1. Education in the United States
School
College
University

2. Primary School usually known as elementary education.
consists of five years of education, referred to as first through fifth grades.
It is the first stage of compulsory education
preceded by pre-school or nursery education
followed by secondary education.

3. Primary school (continued)
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 enrolled in the American education system.
The second year at school is considered the first year of primary school and is referred to as first grade.
In America, the word grade has two meanings:
(1) the score achieved on an exam or in a course, and
(2) a year of education in primary or secondary school.

4. Goals of Primary Education
achieving basic literacy and numeracy amongst all pupils
establishing foundations in science, geography, history and other social sciences. The relative priority of various areas, and the methods used to teach them, are an area of considerable political debate.
classes with one teacher, class composition changes every year.
excellent equipment, Internet access;
opportunities for foreign students, students with disabilities, etc.

5. Secondary School
junior high school and high school (different locations)
upon completion of fifth grade (the last year of primary school)
secondary school most commonly consists of a total of seven years. The 6th through 8th grades are junior high and the 9th through 12th grades are most commonly referred to as high school.

6. Curriculum Issues
in the US there are no such organizations as the Ministry of Education or State Committee of Education that develop standard curricula for schools and universities (as well as admissions requirements)
curriculum varies from school to school
Students are required to choose classes
American School Counselors Association
self-reliance, no parent meetings, bi-monthly parent report

7. Types of high schools
college preparatory high school (academic focus),
vocational high schools (technical education),
special high schools (for students with disabilities),
online schools
home schooling

8. School Exams
Upon completion of twelfth grade, American students are awarded high school diploma (required to be admitted into college or university). Pre-requisite Graduation Tests
The SAT Reasoning Test (formerly Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardized test for college admissions in the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, a non-profit organization in the United States, and was once developed, published, and scored by the Educational Testing Service (ETS)
The College Board claims that the SAT can determine whether or not a person is ready for college.
The current SAT Reasoning Test takes three hours and forty-five minutes and costs $45 ($71 International)
In 2005, the test was renamed to the "SAT Reasoning Test" with possible scores from 600 to 2400 combining test results from three 800-point sections (math, critical reading, and writing), along with other subsections scored separately

9. Special programs
In addition to bilingual and bicultural programs many schools have special programs for gifted students or for students with learning and reading difficulties, as well as free school education and professional training for people with disabilities.
All the education system of USA have always stressed the importance of "character" or "social skills" through extracurricular activities, including organized sports. There is usually a very broad range of such activities available.
Give pupils a chance to be together outside normal classes, help to develop a feeling of "school spirit".
School athletics. College scholarships for athletes.

10. Undergraduate School
Students who have completed high school and would like to attend college or university must attend what is referred to as an undergraduate school:
a two-year degree (called an associate degree) or a
four-year degree (called a bachelors degree – Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BA) in a specific course of study. That course of study is called the major (is to be selected by the end of the second year at school).
Students who complete an associate degree can continue their education at a four-year school and eventually complete a bachelor degree.

11. Graduate School Two types of degrees:
a master’s degree (Master of Arts - MA, Master of Science – MS) usually a two-year degree that is highly specialized in a specific field). Students are sometimes admitted to a master’s degree program only if they have a bachelor’s degree in a closely related field. However, there are many exceptions to this, such as with students who want to pursue a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) degree.
a doctorate degree, also called a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy). A PhD degree can take between three and six years to complete + a very intensive research paper that must be completed prior to earning the degree.
a research paper (thesis or dissertations) is required of students pursuing a PhD, and may sometimes be required of students pursuing a master’s degree (depending on the school).
Correlation of Russian and US degrees.
Certain courses of study in US 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.

12. Financial support to university students
Student loans
State scholarships
University scholarships
Teaching and Research assistantship
Grants
Need-based
Merit-based