Canadian High School education vs. US High School education

[July09Bride 1]

Just a note... if you look back at the OP, nothing is said there about a college/university education. Just a HS education.

[jhunjhun 7]

I was told by this agency that U.S High school Diploma is the one of the requirements by the State of Arizona in order to be qualified. I believe, this agency is governed by State of Arizona and if they don't comply with state rules, their business will become suspended. Meaning, my college degree is useless.

[Flames9_RN 358]

I highly recommend the company I listed. They were excellent to deal with, and very quick!! Even their replies to my emails were quick. Not sure how much they charged.

[amberL 0]

Okay, as a teacher (for 16 years) in the United States, I feel like I have to speak on behalf of Public Education here. First of all, every state, every city, and even every DISTRICT, in the US has different policies, procedures, and believe it or not, curriculum. I taught in Arizona and am now teaching in Michigan. Although the same topics are covered, some districts cover material at different levels. Unfortunately, it is a researched fact that Florida is in the bottom of all rankings for education. So, that's probably why domegirl had to take classes over again. Now, when it comes to private schools, they're just that. Private. They don't have to hold to the same standards as the public schools. Some schools are more lax than public (I've seen that from kids transferring in to my class from private schools) and orther private schools are more stringent than public schools (I've seen that too). So, fortunately or unfortunately, because the US school system is not government controlled, there will be those differences.

My fiance and I have gone round and round regarding education in the US vs. Canada. They both have their pluses and minuses. I'm trying to be honest here and not play favorites... honest!

I also agree with domegirl and treble... schooling is schooling. I do things differently than other 4th grade teachers at my school! LOL Just depends on who you get for what subject/grade which year!

In addition, some employers are only familar with their local education systems and are too dang lazy to find out on their own what else is out there.

Excellent post! Never forget, school in America is very dependent on the state and district. My cousins went to school in Kansas and they weren't taught about evolution while I went to school in Georgia. The teacher, by law, has to read a statement saying evolution is a theory and only a theory before we could learn about it. My friends that went to public school in New York were taught evolution without the theory statement.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahaahhaahahahahaha omg reminds me of that one south park... Seriously. Just made my day.

[MrsCat 6]

I was told by this agency that U.S High school Diploma is the one of the requirements by the State of Arizona in order to be qualified. I believe, this agency is governed by State of Arizona and if they don't comply with state rules, their business will become suspended. Meaning, my college degree is useless.

That's just weird, but I guess if you want to job you have to jump through the hoops.

[DeadPoolX 9]

I doubt very many Americans really understand (or care about) the Canadian education system. Canada, in this respect, is foreign and to many Americans, anything foreign isn't worth considering unless it is directly relevant to them at the time. To be fair, I've met quite a few Canadians with this mindset, as well.

I have trouble believing that, as an objective statement, the Canadian education system is superior to the American system. As July09Bride said, there's virtually no standardization across American schools. The education policies are left to the discretion of each state, city and district. In Canada, I've been told that education is -- for the most part -- standardized and regulated by the federal government.

The lack of any standardization in the U.S. is why the SAT/ACT were created. In theory, both tests are there as an objective measure for universities to use and subsequently weed out applying students. In addition, sometimes SAT II tests are required, but that depends on the university itself.

The issue is not the standards of education though, the issue is why would an employer want to look at a highschool record when the OP has a college degree? It isn't relevant.

I have no idea. HS is irrelevant unless you're applying to a university. I can't imagine why any employer would really care if a university degree is available.

[mkg265 2]

Then there is a the whole kettle of fish that an employer in the United States can't legally ask you what year you graduated from high school. Asking for a transcript maybe this employers way around this law.

[sj5 4]

I was told by the employer that my Canadian High School Diploma must be evaluated to US high school equivalent. One of their requirements in order to be qualified for this job is U.S High School Diploma or GED. I don't have U.S.H.S because all of my educations ( high school and college) were completed in Canada. But Puerto Rico High School diploma is indeed acceptable because it's part of the US education standards. I want to send my high school transcript to one of the accredited evaluators but it cost me $75. Is this happened to everyone?

This is reasonable fees. Here in Fresno would charged you about $120.

