Theme 7

AMERICAN EDUCATION
The message behind it…

On the Twitter-like Weibo service on Wednesday, the visa

May 6,
2021 section of the U.S. embassy in China asked students what
they were waiting for after the Biden administration eased
restrictions.

"Spring has come and the flowers are in bloom. Are you
like this dog who can't wait to go out and play?" said the
post in Chinese, which was accompanied by a video of an
excited puppy trying to climb over a safety gate.

[Link]
china-after-student-visa-post-backfires-2021-05-06/
AMERICAN EDUCATION TO THE WORLD
 Post-secondary or higher education
Why and What

• Endless study choices

• Leading research & technology

• Flexibility/transferability

• Worldwide recognition

• People and culture

“U.S. colleges and universities have an unmatched reputation for
academic quality, critical thinking, science and innovation, and English
language preparation for careers and job placement.”
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 Contents

1. Overview of the education system

2. Higher education institutions and degrees

3. Admission tests for higher education

4. Education and earnings

 1. Education system

Philosophy: American ideal of individual success based on ‘equality of opportunity’ and on

‘working your way to the top’.
18yrs -

12-13yrs 14-17yrs Higher education

6-11yrs
High school
5yrs junior high senior high

3-4yrs Primary school

Pre-school

Secondary Post-secondary
1. Education system
 1. Education system
Preschools

Day Care Center Nursery School Kindergarten

Early Childhood Education

- Not free education up to now
- President Joe Biden released his American Families Plan (April 28, 2021), proposing that provide “free, high-
quality, accessible and inclusive preschool” to all 3- and 4-year-olds” (White House statement)
 1. Education system
Preschools
Kindergarten Child-care center on college campus

Paid service Affordable support

 1. Education system
Primary and secondary education

Four basic characteristics of public schools:

 locally controlled
 publicly supported by taxes
 coeducational
 free from religious influence
 1. Education system
Primary and secondary education

Elementary school High school

6 years Middle/Junior high school + Senior high school

(1st – 6th grades)

2 years 4 years Freshman

Sophomore
Junior
(7th – 8th grades) (9th – 12th grades) Senior
 1. Education system
Primary and secondary education

• The American education system requires that students complete 12 years of

primary & secondary (or junior high school & senior high school) education
prior to attending a college or a university.

• This may be accomplished either at public schools (free) or at private schools

(paid).

• These 12 years of schooling may also be completed outside the U.S., giving
foreign students the opportunity to pursue the benefits of the American
education system & obtain a quality American education.
 1. Education system
Post-secondary or higher education

Community college (2yrs) Associate’s degree

Undergraduate studies College diploma or

(3yrs, 2+2 or 4yrs) BA, BFA, BS

Graduate studies Master’s degree and

(2yrs and 4 yrs) Doctoral degree
 2. Higher education institutions and degrees

• Number
• Accreditation
• State colleges and universities (public universities)
o scale
o fund
o in-state students
o out-of-state students
• Private colleges and universities
o scale
o fund
• Affirmative Action
2. Higher education institutions and degrees
 2. Higher education institutions and degrees
• Number: More than 4,000 accredited institutions
• Accreditation: quality recognition by national or regional independent accrediting bodies
• State colleges and universities (public universities):
o scale: big, each institution consisting of many colleges and/or schools
o fund: tax money providing low-cost education
o in-state students: lower tuition
o out-of-state students: higher tuition

• Private colleges and universities:

o scale: smaller, including religious or single-sex institutions
o fund: endowments, gifts from alumni, research grants, and tuition fees

• Affirmative Action: A set of policies promoting the diversity of students of colors/races for earning
a quality degree (with lower admission requirements and financial aids)
Connection: Contemporary U.S. educational landscape

Task: Define the concept of DEI. What has happened regarding the Trump administration cutting school
funding over DEI as of now? Include specific higher education institutions (HEIs) and dates in your citations
and provide relevant links as references.
 Connection: Contemporary U.S. educational landscape
Task: Define the concept of DEI. What has happened regarding the Trump administration cutting school
funding over DEI as of now? Include specific higher education institutions (HEIs) and dates in your citations
and provide relevant links as references.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is a framework designed to promote representation, fairness, and belonging for individuals
of all identities, especially those historically marginalized. Diversity highlights varied backgrounds, equity ensures fair
opportunities, and inclusion creates environments where everyone feels respected. In 2025, the Trump administration issued
executive actions threatening to cut federal funding to colleges and universities maintaining DEI initiatives considered
discriminatory (Time, April 23, 2025).
Specific cuts have already taken effect, for example, Harvard University faced a freeze of $2.3 billion in federal research funding
after refusing to dismantle DEI programs and admissions policies, prompting Harvard to sue the federal government (Reuters,
April 21, 2025). Despite these pressures, flagship institutions like the University of California system have reaffirmed their
commitment to upholding DEI values (Washington Post, April 24, 2025). Additionally, federal courts intervened in April 2025,
blocking key provisions of the executive orders, finding that sweeping bans on DEI programs risk violating constitutional
protections under the First and Fourteenth Amendments (Washington Post, April 24, 2025).
Thus, while many HEIs remain committed to inclusive education, they now operate in a legal environment fraught with political
and financial risks.

