The French education system is very convoluted and complex. The French schooling system is broken up into three levels: primary, secondary, and higher education. Attending school and getting an education is required in France from the age of six to sixteen and preschool and kindergarten is not required. In America, school is not technically mandatory because the government is not paying for them to attend and a lot of children are home schooled. It is more so up to the parent to decide whether or not their child should go to school at all.
Within secondary education, there is collège and lycée that make up seven years of education that are that equivalent to American middle school and high school. After these seven years, students are required to take the baccalauréat, which consists of five exams that are both general and specialized. I find the whole structure and concept of the baccalauréat very interesting and unnecessary. I understand that it determines whether or not a student goes to university, but it seems ridiculous to me that this is the sole determinant. The equivalent in America would be the SATs and the ACTs, which are a big factor into getting into colleges, but they are not the only reason for students to get into college. There are other factors that go into play such as extracurricular activities and sports. I also find it horrific that all the grades are posted publicly for family, friends, and enemies to see!
In addition to this, I feel completed gipped because college in America is not free. I pay roughly $60,000 a year for college and financial aid only covers a portion of the cost. This is why I am left to apply for multiple scholarships, grants, and loans in order to cover my education costs. Though universities in France are not completely free, French students pay significantly less than American students. Public universities typically only cost a few hundred euros and private schools really only reach a price tag of 15,000 euros (and that is the most expensive). I wish! Ultimately my college decision boiled down to money and what I could afford.
Another shocking fact was that French students get 16 weeks of holiday/vacation. That is simply inane to me! The breaks that French student receive are no less than two weeks at a time, which blows my mind because American schools try to hold on to as many school days as they can. Furthermore, classes are only four days a week! If I could go back to elementary, middle, and high school, I would like to have it operated the way the French operate their schools; not simply because of how much less school there would be, but also because of the studies shown that being in school for longer than seven weeks at a time demonstrates a lack of success.
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