[sj5 4]

Then there is a the whole kettle of fish that an employer in the United States can't legally ask you what year you graduated from high school. Asking for a transcript maybe this employers way around this law.

Her/his employer didn't read her resume.

[thetreble 19]

I have trouble believing that, as an objective statement, the Canadian education system is superior to the American system. As July09Bride said, there's virtually no standardization across American schools. The education policies are left to the discretion of each state, city and district. In Canada, I've been told that education is -- for the most part -- standardized and regulated by the federal government.

The lack of any standardization in the U.S. is why the SAT/ACT were created. In theory, both tests are there as an objective measure for universities to use and subsequently weed out applying students. In addition, sometimes SAT II tests are required, but that depends on the university itself.

The issue is not the standards of education though, the issue is why would an employer want to look at a highschool record when the OP has a college degree? It isn't relevant.

I have no idea. HS is irrelevant unless you're applying to a university. I can't imagine why any employer would really care if a university degree is available.

I disagree. First of all, education in Canada is provincial. Each province has their own regulations they impose. (ie. just as it is in the US, with maybe a little bit more federal oversight at the end of the day)

I think the SATS are bullshit because I don't believe that it's the best way to look at a student's mental capacity. The US education system is entirely built around Math and English, IMHO. Those being TWO classes out of EIGHT that I took year round. Thank goodness that my exams in each subject and a combined, averaged out percentage is what paved the way for my high school grades to get into university because I think that shows a well-rounded student.

My experience has been that while in my 4th year of university, not seeing much of the light of day from an overload of course work, my husband who was at a state college (and not a bad one) was partying it up still. I completely drowned in school work and he really didn't have to do all that much. For some other people i know here in NJ, that seems to be the case as well.

Furthermore, I have heard countless stories about people graduating at the top of their class in their respect high school, and then going to college and bombing because there was stuff they were never taught. In my opinion, I was prepared greatly for university level courses because of Ontario's old OAC or Grade 13. Unfortunately it is no longer present but they have condensed the 5 years of high school into 4 and those kids must REALLY work to achieve high marks. I just feel we have better preparation for university level work. I have many friends in England and I feel like we are on a similar course work and course level with them then the US.

Any ways, just my opinion.

And I have never in my life heard someone going after someone's highschool education RATHER than their college or university degree. You can't get one without the other so...why would I want to know what someone's marks were in Grade 10 VS what GPA they had in university? Boggles my mind.

But I disgress.

Any ways,

[Udella&Wiz 325]

I have trouble believing that, as an objective statement, the Canadian education system is superior to the American system. As July09Bride said, there's virtually no standardization across American schools. The education policies are left to the discretion of each state, city and district. In Canada, I've been told that education is -- for the most part -- standardized and regulated by the federal government.

The lack of any standardization in the U.S. is why the SAT/ACT were created. In theory, both tests are there as an objective measure for universities to use and subsequently weed out applying students. In addition, sometimes SAT II tests are required, but that depends on the university itself.

The issue is not the standards of education though, the issue is why would an employer want to look at a highschool record when the OP has a college degree? It isn't relevant.

I have no idea. HS is irrelevant unless you're applying to a university. I can't imagine why any employer would really care if a university degree is available.

I disagree. First of all, education in Canada is provincial. Each province has their own regulations they impose. (ie. just as it is in the US, with maybe a little bit more federal oversight at the end of the day)

I think the SATS are bullshit because I don't believe that it's the best way to look at a student's mental capacity. The US education system is entirely built around Math and English, IMHO. Those being TWO classes out of EIGHT that I took year round. Thank goodness that my exams in each subject and a combined, averaged out percentage is what paved the way for my high school grades to get into university because I think that shows a well-rounded student.

My experience has been that while in my 4th year of university, not seeing much of the light of day from an overload of course work, my husband who was at a state college (and not a bad one) was partying it up still. I completely drowned in school work and he really didn't have to do all that much. For some other people i know here in NJ, that seems to be the case as well.

