Topics to discuss.

1. Public schools.

2. Private schools.

3. Q test.

4. After-school education.

TEXT II B

ACADEMIC STANDARD TESTS.

However, a high school diploma is not a ticket that allows someone to automatically enter a university. There are two widely used standardized tests for high school students who wish to attend a college or university. One is the SAT* (Scholastic Aptitude Test) consisting of three parts : Math, English and Logic. The other is ACT (American College Testing program), more commonly used in the western part of the US Both tests are of the multiple-choice type, i.e. you have to choose the most suitable answers out of the four given. Each year over three million high school students take those tests, set by non-profit, non-governmental organizations, at specific dates and locations throughout the US The results of the test are mailed to students. The maximum score for each subject is 800 points, a score of 700 is very good, 550 is the lowest score for getting into university.

In general, colleges and universities, whether state or private, are quite free to determine their own individual standards, entrance and graduation requirements, therefore admission policies differ considerably throughout the country, but the main principles are almost the same. If you want to apply to a university you should write an application, and sometimes an essay of some kind, and submit a copy of your high school transcript and letters of recommendation. Your good transcript and high SAT or ACT scores prove you are a good scholar while the letters should speak for your character.

The system of higher education in the US is rather competitive, and it becomes extremely selective the higher the level of education.. A lot of individuals seek admission to world-known private universities, although they must pay a high fee even to apply for admission. The best universities are the most difficult to get into: they admit about 15-17 percent of all applicants, while admission to law or medical schools has always been even more selective. Needless to say, those children who have attended better schools, worked hard, or come from wealthy families, often have an advantage over those who haven’t.

The most prestigious universities are the oldest private universities like Harvard (founded in 1636), Yale (1701), Princeton (1746), Pennsylvania (1740), and some others. They are called Ivy League (from ivy* climbing over the brick walls of the old university buildings). Private universities are generally smaller, and, therefore, very competitive; tuition fees are much higher, and academic standards* are also very high; the most famous professors teach at them, and the wealthiest students attend them. The quality of education is always better, and an Ivy League University diploma gives much better career opportunities. So, it’s worth all the money that goes into it. Americans believe that the more schooling you have the more money you will earn when you leave school.

State universities, unlike private colleges are partly subsidized by state governments, so the tuition is lower. They also bring in money for research being done at the university. On the whole, they are about the same as private universities: the same classes, similar faculties, roughly the same courses. Of course, the professors won’t be so famous, or the students so rich. Young people usually go to the university in the state they live, for they have to pay less in their own state and don’t have to compete because some public colleges and universities accept nearly all applicants. However, many state-supported universities have very good reputations, and the best of them, like the University of California at Berkeley, or State University of New York (SUNY) are rather competitive, and have many students from other states and countries.

The academic year in all types of educational institutions is divided into two terms, or semesters ( unlike British universities that have three terms)-fall and spring semesters. Upon term completion children break up for holidays, whereas university students have vacations.

NOTES SAT - Scholastic Aptitude Test - a test for determining the probability of a person’s success in learning.

Vocabulary:

to allow - позволять, разрешать;

widely - широко;

to attend – посещать

scholastic - учебный; школьный;

aptitude - способность; склонность;

commonly - обычно;

multiple - множественный, многократный, состоящий из нескольких(вариантов);

choice - выбор;

suitable - подходящий,

non-profit - некоммерческий;

non-governmental organization (NGO)- негосударственная/общественная

организация;

specific - определенный;

throughout - здесь: по всей (стране); to mail - посылать по почте;

score - счет (количество баллов);

point - очко, балл;

whether... or... - или... или..;

to determine - определять;

entrance - поступление;

graduation - завершение;

requirement - требование;

considerably - значительно, очень;

therefore - следовательно;

aptitude - склонности, способности

scholar - ученый (человек)

scholastic - ученый (научный)

ivy - плющ

academic standards - требования, предъявляемые к учащимся/студентам;

to apply (to) - обращаться (куда-то, к кому-то);

scholar - ученый; здесь: учащийся;
competitive - состязательный, соревновательный;

to seek - искать;

applicant - абитуриент;

while - в то время, как;

Law School - юридическая школа (колледж);

selective - отборочный, ибирательный, разборчивый;

advantage - преимущество, достоинство;

ivy - плющ;

to climb over - виться (вверх) по..; взбираться по..;

brick - кирпич;

tuition fee - плата за обучение;
to earn - зарабатывать, получать;

to leave(left, left) - здесь: заканчивать, покидать (школу);

unlike - в отличие (от);

partly - частично;

to subsidize - субсидировать, финансировать;

research - научно-исследовательская работа;

in the whole - в целом;

faculty - профессорско-преподавательский состав;

roughly - грубо, примерно;

to accept - принимать, допускать;

nearly - около, приблизительно;

state-supported – финансируемый штатом;

academic year - учебный год;

to divide - разделять;

term - семестр;

whereas - в то время как.