Education in the United States: school stages, curricula and exams

In short

The education system in the United States is decentralized, with primary authority resting with individual state departments of education and local public school districts. Formal schooling follows the Kindergarten through Grade 12 (K–12) framework across elementary, middle, and high school tiers. High school graduation is marked by the award of the American High School Diploma, evaluated through cumulative Grade Point Averages and coursework rigor. Undergraduate college admissions follow a holistic evaluation model combining high school transcripts, Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate course achievements, standardized entrance examinations such as the SAT or ACT, essays, and extracurricular activities, followed by specialized graduate and professional licensing exams.

School stages

Compulsory education across US states typically spans ages 5 or 6 through 16 to 18, depending on state legislation. The academic year runs from late August or early September until late May or June, organized into two semesters, three trimesters, or four quarterly grading periods.

1. Elementary School (Kindergarten to Grade 5, Ages 5 to 11): Instruction focuses on reading comprehension, written expression, fundamental arithmetic, general science, social studies, art, music, and physical education. Single generalist teachers deliver the core academic subjects.
2. Middle School or Junior High (Grades 6 to 8, Ages 11 to 14): Students transition to departmentalized schedules with distinct subject-area teachers for English language arts, pre-algebra and algebra, life and physical sciences, American and world history, and exploratory foreign languages.
3. High School (Grades 9 to 12, Ages 14 to 18): Students progress through four distinct academic years: Freshman (Grade 9), Sophomore (Grade 10), Junior (Grade 11), and Senior (Grade 12). Students must accumulate a defined number of Carnegie unit credits in core disciplines (English, mathematics, laboratory sciences, social studies, foreign language, and fine arts) to qualify for high school graduation.

State standards—such as the Common Core State Standards in English and mathematics, and the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)—guide learning outcomes across public school districts, while independent private schools determine their own curricular emphases.

Curricula in use

Secondary students in the United States select courses according to their academic interests and college aspirations, choosing between regular, honors, and college-level programs.

Advanced Placement (AP) courses, developed by the College Board, allow high school students to undertake university-level study across dozens of disciplines, culminating in standardized end-of-year examinations. The IB Diploma offers an international curriculum emphasizing independent research and extended essays.

Exams by stage

Assessments in the American system progress from annual state accountability testing to national standardized college entrance tests.

• State Accountability Testing: Under federal education guidelines, public school students in Grades 3 through 8 and high school take standardized state assessments in reading and mathematics to monitor school performance.
• Preliminary College Testing: High school sophomores and juniors frequently take the PSAT/NMSQT, which provides practice for the SAT and serves as the qualifying benchmark for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
• College Entrance Examinations:
  • SAT: Administered by the College Board, the digital SAT evaluates reading, writing, and mathematical reasoning on a 1600-point scale.
  • ACT: A curriculum-based standardized test evaluating English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning on a 36-point composite scale.
• Advanced Placement (AP) Examinations: Administered annually in May, scored on a scale from 1 to 5. Scores of 3, 4, or 5 commonly qualify students for university course credit or advanced placement at American colleges.

University entry

Higher education in the United States comprises thousands of institutions, including public state university systems, private research universities, liberal arts colleges, and two-year community colleges.

Colleges and universities evaluate applicants through holistic admissions review. Key components considered by admissions committees include:

• Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA), weighted for honors, AP, or IB coursework
• Rigor of secondary school course selection
• Standardized test scores (SAT or ACT), although many institutions adopt test-optional or test-blind policies as of 2026
• College admissions essays and personal statements submitted through platforms such as the Common Application
• Letters of recommendation from secondary school teachers and counselors
• Extracurricular involvement, community leadership, and personal achievements

For international applicants and non-native English speakers, demonstrated language competence through the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test is standard. Highly competitive graduate programs require dedicated entrance examinations including the GRE for arts and sciences, GMAT for business schools, and LSAT for law schools.

Professional and licensing exams

Professional careers in the United States are regulated through state and national licensing boards:

1. Healthcare and Medicine: Medical school graduates take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK) to secure state medical licensure. Applicants to medical school sit the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) before they enter. Registered nurses complete the NCLEX-RN, and practical nurses take the NCLEX-PN, developed by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
2. Engineering: Engineering graduates complete the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE Exam), followed by required professional experience and the Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE Exam).
3. Finance, Accounting, and Business: Aspiring financial analysts sit the CFA Level 1 exam, accountants complete the Uniform CPA Examination (US CPA) or CMA US, and prospective attorneys take the LSAT followed by the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE Bar Exam).
4. Public Service and Military: Enlistees in the United States Armed Forces take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB), while prospective educators complete the Praxis Core assessments.

Practising on GetMyMockTest

These are practice questions we wrote for study. They are not the official exams, and we do not claim they match an exam's current format. Free practice for the United States:

• SAT and ACT: practice questions and timed mock tests for the two admissions tests.
• AP exams: practice for AP Calculus AB, Biology, US History, Psychology, Chemistry and Statistics.
• LSAT: logical reasoning and reading comprehension practice with passages, for law school applicants.
• GED: practice for the four GED subjects, for people earning a high school equivalency credential.
• US citizenship civics: questions on American government, history and geography for the naturalization civics test.
• GRE and GMAT: quantitative and verbal practice questions with timed tests.
• MCAT: questions on biology and biochemistry, chemistry and physics, and psychology and sociology, with timed tests.
• USMLE Step 1: physiology, pharmacology, pathology and microbiology questions, with timed tests.
• NCLEX-RN: nursing questions on safe care, pharmacology and clinical care, with timed tests.
• TOEFL: grammar, vocabulary and reading practice for international students.
• US general knowledge: geography, history, and government and economy.