Furthermore, I have heard countless stories about people graduating at the top of their class in their respect high school, and then going to college and bombing because there was stuff they were never taught. In my opinion, I was prepared greatly for university level courses because of Ontario's old OAC or Grade 13. Unfortunately it is no longer present but they have condensed the 5 years of high school into 4 and those kids must REALLY work to achieve high marks. I just feel we have better preparation for university level work. I have many friends in England and I feel like we are on a similar course work and course level with them then the US.

Any ways, just my opinion.

And I have never in my life heard someone going after someone's highschool education RATHER than their college or university degree. You can't get one without the other so...why would I want to know what someone's marks were in Grade 10 VS what GPA they had in university? Boggles my mind.

But I disgress.

Any ways,

Thank you - it seems somewhat backward to me as well - I'm sure it's already been mentioned in the thread somewhere. Highschool would mean nothing to my employer in an IT related field. Unless you had the software related training acquired through experience and university, I COULDN"T be doing what I do

[DeadPoolX 9]

I think the SATS are bullshit because I don't believe that it's the best way to look at a student's mental capacity. The US education system is entirely built around Math and English, IMHO. Those being TWO classes out of EIGHT that I took year round. Thank goodness that my exams in each subject and a combined, averaged out percentage is what paved the way for my high school grades to get into university because I think that shows a well-rounded student.

I don't think the SAT/ACT exams are the best way, either. Unfortunately, the American education system is such that standardized tests are given far more weight than truly deserved. Much of this is blamed on the overall autonomy of each school.

My own high school went with a 6.0 grade scale (in other words, the highest GPA anyone could obtain was a 6.0) whereas the traditional American grade scale stops at 4.0 instead. We even had six valedictorians, which as far as I knew, was a title reserved for the one student with the highest GPA and greatest contribution to the school.

Even the classes aren't equal. Honors and GT ("gifted and talented") courses are given far more weight by colleges. Because there's virtually no standardization among schools regarding what is and what isn't an Honors or GT class, tests like the SAT and ACT are used.

It's felt that a standardized exam given to all students across the country would be a fair measure. It's a great idea in theory, but when put into practice, it doesn't really work that way. It's been said that the SAT (and presumably the ACT) are biased in favor of the northeastern states. That means some terminology used during the verbal portion of the SAT may include words students in other areas of the country have never heard. In addition, many claim that the SAT and ACT are unfair to those in disenfranchised school systems.

Perhaps the worst part of all is that since teachers know how important these exams are, they end up teaching the material that will likely be seen on the SAT and ACT, forgoing non-SAT related education. That's why high school is considered a mere "stepping stone to college" by many Americans. We know that the chances of learning something remotely important or interested is minimal and the education we do receive will revolve around the SAT/ACT and pure memorization.

I think the obvious answer to these problems is make the American education system more standardized itself. Provide regulations and requirements, so that there are fewer differences between each school's curriculum. Perhaps if that occurred, the SAT and ACT would eventually fall by the wayside.

Edited March 19, 2009 by DeadPoolX

[thetreble 19]

Interesting, Deadpool. The entire idea of the sole focus being the SAT material just amazes me. What about arts? What about science?

It's funny. My husband went to two high schools in NJ. A catholic school his dad had to pay for in a low-middle class town (the town he was living in at the time you can't go to school to if you are white..if you know what i mean). And then he went to a public school in a upper class town.

He said the public school in the upper class town was a joke. He never studied and all these rich kids just slacked. His other school in the low-middle class town, however, he found to be much harder and more strict.

Literally two towns no more than 15 minutes apart. it made me scratch my head.

When I got to university, all the kids around me had pretty much the same education I had.

[Sprailenes 47]

Schools go by districts here... I think that could be why you get such a varied education depending on the area you live in. The work load changes with each district, as do the PA days and such.

My son's math program last year was different from any other math program at any other school. It's not consistent. We live 20 minutes away from Medford now and we're in a totally different school district, and everything is different.

Where I was living in Ontario, it was the Simcoe County Board of Education and it went from Orillia to Barrie and all over the area, it was the same things that were being taught all over.

Edited March 19, 2009 by Sprailenes

[thetreble 19]

I think that is wrong. So not only do you have it varying by State but varying by district as well. It appears that there is little to no oversight at all. might as well teach whatever you want.