GERMAN HIGH SCHOOL [the explanation]

After a month of language classes in September I was thrown into my new German school. Here's what Gymnasium Karlsbad looks like: 

Unlike in the U.S, there are many different paths a student can take in the German school system. Most high school exchange students are placed in the equivalent of a U.S high school--usually Gymnasium or in some cases Realschule.

 I am attending a Gymnasium which is considered one of the higher levels of "high school" in Germany because those attending Gymnasium are going to University. Thus, my experience and knowledge is only based on this type of school environment.

My Schedule:
as you can see I only attend a specific class once or twice a week for 1 and 1/2 hours each time

My schedule for school is typical of any of my German schoolmates (except I don't have the 2 required science classes). In school students have required classes such as Math, German, 2 sciences, and Language. These classes are more important and require 4 hours a week of classes. The others such as Ethics or Gym can be taken two or four hours a week. Overall I believe that a certain number of credits are required each year. Unlike schools in the U.S, students have limited decisions they can make over which classes they take. For example,every year students must choose two out of three science classes--Biology, Chemistry, or Physics. Also, there are not different levels of classes such as Honors or Advanced Placement. A comparison might be made that a history class is on a honors level in Gymnasium and a normal level in Realschule.

To get into even more confusing detail are testing, grades, and graduation.

Abitur: In past years there have been a total of 13 grades in Gymnasium, but 2012 is the last year for this policy in Baden-Württemberg (my state) so following this year there will be only 12 grades. In order to graduate Gymnasium students take an Abitur in March of their senior year. The Abitur, or final exams, functions as a school graduation certificate and a university entrance exam. Students can only take it once a year, which makes the Abitur a lot more intense than SAT's or ACT's in the U.S which can be taken multiple times throughout the year. The Abitur is about a week of testing (and a single themed presentation) in specific subjects about information learned in the past two years of schooling. Passing the Abitur results in if and which university a German Gymnasium student attends.

Grades: In each subject students only have four tests a year. That's it. No extra-credit, quizzes, or make-up tests.  Each test can range from 2 hours (normal) to 6 (practice for Abitur). Students are also required in the last two years of school to make three presentations in three different subjects. On these tests and presentations the points are on a scale of 15 (best) to 0 (failed). These points are at the end of senior year converted to a final grade on a scale from 1 (best) to 6 (failed). Then the Abitur score, also with the 1:6 grading scale, and the final school grade from the last two years of school are combined for the official grade of a student that is presented to universities.Complicated.


 Hopefully I explained how the German school system and specifically Gymnasium works clear enough. Next post is going to be my opinion of my school!