References:
1. Time. (April 23, 2025). What Is DEI and What Challenges Does It Face Amid Trump's Executive Orders?
2. Reuters. (April 21, 2025). Harvard University Sues Trump Administration Over Funding Freeze.
3. Washington Post. (April 24, 2025). Courts Block Trump's Effort to Prohibit DEI Programs in Schools.
 2. Higher education institutions and degrees
Community college or junior college

• Two-year academic, vocational, or professional programs

• Nearly always publicly funded by the state, county, or city governments
• Typically much lower tuition than at a 4-year college or university

-> Many students choose accredited community colleges for 2 years to lower
the cost of getting a Bachelor’s degree (credits are transferable to four-year
colleges and universities).
2. Higher education institutions and degrees
Liberal arts colleges

• Four-year programs
• A wide range of adaptable skills that appeal to many types of
employers
• A flexibility to work in many different industries
• Degrees: BA, BFA, BS
 Bachelor of Arts (BA) for humanities and social sciences
 Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) for creative writing or acting
 Bachelor of Science (BS) for business, math, and the sciences
• A strong foundation for graduate study in a Master’s degree or
PhD program
 2. Higher education institutions and degrees
The Ivy League

American collegiate athletic conference Why, What, How

• Eight private research universities & college
• Highly intellectual
• Dominate in the fields of Law, Medicine,
Engineering and Business
• Breeding ground for historically significant
faces, Noble laureates, corporate giants, and
award-winning professionals
• Average tuition: $60,000/yr.

SAT 1580 or ACT 35: top 25% for most Ivy League schools
SAT 1450 or ACT 31: bottom 25%
Average GPA: 4.0
 2. Higher education institutions and degrees
Ivy League admissions

SAT 1580 or ACT 35: top 25% for most Ivy League schools
SAT 1450 or ACT 31: bottom 25%
Average GPA: 4.0
2. Higher education institutions and degrees
Diploma mill or Degree mill

• Offers, for a fee, degrees, diplomas, or certificates that

requires little or no education or coursework

• Lacks accreditation by a accrediting agency or

association not recognized by the U.S. Department of
Education

• Tuition paid on a per-degree basis, or discounts for

enrolling in multiple degree programs

• Little or no interaction with professors

• Names that are similar to well known reputable universities

Source: U.S. Department of

 2. Higher education institutions and degrees
Master’s Degree & Doctoral Degree

• A graduate school degree that typically requires 2 years of full-time graduate

school coursework to complete

• Courses highly focused in a field of study

• Research field for a Doctoral degree is even more focused & specialized than
the Master’s degree

• Completion of a Doctoral degree typically takes between 3 & 6 years depending

on research students’ ability, with the thesis resulting from a very long, extensive
& original research
 3. Admission tests for higher education
Undergraduate & Graduate Admissions

1. What tests should high school students take for undergraduate

education in the U.S.?

2. What tests should undergraduates take for graduate education

in the U.S.?

3. Are there other requirements besides test scores?

 3. Admission tests for higher education
Undergraduate & Graduate Admissions

SAT Scholastic Aptitude/Assessment Test

Undergraduate admissions

ACT American College Testing

GMAT Graduate Management Admission Test

Graduate admissions
GRE Graduate Record Examination
 more popular more popular
on the East Coast on the West Coast

Scholarship opportunities: Scholarship opportunities:

1.400+ 31+
4. Education and Earnings
 Review
Write the required word(s)
1. ______________: policy offering priority to under-represented students
2. ______________: 7th – 8th grades
3. ______________: community college’s qualification
4. ______________: unaccredited, low or no quality qualification provider
5. ______________: fields for gaining a BFA in liberal arts colleges
6. ______________: group of eight leading private higher education institutions
7. ______________: four-year, comprehensive, transferable program provider
8. ______________: highest score of the ACT
9. ______________: tool for moving from community colleges to 4-year institutions
10. ______________: two tests for graduate admissions
11. Writing
 Link to submit
Name your file with your number + full name
Group 2 – L202

[Link]

Group 1 – A2. 309

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