types of institutions that exist, and some key terms and ideas you will come across if you want to study at a U.S. university.

Graduate Degrees

Once you have received a bachelor’s degree, you may continue your studies at the graduate level. More than 1700 universities and institutions in the United States offer graduate studies leading to a master’s degree or a Ph.D. Both degrees involve a combination of research and coursework, and they differ from undergraduate education in that they offer a greater depth of training in the chosen field, with increased specialization and intensity of instruction. Study and learning are more self-directed at the graduate level than at the undergraduate level. You as a gdaduate student will spend most of your time in the department in which you are doing your degree work, although there may be some flexibility for taking courses in other areas of interest. Normally, a master’s degree requires two years of study, and the Ph.D. requires an additional two years or more. To earn a doctoral degree, therefore, may take anywhere from four to seven years beyond the bachelor’s degree, depending on the field of study.

Depending on the subject, courses may be quite formal, consisting primarily of lecture presentations by faculty members, or they may be relatively informal, placing
emphasis on discussion and exchange of ideas among faculty and students. Seminars involve smaller groups of students than lecture courses, and students may be required to make presentations as well as participate in the discussions. Class participation, research papers, and examinations are all important.

Degree requirements are stated in terms of "credits" (sometimes called "units" or "hours"), and each course usually earns three credits, generally reflecting the number of hours spent in the classroom and the amount of other work involved. A master's student will usually accumulate up to 24 credits per academic year if the university operates on a traditional two-semester system. This includes 9 credits for fall (late August to mid-December), 9 credits for spring (early January - late April) and 6 credits for summer (early May - late July).

Master's Degrees

A master's degree is designed to provide additional education or training in the student's specialized branch of knowledge, well beyond the level of baccalaureate study. Master's degrees are offered in many different fields, and there are two main types of programs: academic and professional.

Academic Master's: The Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Science (M.S.) degrees are usually awarded in the traditional arts, sciences, and humanities disciplines. The M.S. is also awarded in professional fields such as engineering, technology and agriculture. Original research, research methodology, and field investigation are emphasized. These programs usually require the completion of between 30 to 42 credit hours and could be completed in one-and-a-half to two academic years of full-time study. They may sometimes lead directly to the doctoral level. (See "Important Difference" below.)

Many master's programs offer a thesis and a non-thesis option. The degree is the same in both the cases, but the academic requirements are slightly different. Students in non-thesis programs usually take more coursework in place of researching and writing a thesis, and then they take a written comprehensive examination after all the coursework is completed. Students in degree programs that include a thesis component generally take a comprehensive examination that is an oral exam covering both coursework and their thesis.

Professional Master's: These degree programs are designed to lead the student directly from the first degree to a particular profession. Professional master's degrees are most often "terminal" master's programs, meaning that they are the highest academic degree that can be obtained in that particular field of study and consequently do not lead to a doctoral program. Such master's degrees are often designated by specific descriptive titles, such as master of business administration (M.B.A.), master of social work (M.S.W.), master of education (M.Ed.), or master of fine arts (M.F.A.). Other subjects of professional master's programs include journalism, international relations, architecture, urban planning, public administration (M.P.A.), and public policy (M.P.P.).

Professional degree programs usually require completion of between 36 and 48 credit hours (usually two years of full-time study), and usually do not offer a thesis option. They do not always require that the bachelor's degree be in a specific field, but they may recommend a certain amount of prior study or coursework in the subject area.

Important Difference: One main difference between the two master's programs is whether or not they are designed for students who intend to continue toward a doctoral degree. Those that specifically do not lead to doctoral programs are known as terminal master's programs. Most professional master's degrees fall under this category. Credits earned in terminal master's programs may or may not be transferable or applicable in case you decide to continue toward a doctoral degree later on.

Some institutions restrict admission to certain departments solely to potential doctoral candidates, although they may award a terminal master's degree to students who complete a certain level of coursework but do not go on to their doctoral work. Other departments require a master's degree as part of the requirements for admission to doctoral programs.

Since policies vary from institution to institution and within various departments of each institution, it is best to check directly with individual graduate departments to determine the structure and admission policies for masters and doctoral candidates.

Doctoral Degrees

The doctoral degree is designed to train research scholars and in many cases future college and university faculty members. Receipt of a doctoral degree certifies that the student has demonstrated capacity as a trained research scholar in a specific discipline.

At the doctoral level, the Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy) is the most common degree awarded in academic disciplines. Other doctoral degrees are awarded primarily in professional fields, such as education (Ed.D. or doctor of education) and business administration (D.B.A. or doctor of business administration). Doctoral programs involve advanced coursework, seminars, and the writing of a dissertation that describes the student's own original research, completed under the supervision of a faculty adviser.

A comprehensive examination is given, usually after three years of study and completion of all coursework, when the student and the adviser agree that the student is ready. This exam is designed to test the student's ability to use knowledge gained through courses and independent study in a creative and original way. Students must demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of their chosen field of study. Successful completion of this examination marks the end of the student's coursework and the beginning of concentration on research.

