School years in Korea vs. the U.S.

School years are very different here. Usually they start pre-school very young, around age 3 or 4, then move on to public elementary and so forth. Here’s a short comparison.

In Korea:
Pre-school.....age 3-4 (1-2 yrs)
Kindergarten.....age 5-7 (3 yrs)
Elementary.....age 8-13 (5 yrs)
Middle School.....age 14-16 (3 yrs)
High School.....age 17-20 (3 yrs)
University.....age 20-23 (3-4 yrs)

In the U.S.:
Pre-school.....age 4, if they go at all (1 yr, maybe)
Kindergarten.....age 5 (1 yr)
Elementary.....age 6-12 (6 yrs)
Middle School.....age 13-14 (2 yrs)
High School.....age 14-18 (4 yrs)
University.....age 18-22+ (4-5 yrs on average, if they go)

Also, the purpose of education is different. In the lower grades, it’s the same. It’s about learning things you need to know. But in Korea, middle school and high school (and learning English in general, really) is all about getting a high score on your High School Exit Exam which is also the University Placement Exam. There is one exam for everyone, and everyone must take it to graduate from high school.

Based on your score, you are placed into a University. The highest scores get into the best universities, and so on. But once you get there, you aren’t really expected to learn much while you’re there. From what I hear, as long as you show up, you’ll eventually graduate, without the need for any pesky studying or demonstration of learned knowledge. You will graduate with a diploma saying that you attended University X, and will get whatever job you want. Any skills you must have for that job you will learn on the job.

Because of this mentality, students are pushed so hard for their entire childhood. They go to school for six hours, then to an English hagwon (private academy), then to ones for music, math, science, Taekwondo, and many others. They may even have a private tutor for a subject of two after all that. Then they have hours of homework from them to complete. Then sleep, which is usually short. They don’t really have much time to play, if any. So by the time they pass that exam when they are leaving high school, they are so exhausted (and probably angry), that they do nothing when they get to University except drink and party. And really, who can blame them?