What are the course selection processes for American high school students?
First, the process of choosing courses for studying abroad in American high schools-defining the requirements for graduation credits
It is necessary to clarify the requirements for graduation credits, how many credits are required, how many credits are taken, and how many credits are taken in one academic year. Only by meeting the requirements set by the school can you graduate smoothly.
Second, the process of studying abroad in American high schools-consulting your own learning consultant
Be sure to consult your study consultant according to your own conditions, because the study consultant knows the curriculum and university entrance requirements best. At the same time, you should tell her your real situation and future college plans, and ask your study consultant to give some study suggestions based on experience.
Third, the process of studying abroad in American high schools-choosing compulsory courses
Let's take a look at how to choose compulsory courses first. Compulsory courses mainly focus on dozens of courses in four categories: mathematics, English, natural science and humanities. These dozens of courses are divided into ordinary, intensive, AP and university courses according to the degree of difficulty. When choosing a course, we should grasp the following points:
A. Some courses are specially designed for students of a certain grade, so you must finish the required courses on time, and don't always think about going to the class next year, which will definitely delay graduation;
B. Intensive classes, AP courses and university courses are all qualified, and students can only choose if they have certain conditions;
C. master the requirements of universities for various professional courses;
D In course selection, such as world history, American politics and psychology under "social science", we choose courses with advantages according to our own interests. Interest has laid the foundation for our future study direction, and advantages determine the average GPA score and what level of university we can go to in the future.
Fourth, the process of studying abroad in American high schools-understanding the main courses
Finally, let's take a brief look at these major courses:
English
American students pay attention to cultivating students' reading habits from primary school to high school graduation. After at least one hour of English study every day, students with good English can read novels in the fourth grade of primary school, and their vocabulary is almost 20 thousand. Even if I love English since I was a child, there is still a gap between what I have said to Americans for more than ten years. Generally speaking, it takes 2-4 months to get used to it, and literary literacy and reading speed will be gradually cultivated. Therefore, in the first year, we should choose some general courses (courses with low requirements for English reading) or ESL, and in the second year, we should take intensive courses such as American literature. When you reach 1 1 and 12, you should choose English literature, classical literature, contemporary literature, English writing and literature.
In addition, English skills are not only the basis for learning other courses, but also a strong guarantee for completing reports at ordinary times. Reading and writing are items in our application for SAT and ACT exams in universities, and they are also very important skills in our future work, such as writing emails and reports. So we must practice basic skills.
mathematics
Most high schools require students to study for three years. In the United States, China is known as a big country in mathematics, and mathematics is our strong point. However, American students generally don't recite multiplication formula after graduating from primary school, and may not solve a quadratic equation after graduating from junior high school. Usually, the order of mathematics learning for American students in grade 9- 12 is algebra → geometry → advanced algebra (algebra ⅱ) → preparatory calculus (or trigonometric functions and general analytic geometry). Calculus is a university course, with intensive classes in algebra and geometry in grades 9 and 10, and AP classes in advanced mathematics and calculus in grades 1 1 2. Therefore, it is suggested to strengthen the difficulty appropriately and learn some math intensive classes and AP courses.
natural science
There are some courses that China students have not studied, such as marine science and physiology, while China students have basic courses such as physics, chemistry, biology and geography. The general learning order of American students in grade 9- 12 is biology → chemistry →AP biology or chemistry → physics. According to the reflection, there are not many problems in physics courses for Chinese students, so we can choose some more difficult courses appropriately. There are many chemical and biological experiments, and the content is very deep, so people in China may not be able to adapt. Don't take too difficult courses when you are just in the ninth grade.
social science
In American politics, history, Bible and other courses, China students not only don't know the background, but also find it very difficult to read and understand if they can't reach their vocabulary. In addition, it is difficult to write papers and homework in English. It is conceivable that new students often spend 3-5 times as long as other students to finish their homework. American students often study world history in the tenth grade and American history in the eleventh grade, and compare it with British and American literature to deepen their understanding.
World language
Courses in French, Spanish and German are usually offered. Some states require students to complete the second foreign language course for two years, while others, such as Minnesota, do not require this course, so they can choose according to the requirements of each state. If the university plans to apply for liberal arts in the future, it is recommended to take foreign language classes.