Is high school rigor the same worldwide?

High School is one of the most important experiences a teenager will go through. Making friends, learning how to study, and finding your passion all make up the four years of schooling. However, experiences differ from person to person just like how high school rigor differs from school to school. Is it fair to say some teenagers in the world have it easier in school? What makes their school life different from that of another? Do we all struggle equally? Teenagers from 4 different countries share their experience:

Alexander Zhou - Delegate of Hong Kong

Education has always held undebated importance in East Asian Societies. No matter if one pursues an academically intensive Hong Kong Diploma for Secondary Education (HKDSE), which was nicknamed the “Final Game of Life” by many Hong Kongers, or international tracks such as the International Baccalaureate or A-level, one can rarely escape intense peer-to-peer-competition. As a matter of fact, Hong Kong and Singaporean students have continuously accounted for more than half of all perfect score attainers for the IB.

Many see going to elite colleges as the cornerstone to a successful career. With a special tilt to STEM-related majors, the application season has oftentimes been described with the Chinese idiom “a thousand armies and tens of thousands of horses crossing a single wooden bridge.” To fight for college offers both locally and abroad, many students and parents turn to tutoring institutions outside of school in an attempt to prepare themselves for the exam that will determine their next four years. Both inside and outside of class, parents and students’ anxiety could be clearly felt by everyone in the city. 

Hong Kong’s college admission process is oftentimes, as in the city itself, a mix of Western methodology and Eastern values. The bilingual and international nature of the Hong Kong diploma means that high scorers can use their diploma to apply for top colleges in the UK and the US without much hustle; on the other hand, local colleges take a more score-based approach and do not require thought-provoking or reflective personal statements that western colleges might stress. 

The ‘objectiveness’ comes with the inevitable disadvantage of how individual candidates’ family situations cannot be considered for admission, which has raised criticism by educators and legislators who wish to promote social mobility within this increasingly divided society. With mounting costs for outside-of-school tutoring lessons and an increasingly competitive admission cycle, even for elementary school, many lower-income or immigrant families can not afford the best education for the supposedly merit-based system.

Tamar Swersky - Delegate of Israel

In Israel, preparation for military service is a big part of the high school education program. As students approach the middle/end of 11th grade, they undergo a process known as "tzav rishon." This process is the beginning of their sorting to the position they'll end up having; soldiers also come to schools to lecture about their position in the army, how they got to be in their position. School graduates that are still in the army come to visit the school in uniform during the national Day of Remembrance for the Fallen soldiers of Israel, the day of Fallen Hostilities, and the national day of remembrance on the Holocaust. This shows the pride that every soldier has about serving in the army to motivate the high school students. The service is mandatory, but everybody does it at their own will. Also, the job you get in the army, will direct you to the job you'll have back in your civilian life, for example: my father was a pilot in the army and he is a pilot now.

Although there is military service between highs school and university, classes in high school are not more relaxed, it’s the opposite. Classes are more difficult because in order to get a good job in the army you need to be well educated and pass not only physical tests but also merit based ones.

In school, the students have lectures preparing them for the army as well. Such as some schools offering "Kosher Krabi" which is a sports program that will help them get in the physical shape they need to have in order to be in combat. 

Service in the army is a huge part of the Israeli identity thus, much of my education has been surrounded by my future service. Israeli high schools also teach students to help their country in any way possible; one way they do this is by adding a mandatory volunteering since 10th grade. This exemplifies to the students how important volunteering is, and gets them excited for the future after high school in the army.

Selma Ladefoged-Kromann - Delegate of Denmark

Before I delve into my own experience, let me offer a brief introduction to the Danish educational system - a system that is both fantastic but also deficient. A system which can be both rigid and dominated by an unhealthy competitiveness solely aimed at achieving high grades – not fostering creative and alternative learning.

I have been at the receiving end of both.

Around the time when Danish children turn six years old, they take their first steps into out basic general education. It’s a fundamental education plan, stretched over a 10-year period from 0-9th grade. Across the 10 years, children and teens are taught basic academic skill and socialized into a democratic society.