The Ph.D. degree in the U.S. is awarded only to those students who complete an original piece of significant research, write a dissertation describing that research, and successfully defend their work before a panel of faculty members who specialize in the discipline. This may take an additional one-and-a-half to two years. To earn a doctoral degree, therefore, may take anywhere from four to six years beyond the bachelor's degree, depending on the field of study.

In the United States, you will find a variety of non-traditional doctoral programs as well; these programs might have very different types of requirements from the traditional programs. Prospective students should be sure of what is required to enter the program they are considering, and what is required to obtain the degree. This information is usually available from university catalogues and websites or directly from individual departments.

Specialized Professional Study

The path of study and entry into many professions in the United States differs substantially from the process in most other parts of the world. Certain courses of specialized professional study are only available at the graduate school level in America. The most notable of these are law, dentistry, and medicine. Students who want to pursue a degree in one of these fields must first obtain a bachelor’s degree in any other field.

In the United States, dental study usually begins after four years of undergraduate study. Universities do not have undergraduate programs in dentistry; students planning to study dentistry can major in any subject, but should have a minimum number of prerequisite undergraduate courses in the biological sciences, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, as well as in the humanities and behavioral and social sciences.

Similarly medical study in the United States generally follows completion of a bachelor's degree. Admission to medical study is very competitive. Less than half of U.S. citizen applicants are accepted to medical school, and typically less than 3 percent of international applicants are accepted.

Types of Institutions

Colleges, Universities, and Institutes: The Distinction
Degree-granting institutions in the United States can be called by any of these terms, and colleges and institutes are in no way inferior to universities. As a general rule, colleges tend to be smaller than universities and usually do not offer doctoral degrees, while a university offers a wide range of graduate programs, including doctoral degrees. Universities emphasize research as well as teaching (traditionally a strength of colleges), and universities that offer doctoral programs are usually referred to as research universities.

An institute usually specializes in degree programs in a group of closely related subject areas, so you will come across degree programs offered at institutes of technology, institutes of fashion, and institutes of art and design. Research centers offer graduate degrees or research and training opportunities, and they may or may not be affiliated with universities.

Within each institution you may find schools such as the school of arts and sciences or school of business. Each school is responsible for the degree programs offered by the college or university in that area of study.

Private and Public Institutions
Both public and private universities offer degree programs. The terms "public" and "private" refer to the way in which universities are financially supported.

Public universities may also be called state universities, and some include the words "state university" in their title like Florida State University or include a regional element such as "eastern" or "northern" such as Northern Illinois University. State universities tend to be very large with enrollments of 20,000 or more students. Since public universities obtain a part of their support from the state in which they are located, the tuition they charge is often lower than that charged by private institutions. In addition, public institutions generally charge lower tuition to state residents (those who live and pay taxes in the state) than to students coming from outside the state.

Private institutions are supported by student tuition, investment income, research contracts, and private donations. Tuition fees tend to be higher at private universities than at state universities, and they charge the same tuition to all students, both state and non-state residents. Colleges with a religious affiliation and single-sex colleges are private. In general, private universities have enrollments of fewer than 10,000 students, and private colleges may have 2,000 or fewer students on their campuses.

Except for financial considerations, the public or private nature of a university should not be a factor in selecting a graduate program. High quality programs exist in both types of institutions. Of more importance is the institution's commitment to the graduate program. This commitment is found in its willingness to maintain a first-class faculty and to provide excellent facilities for advanced study, including libraries, laboratories, computers, and other equipment. Another important factor to consider in many disciplines is the presence of strong departments in other fields relevant to your interests so that you can have access to scholars and courses in disciplines related to your own.

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate Programs
In the United States, each school sets its own admission policy and requirements. Students should have completed at least 12 years of primary and secondary education prior to applying to colleges or universities. Most four year colleges/universities require the following:

• High School (12th grade) transcripts and academic records
  
• SAT I Reasoning Test
  
• TOEFL
  
• Personal Statement
  
• Recommendation Letters
  
• SAT II Subject Tests (if required)

Graduate Programs                                                            For entry into graduate programs, students should have completed the course of studies leading to a bachelor’s degree and earned excellent grades, especially in the major field of study. For master’s degree programs, especially the professional masters such as the MBA, relevant work experience is often a requirement, if not, an advantage to gaining admission. Generally U.S. graduate programs require the following for admission:

• Undergraduate transcript and academic records
  
• TOEFL
  
• GRE / GMAT test scores
  
• Personal Statement
  
• Recommendation Letters
  
• Work experience (if required)
  
  

English Language Skills
Strong English language skills are essential. You need English to understand lectures, read textbooks, write papers, take examinations, and participate in class, as well as for daily communication. A good way to measure your skills is to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Most undergraduate programs require minimum scores of 61 to 80 on the internet-based test (iBT). For graduate school applicants, the minimum TOEFL requirement is 79-80 on the iBT.