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Original poster

If you went to school in USA…

242 replies

Princesspuppy · 22/04/2023 20:43

Sorry for the stupid question. But I am watching 10 things I hate about you and it got me wondering. Do schools in the US really have car parks for the students? And do the rich kids show up in expensive cars?

I would love to hear your experiences!

OP posts:
CKL987 · 22/04/2023 22:44

My DH went to school there and says it is like the movies/TV. Jocks, cheerleaders (wearing their outfits to school) and geeks, with the football team quarter back being the most popular boy in school.
I went to sixth form at my school in the 90s and we had a student car park. No rich kids in big cars though, most people borrowed their mum's.

ilovepixie · 22/04/2023 22:44

edwinatheelephant · 22/04/2023 22:31

Pledge of Allegiance: it varies across the country, but in the school I teach in and the school DD goes to, it is not said daily (or, well, ever). We are in a blue state in the Midwest.

What's a blue state?

MrsCarson · 22/04/2023 22:45

Yes they have car big parks, my two oldest kids went to school in California and just about all the kids drove there for the last two years of high school. School are part of them learning to drive, they do the written part as a class when they are 15 and can't get a provisional under 18 without passing the class and getting the slip to take to DMV.

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General education
Swimminginthelake · 22/04/2023 22:48

Marsyas · 22/04/2023 22:11

I have a question as well, if that’s OK - do all US schoolchildren have to pledge allegiance to the flag every day? My cousins went to school in the US and they didn’t have to as they were British, but they said everyone else had to - I don’t know if that was just their school though.

At my kids' school they do the pledge once a week. It is also sometimes done at other random times like the start of a field trip recently.

PhotoDad · 22/04/2023 22:48

A blue state is one which votes Democrat. (Red = Republican.)

No student car-park ("parking lot") where I taught in the US, but it was a small private school in a city, and there was a Metro stop just around the corner.

PhotoDad · 22/04/2023 22:50

Also, no Pledge of Allegiance where I was. The US education system is just as (or even more) varied than the UK one, even within the respective state sectors.

LakeTiticaca · 22/04/2023 22:51

At what age can american youngsters leave school? Do they have to stay on till 18?

BeetleBailey · 22/04/2023 22:53

This is absolutely insane, there's a car park for students to park their cars in?

RenegadeKeeblerElf · 22/04/2023 22:54

Pledge every day at my elementary school in the 80s. I think when I was younger I joined in then as I got older I stopped as I was more aware of the meaning and that it wasn't appropriate given that I wasn't American.

Sloop89 · 22/04/2023 22:59

We learned to drive at school. It was the first lesson of the day for those who were 15+. I've taken the test in both countries and I don't think one is easier than the other. In general it's easier to drive in the US because motorbikes don't filter and things like pavements exist everywhere so you're not dodging people in the road at 60 miles an hour.

SpaghettiSquash · 22/04/2023 22:59

BeetleBailey · 22/04/2023 22:53

This is absolutely insane, there's a car park for students to park their cars in?

There's a car park for six formers at my DC's school here in the uK.

AcrossthePond55 · 22/04/2023 23:04

US HS in the '70s. We had a car park for students, but the majority of cars were junkers fixed up by the student, older cars, or the 2nd/3rd family car. There were very few late model or expensive cars. My sons were in HS in the earlier 'oughts' and it was pretty much the same, except there were more expensive/luxury cars. But I think that has more to do with the socio-economic area we live in. There are a few extremely expensive gated communities in the district we live in now, as opposed to the solidly (US) middle class town I grew up in.

Both my sons had cars as soon as they turned 16, but they were family 'cast off' cars. It's really common where we live for a teen to get a car of some sort as soon as they get their license. We're somewhat rural and the school bus service is/was really shit and there is NO public transportation.

Happyhappyday · 22/04/2023 23:05

Yes to same time table every day, yes to car parks at suburban schools, no to urban schools. My school had a mix of expensive cars and old beaters, wealthy student population but not all parents are crazy! We did a lot of extra
curricular sit seems like compared to Uk so was really helpful I could drive myself!

