What to Expect in American High Schools

August 25th, 2017 | American Culture

Here are a few things common to many American high schools. How similar do they sound to the secondary schools in your country?

  • English

    Instruction is typically in English, though in some schools options for instruction in other languages such as Spanish are available. The better your English, the higher your chance for success.

  • Small Class Sizes

    Students from countries with 40 or 50 or more students per classroom may find it strange that is common for high schools in the United States to have an average of under 20 students per classroom.

  • Class Discussion

    This is related to class size. The value placed on class discussion fits with having smaller classes as well as the value placed on understanding why things work, not just how they work.

  • Class Rotation

    Students rotate from classroom to classroom, not the teachers, which means that the five to ten minutes between classes see the hallways filled with students heading from one room to another.

  • Mid-afternoon Dismissal

    High schools in the United States tend to end formal instruction in the middle of the afternoon. Students may choose to stay to participate in sports or clubs or they may simply go home or to an after-school job.