European School vs American School
Can Yucel Explains His Experiences
October 13, 2021
Hi, this is Can. I came from Turkey, and I’ve started my senior year. This is my first year in an American high school. Before, I was studying in an Italian high school in Istanbul. I wanted to write this article because when I started school this year, I realized how American schools are different than the European ones.
After I graduated from 8th grade, I took a test just like every 8th grader did in Turkey, and I placed in an Italian high school with my score. During my first year of high school (preparation year), every student in the school took Italian, and at the end of this preparation year, students took a language exam to start high school. I passed the exam, and I started high school. The curriculum was the same as other schools in Turkey except we were taking every class in Italian, and the other students’ classes were in Turkish. The school was small, and it was an ancient building. Only 250 students were in the school, so everybody knew each other. We felt as if we were family. We celebrated Italian holidays and festivals. This helped us to understand Italian culture. I’m glad that I was placed in that school and met all these people. I was a little bit worried about starting high school in my senior year in another country. However, after I started high school here, I met lots of people, and they helped me a lot. After two months, I’m glad that I made that decision. It’s also fun to see other cultures.
The Class System
There are many differences between the European school system and the US school system. The first and the biggest difference is that in the US, students follow their own schedules moving from class to class, but in Europe, students have one classroom where they take all of their lessons. It means that in the US, students follow their schedules, and they go to take the classes in their teachers’ rooms, but in Europe teachers go to the classes that belong to one class of student.
Lesson Options
In the US, all students have options to choose their own classes. There are some classes that are required by the state government. Other than those classes, students are free to choose whatever they want that the school offers. In Europe, it’s also optional but limited. In 9th and 10th grades, it’s not optional. So the students have to take lessons that are required by the government. However, in the 11th and the 12th grades students have 4 options. Those options are Verbal (Liberal Arts), Numerical (Focuses on Math and Science), Mixed (more math and literature classes) or Language (Focuses on English language). The students must choose the right option for themselves because that choice will affect what they are going to study in university.
Getting Into High School
In Europe, if students want to study in a normal high school they have to take an exam in 8th grade. This exam shows how well they score compared to others their age. Students may get into a better high school based on their score. This exam is usually based on 8th grade school education and intellectual ability. In the US, students attend the high school of the town that they live in.
Sports Teams
In Europe there are no sports teams connected to the school. If students want to do a sport, they can go and join a local team or apply for an amateur team. In the US, sports are connected to the schools, ,and schools are encouraging the students to do at least one sport. Plus, in Europe schools are not big enough to include athletic fields.
Lockers
In the United States, student lockers are outside of the classroom, and every student has their own locker. But in Europe, most of the schools don’t have lockers for students. Even if they have lockers, they are limited, and they are inside of the classroom.
Student Parking
In the United States, there are some parking areas that are supplied for the students at the school. But in Europe, students don’t have that chance. Actually, in most European countries, students do not get a car license until they are 18. In the United States, students get their license at 16, so most of the students are able to drive to school.
Size of the School Facility
American school facilities are much larger than the European schools. The main reason for the difference is that high schools in Europe don’t have gymnasiums or athletic fields. Actually in Europe, high schools are only a building and everything is in it.
School Day
In Europe school days are a bit longer than American school days. In the United States school starts around 8am and ends around 2pm. In Europe, school starts almost the same time as the United States, but it ends around 3pm. And some days, students might have to stay for extra classes after the school day if they want extra credits or if they fail a class.
Dress Code
One of the biggest differences between European high schools and US high schools is the dress code. In the US, students are allowed to wear whatever they want as long as they dress appropriately. But in Europe, most of the schools have their own school clothes that students can get from the school shop or local shop. Students have to wear those clothes when they are in the school or representing the school.
Personal Observation
I’ve been in both systems, so I can say that both systems have their own advantages, and they both make sense under their circumstances. However, if I have to choose to be a student in these systems, I would choose European because I think European education is more systematic and more serious than the American system. But if you want more freedom, more free time and do more hobbies, I think the American system would be better for a student. I’ve had good moments in both systems, and I’m lucky enough to see both systems. I’m glad that I had that opportunity. I believe wherever students go to high school, they’ll love it anyway.
Stephanie • Dec 31, 2022 at 10:09 pm
Most of the stuff about the American system is true with some exceptions. This one is not a big deal but American schools typically end around 3 or 4pm. Only upperclassmen with early release periods can leave early, and even then a lot of them are required to have a job to be able to leave early. Also, we put more emphasis on sports because people want the kids to be active and staying fit. In most states it is required to take a few sport, athletic training, or PE classes in order to graduate. However, just because there is an emphasis on staying in shape and being competitive does not mean we do not take academics as seriously. All schools have a competitive GPA system, which means students compete against each other to get the highest grade point average for all classes combined. GPA can make or break a person trying to get into university. GPA also incentivizes students to take harder classes as they can receive money and scholarships if their GPA is high.The harder the class, the higher the GPA is likely to be. Most American schools partner with local or state universities to offer “dual credit” or “dual enrollment”, which is essentially a high school student enrolling in university and taking college classes, such as MATH 2312, GOVT2305, STAT201, BIOL101, ENGL2322, and more. These are literally college classes, but the credit they receive from taking the class is accepted by both high schools and colleges, hence the term “dual credit”. This is extremely rigorous as it is a college class and most students in America have jobs to pay for their cars because most students drive, so it’s very stressful. There is also the AP (Advanced Placement) courses that are heavily self taught and delve deep into topics such as Calculus, American History, Microbiology, British Literature, and more. Both these forms of classes are extremely material dense and require HEAVY amounts of outside work, so more time is spent outside the class to make a passing grade. Over half of American students take some form of dual credit or AP at least once, and so the reason most international students or foreign exchange kids do not take these classes and deem American school “easy” or “not serious” is because they either do not have the prerequisites and GPA required to take these classes or they simply will not be able to handle the material they are given, because it is literally a college class.
Misinformation • Apr 1, 2022 at 6:23 am
This is misinformation. Europe is not a country. What you saw in Istanbul is not some standard for high schools in every European country. High Schools in most EU countries have study groups for topics and students go to respective classes with schedules just like in the US. “Classrooms” with fixed groups are only for primary-level of basic education from 1st-3th grade, because obviously a single teacher can teach multiple subjects for little kids.
Can Yucel • Apr 1, 2022 at 12:06 pm
This might be misinformation for you, but it’s not for me. I studied in Istanbul for 13 years (4 years in the European education system). Plus, I have friends everywhere in Europe and while I was working on this article, I also asked them what system they use in their schools. Most of them told me that they have a similar system in their countries as well. Some schools might be different, but the majority of them use this system.
You're An • Feb 3, 2024 at 3:37 pm
Your entire post is incorrect. If you spent 13 years in Istanbul then you cannot accurately say what American schools do and not do. And, as the other person said, Europe is not a country and in Germany they get out of school around 1pm unless they have other extra classes or attend an all-day program. In the US some schools start at 9am and let out at 330pm or 4pm. Sure this post is from 2021 but, for the last 40 years this is how the majority of US schools are. And, some of the other information is just whack. No, European schools do not wear uniforms, they wear whatever hey want. Are you basing your information solely on Hogwarts? I’m sorry but, only the rich private schools in the US wear uniforms. Most European schools do not. Even private schools. This article should be deleted, it is so fake news.
And Goodnight • Apr 26, 2024 at 10:03 am
Chill out. What has been presented here is an accurate account of what the student experienced in a European-style school. By all accounts of the study abroad students I’ve encountered, what they have presented is dead-on accurate. It’s an opinion based article, and therefore is not purported to be fact-in-all-cases. Shush