AcrossthePond55 · 22/04/2023 23:07

Oh, as far as the Pledge, it was said during my school years but was made 'optional' when I was in HS, so if you had an objection you just sat quietly. IIRC my sons started off with it in elementary school but by the time they got to HS it was no longer said.

LudicrouslyCapaciousBag · 22/04/2023 23:11

LakeTiticaca · 22/04/2023 22:51

At what age can american youngsters leave school? Do they have to stay on till 18?

There is no federal school leaving age. Like almost all educational policy it is devolved to state level. The leaving age ranges from 16 to 18 across the country.

BackToWhereItAllBegan · 22/04/2023 23:11

Yes, students have to stay on until they've completed 12th grade when most will be 18, some could be 19.
My son has been to two schools in the US, one had the pledge of allegiance every morning but his current one doesn't.
Every teenager I know takes their driving test within days if their 16th birthday then drives themselves to school from then on. My son's High school has different parking lots for 10th, 11th and 12th graders but they can all have an assigned parking space as soon as they've passed their test.
He's also on a daily schedule. Eight periods a day which is 6 subjects, one study hall and one lunch period. His school (private, selective) also has a mandatory 9th period which is for a sport or extra curricular such as robotics or drama.

willowstar · 22/04/2023 23:12

I went to an American high school in the 90s. Pledge of allegiance was only said at pep rallys/assemblies.

Ponderingwindow · 22/04/2023 23:16

I live in the us. All the students sophomore and up drive themselves to school at my DD’s school. A large car park is absolutely necessary. We are already looking into what kind of car we will be buying for dd. It won’t be flashy, but it will have lots of safety features.

Ponderingwindow · 22/04/2023 23:20

Starting junior year, dd is going to be attending 2 high schools. Well, assuming her application for the specialty science school goes through. The students have to drive themselves back and forth between campuses. It is just the way things work here. there isn’t any other way to get around except by car.

JumpToRecipe · 22/04/2023 23:22

LudicrouslyCapaciousBag · 22/04/2023 23:11

There is no federal school leaving age. Like almost all educational policy it is devolved to state level. The leaving age ranges from 16 to 18 across the country.

Show quote history

It can even vary within a state! I have family in NY state and their legal school leaving age varies between school districts.

GroovyGangConscript · 22/04/2023 23:23

SpaghettiSquash · 22/04/2023 22:59

There's a car park for six formers at my DC's school here in the uK.

Show quote history

There was one at my UK sixth form college 30 years ago.

Interesting to read these facts about US schools.

PhotoDad · 22/04/2023 23:26

Before anyone asks:
US "Freshman" or "9th grade" = Year 10
US "Sophomore" or "10th grade" = Year 11
US "Junior" or "11th grade" = Year 12 / Lower Sixth
US "Senior" or "12th grade" = Year 13 / Upper Sixth

That one-year difference in numbering often makes me stop and think twice that I've got it the right way around! (I help students with US uni applications as part of my job)

GroovyGangConscript · 22/04/2023 23:28

PhotoDad · 22/04/2023 23:26

Before anyone asks:
US "Freshman" or "9th grade" = Year 10
US "Sophomore" or "10th grade" = Year 11
US "Junior" or "11th grade" = Year 12 / Lower Sixth
US "Senior" or "12th grade" = Year 13 / Upper Sixth

That one-year difference in numbering often makes me stop and think twice that I've got it the right way around! (I help students with US uni applications as part of my job)

I don't suppose you have that conversion in 'old money' as well? I only understand secondary school years as first year to fifth year. 😄

PhotoDad · 22/04/2023 23:29

Ha! Year 10 and 11 are old-money 4th and 5th form/year (GCSE/O-level years)

Boomboom22 · 22/04/2023 23:29

So freshman 4th. Sophomore 5th. Junior lower 6th. Senior upper 6th.