“And you, which high school did you go to?” You barely know my first name and you already want to know which high school I went to? A bit intrusive, right? And yet, in New Orleans, this question comes up very frequently – not to say systematically (those over fifty will recognize themselves). Far from being innocent, it allows of course – with a discretion worthy of a Mardi Gras disguise – to know more about you and in particular about the environment from which you come. And if you come across someone who went to the same high school as you, get ready to become their best friend forever the time of an evening. Little club logic, right? We’re staying in the southern United States, friends, and for questions of social equality, we’ll come back.
This question, however, has another, much more interesting aspect: the fascination of Americans for the years high school. And that you already know. After all, Americans are soft power pros. and know how to project themselves internationally through their films and series. Small pettiness between students, yellow school buses and of course prom: all this feeds our imagination when it comes to the United States. With a question in the background: how to disentangle the myth from reality? Only one solution: go back to school for a day – and, we promise, we’ll go for a little walk to the prom.
Private or public school?
Before you even start your return to school, you will have to make a strategic choice: that of the establishment that will welcome you. And, significantly, in the United States, education is the responsibility of each state. School curricula are thus different from one state to another – and the budget allocated to public education is just as different. And, if Louisiana has many attractions, it does not stand out for the quality of its public education, ranking good second to last within the Union (thanks to New Mexico, which saves us total disgrace – it need a last one, right?). The reason ? A chronic lack of funding. And the result? Public education gets a bad press, and nearly one in five students is educated in the private system (compared to one in ten nationwide).
And all of this is expensive, very expensive. A year at a private school in New Orleans will cost you between $10,000 and $20,000. Yes, only one year. And in the United States, primary and secondary education – just like in France – is spread over twelve years (five years of primary school, three years of college and four years of high school). I’ll let you do the math. With a few rare exceptions (sometimes there are scholarship systems), only the wealthiest parents can afford to send their children to private schools. With only one objective in mind: to do everything possible so that they can integrate into a good university. And also create a sense of belonging visibly destined to last a lifetime.
A day in a high school american
Back to school has arrived and the time has come to climb feverishly into your school bus favorite (or in your convertible if you go to a private school). It is barely 7:30 a.m. and what could be better than reciting the Pledge of Allegiance to start the day off right ? This is a practice that is still widespread, consisting, early in the morning, in pledging allegiance to the flag of the United States (just that).
The bell rings, lessons begin. These, organized into periods, last about an hour, and the subjects taught are more or less the same as in France (hi, maths and history). And if you have a test (we hope you have revised your trigonometry well), you will get a result out of 100, which will then be transcribed into letters. And it better be a “straight-A student” if you ever hope to go to a good university. Luckily for you, no control today. The clock, which you have been staring at since 8 a.m., now reads noon. Depart for the cafeteria. Would you like a slice of pizza that looks like it’s been left there for three days, or some soggy fries? All topped off with the essential flavored milk carton – which probably contains more sugar than milk. Enjoy your meal.
After one or two periods extra hours, the clock now reads 2:30 p.m. and classes are over. Classes, yes, but not during the day. Now is the time to indulge in your favorite extracurricular activities. Sports of all kinds, debate or Latin clubs (yes, yes) and of course music; There will be something for everyone. These activities are much more widespread in the United States than in France, and they are even essential in order to integrate a good university. And, in a country that wants to be particularly competitive – and which has a certain tendency to outbid – that matters enormously. So, needless to say, your extracurricular activities won’t necessarily reflect your personal passions. It’s all about showing off your many talents and your leadership (yes, at sixteen). So you put on your cleats and then go play a few notes on the violin, before joining your favorite Latin club – and so much the worse for popularity.
And the tray, in all this?
You are now 17 years old and you make a triumphant entry into first class (the eleventh grade). And good news: the bac does not exist in the United States. But how is this possible? Your high school will give you a diploma at the end of your schooling (the General Education Diplomamore often called GED), but this one has very little value – remember, programs vary from state to state (and sometimes even from school to school) and we are therefore far of the institution that is our national baccalaureate. You thought you would take it easy all through the school year? Sorry to disappoint you. If you want to pursue higher education, you will have to pass a whole series of standardized tests, called Clause (or ACTs in some cases). In a decentralized system, these tests make it possible to compare the level of each pupil with a national level. And nothing to do with the baccalaureate: it is above all a series of multiple-choice questionnaires. Factual knowledge and the result prevail over logical reasoning and this is the big difference between the French and American systems (dissertation point in sight).
But we assure you, everything will be fine. Good grades in support and extracurricular activities as a bonus, you will manage to integrate the university of your dreams, I promise you. And with a bit of luck, we’ll meet at your graduation, the famous American-style graduation ceremony. Now all you have to do is celebrate. And what better way to do that than a formal prom? You will have the opportunity to attend two proms during your schooling: the first in the first class and the second in the final class. So, are you off to the party? And, I promise, if you go to the bathroom to empty a flask of whiskey into your Coke, I won’t tell anyone. You see, just because we did Latin doesn’t mean we’re not cool.
–
