"Academic Year in America" is one of the most well-known study programs, where participants spend a full academic year studying in the United States, learning and being tested on the same material as native students, while living with a host family.
The program begins in mid-August and offers study in the 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grades of a U.S. public school for an academic year or a semester. The leading states for accepting students into the "Academic Year" program are Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Oregon.
To take part in this program, one must have a good command of English — be able to understand what is happening in class without much difficulty, read the necessary books, and communicate. If the desire to join the program is strong but language skills leave much to be desired, it is worth undergoing special language training while still in Ukraine.
Without a doubt, over a full year in an American school, a teenager will master American English, which will certainly be useful in the future. Moreover, they have the opportunity to show their abilities, form life goals and values, and solve problems independently, which boosts self-esteem.
It is believed that one should not study physics, biology, or mathematics in America, because these subjects are taught better in Ukraine. However, American students, so to speak, are better prepared for real life, as they do not waste time and effort on subjects that will not be useful in their chosen profession, and they choose their specialization for the entire period of study — from school to university — at a fairly early age. Ukrainian schools do not give students the opportunity to divide subjects into those taught to a greater or lesser extent, while the American system, on the contrary, from the 9th grade offers freedom in choosing subjects for which one needs to earn the most credits for university admission.
Our students who go on the "Academic Year" program also have the opportunity to choose subjects, of which there are only six. However, in addition to their desired disciplines, under the program's requirements they must also study American history, English (which includes American literature), and physical education. If a teenager is seriously involved in a sport back home, they can choose an appropriate section instead of physical education. American schools usually pay a lot of attention to sports and offer a wide range of sports clubs. Practically all students participate in sports clubs, sing in a choir, play in a school orchestra, or publish a newspaper — in other words, they are seriously involved in school life, which is called extra-curricular activities. This is very important for Americans, since when applying to university, not only academic indicators of applicants will be considered, but also the quantity and quality of extra-curricular activities in which they participated.
The school year for American students lasts 170–186 days, that is, five and a half to six months (not nine, as in our country), and they study five days a week. The school day lasts five to six hours — from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with lessons lasting 40 minutes. The academic year is divided into semesters. Students graduate from school at 17–18 years old.
The grading system in American schools:
A — high level of preparedness, deep knowledge (excellent).
B — above average level (good).
C — average level (satisfactory).
D — minimum level of knowledge (below average).
F — unsatisfactory results, or complete lack of knowledge of the subject material.
It is very important to prepare the child for this trip. The participant should clearly understand that the program will bring them benefit exactly as much as the effort and diligence they put in. In everything — in communication with the host family, classmates, and teachers. One should not think that responsibility can be shifted to someone else.
If any problems arise, you should contact the program coordinator. He is assigned to each student, lives in the same city, and is ready at the first call to help resolve any ambiguities and questions, both at home and at school.
American behavioral norms in everyday situations differ greatly from ours. For example, if our compatriots have only recently seen washing vacuum cleaners on sale, Americans are no longer surprised by such household gadgets. Therefore, some organizations offer to spend one to three days in an orientation camp before classes begin, where children receive all the necessary information about the country, its laws, safety rules, transportation, currency, and basic customs and traditions. Only after this are the students sent to host families.
All students live in carefully selected families. It is worth noting that host families are special. They bear additional expenses for the participant's support without receiving any material compensation, and they do this with the sole purpose of meeting new people, learning more about other countries, and telling them about America. As a rule, families arrange excursions for the students, organize holiday parties — in a word, they do everything so that the guest does not get bored.
However, such an attitude also imposes certain responsibilities on the child. The family expects that during the study period they will become not just a guest, but practically a member of their family and a full participant in all household activities, whether it be a holiday party, attending church, or housework.
Any secondary school student aged 14–18 with good academic performance and knowledge of a foreign language, who is sufficiently independent and sociable, can become a participant in the "Academic Year" program.
Is the game worth the candle? However loud it may sound, during this year the child's personality develops: he learns to make decisions in extreme situations, to act on the basis of his own convictions. This is a fantastic leap in development. “Exchange students” then easily adapt to new conditions and know how to set goals and achieve them. Few are content with fluency in just one foreign language. As a rule, schoolchildren who participated in exchanges learn a second, third, and so on.
Approximately half of such participants, after enrolling in a university and obtaining higher education, go to work abroad. Many find employment in representative offices of Western companies. The undoubted advantage of former “exchange students” is that they know not only the language but also the mentality of another nation.