WHAT IS IT LIKE TO STUDY IN A HIGH SCHOOL IN USA? HOW DIFFERENT IS IT FROM STUDYING IN SINGAPORE?

Ardin asked:


I will substantially be going to USA to investigate after the recover of my GCE 'O' Level results, imprinting the finish of my Secondary School preparation in Singapore (equilavent of USA's center propagandize and initial 2 years of high school, so it will meant I'll stick on high propagandize in the final 2 years.) Since I'll many substantially stick on Lawrence North High School (Indianapolis, where my cousins live) in 2010, I have a little questions to ask about the high propagandize system:

1) What have been the things I should do to enrol in high school?

2) What have been the courses customarily accessible in high schools? (or if you have been from Lawrence North High School, what courses does your propagandize offer, e.g. International Baccalaureate?)

3) How is high propagandize systems softened than Singapore's propagandize system, and clamp versa? I'll give you a little report about Singapore's preparation complement to review (please try to review each point):
-school starts at around 7.30am and ends at around 1.30pm.
-Extra curricular activities have been well known as Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) in Singapore, that takes place after school, and accumulation depends on how prestigious the propagandize is.
-After Primary (Elementary) School, students will be separate up in to opposite courses in Secondary School, namely Express, Normal (Academic) and Normal (Technical) (see http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/secondary/courses/).
-Teachers have been great and caring but this additionally equates to revisit whinging and reprehension of the total class.
-Friends have been done when they similar to your coming and character, and have been serve softened around CCAs and the couple of propagandize events and activities via the year.
-Exams have been customarily 1-2 weeks prior to the inhabitant propagandize eighth month dates (1 week eighth month in March, 1 month in June, 1 week in September, and 6-11 weeks in December), and mandatory legal legal holiday lessons (which I hatred alot) take place if a synopsis cannot be hold up or if an examination is receiving place soon, followed by a outrageous raise of legal legal holiday homework.
-Recess and lunch breaks have been hold in canteens with at slightest 7 stalls portion opposite kind of food in small servings at poor prices.
-At the finish of the Secondary propagandize 4-year Express courseand 5-year Normal Academic course, we take the British GCE Ordinary Level Exams, that will establish where we can go to subsequent (Post Secondary/Pre University education).
-The Junior College is fundamentally a propagandize that provides a 2-year pre university march that hope for you for university opening exams, called the GCE Advanced Level Examinations. Alternatively, delegate propagandize graduates head to 3-year Polytechnics and select from over 40 courses (depending on GCE Ordinary Level formula and interest) and connoisseur with a Diploma, but graduates have been reduction expected to get in to universities with their Diploma.
-Study attitudes change from how prestigious the propagandize is, e.g. in my school, that technically is not really prestigious, the juvenile ones do not worry to attend in class, do task and study, whilst the some-more grown up ones experience in class, do many of the homework, and, with a little exceptions, investigate usually a month or so prior to the exams. That is because we get 200 class-wide scoldings from teachers a year. In some-more prestigious schools, I listened students have been some-more conceited about their great investigate day to day and examination results.
If you wish some-more information, revisit http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/

4) How have been propagandize fees similar to in USA for foreigners, and do I have to compensate any additional for events and activities?

Please yield as most report as possible, as I am brand brand new to the brand brand new preparation system. Thanks!