Compare education system differences between US and China - Essay Example

For most, practical knowledge is more important than textbook knowledge.” (Chen, 2001). However, the Chinese system is totally focused on examination and higher scores. Their ultimate goal of education was concerned with the success of the student in his/her achievement, which would let them earn money and fame in future. In the American education system, the school structure holds a grade system where kindergarten through fifth grade is classified as elementary school, sixth through eighth as junior high school and ninth to twelfth as high school.

However, in China, the grade division is split a little differently, with the kindergarten to sixth classified as elementary school, and seventh to twelfth as middle school. In addition to these structural differences, the US schools use a holistic system of education where the students’ school grades, test scores, extracurricular activities, code of conduct, application essays as well as a personal interview are taken into account. On the contrary, the education system in China solely focuses on the academic results and hard work exercises.

Unlike in US, the entire school system of China is very rigid with guidelines and predetermined classes, while the American system exercises more freedom on the part of the students. For instance, in US, a student has the freedom to choose his or her classes which is totally unheard of in China, as every class and syllabus, all through the high school to college is set in advance, for the reason of avoiding the complications accompanied with the personalized education system. The concept of education has a greater influence on the students’ reflection towards the society in the future.

The major dissimilarity between the American and Chinese education lies in their teaching systems. This system has a profound impact on the students’ attitude of learning and pursuing