After the 10th year of mandatory schooling, teens get to choose their next step into life. 

The majority (70%) of teens decide to attend “Gymnasium,” as their next stage of education, a three year program, existing to further educate and/or prepare students for a higher education. The Danish “Gymnasium” is therefore, in many ways, similar to the American high school system. Most schools in Denmark are also public and free to attend - though here, unlike in America, it also includes universities. 

Like the American high school, the Danish ‘Gymnasium’ serve as a focal point in shaping the life of adolescents both academically and socially. A purpose and aim are as well comparable; but the method and choices available to students differ. 

In Denmark, the educational system is much more rigid compared to the American system. This is on one hand due to the admission criteria that determine whether or not you can attend your preferred university course. Admission is solely based on your average annual grade (graded on the Danish 7-point grading scale), which equates to your life depending on your grades. 

This creates an extremely competitive admission process. While it can be motivating, there are also clear negative impacts. Instead of students immersing themselves in their interests, hobbies, and goals, they become solely focused on achieving higher and more recognized grades. This leaves very little space for creativity or alternative thinking. 

On the other hand - you’re also mostly bound to a class of 20-30 pupils at a Gymnasium. Most courses are predetermined and have to be followed with your designated class - whatever the level and competencies of your co-students.

Both could present a significant challenge for our future, especially as we face global boiling that demands new thinking and creativity. If we fail to learn to think for ourselves, propositions for solutions become gravely inadequate. 

Another significant lack in the Danish education system, is the admission process prior to entering your chosen gymnasium. The terms that determine your designated Gymnasium are not based on your individual grades, engagement or determination. It is solely based on your distance from your prioritized gymnasium. Which means, if you happen to live too far from your chosen gymnasium, which can be as little as 15 minutes, you’ll be placed at a random gymnasium.

Having experienced being placed elsewhere, I can tell you with certainty that it is a great flaw within the Danish education system. Though it creates some memorable experiences,  you cannot avoid the feeling of demotivation, exclusion, missed opportunities and impatience for a change. 

So, while Denmark’s education system has its strengths, it also has significant shortcomings that need to be addressed for the betterment of students and the future as a whole. 

Therefore, though the Danish educational system is free for everybody to attend, it may not be fair for all. 

Clara Milosevic - Delegate of the United States

For a high schooler in America, getting into their dream college is at the forefront of their minds. As acceptance rates drop students are pressured into doing more extracurriculars and taking harder classes to compete for a spot at said university. When picking a schedule many students pack it to the brim with courses that seem impressive and work diligently to preform well in all of their courses.

But, getting good grades is just half the battle.

In the application process, there is a large focus on what a student does outside of the classroom, as this is where a student’s personality and passion truly shows. Therefore, students join or create clubs, start non-profits, and get part time jobs to show universities their competence in attending. On top of this, standardized tests are another component in the admissions process. Though the SAT and ACT are now optional for many universities, these tests are still taken in efforts to add on another piece of the puzzle to their application to show their ability to study and have the skills of the tests. 

It is easy to say that a student with good grades and a great SAT score will get into a good university but as the saying goes “it’s easier said than done”. To combat the challenges rigorous classes and tests have, many students enroll into costly tutoring. With additional help, students gain more knowledge than they could in the classroom and thus improve their grades and scores. 

Encompassing the efforts of all high schoolers is the word: Passion. In the end, all high schoolers want to show they have initiative to do something for their personal interests. The Goldilocks fairytale is something that I refer to when talking about high school rigor and getting into a university; a student does not want to do too little and seem incapable but doing too much seems dispassionate, they must find a middle ground unique to themselves.

In my personal experience, I am selective about the classes and extracurriculars I partake in as I try to do everything that I am curious about or have an interest in learning more. Though it is stressful, I am appreciative of the fact that each student makes a schedule of their own. No matter how many opportunities we might have or want to make for ourselves, it is up to a student and their individual goals.

Organized by Clara Milosevic