• American students have traditionally pursued their academic careers by attending kindergarten through sixth grade at an elementary school, grades seven through nine in a junior high, and grades ten through twelve in a high school.
• But recently, the American school system model has undergone significant changes in its structuring, developing new and unique systems of instruction different from anything seen before.
• Elementary classes are generally meant to teach the most basic of educational skills, such as reading, writing, basic composition, grammar, vocabulary, word mechanics, spelling, mathematics, and remedial history and social structures.

New models of the American public school system: "middle schools" replacing the "junior high"
 
 

• Because of the wide disparity in student maturity levels, the majority of American public schools have, for the most part, abandoned the former junior high system in favor of the more practical middle-school model.
• The typical American middle school educates youths in grade 6 through 8 in an atmosphere that is believed to be more comfortable and secure for the pre-pubescent children, who are exceedingly concerned with their changing physical appearance and social status.
• Middle schools also allow the older students to tutor and act as mentors to the younger students, drastically changing the role of the awkward 8^th grader. The maturity gap between 8^th and 9^th graders is much more pronounced than it is between 8^th and 6^th graders.
• The nurturing environment of the middle school is believed to be more beneficial and productive for the young student, allowing him or her to concentrate more on academic pursuits, and less on being accepted by peer groups.
• There have even been recent studies of a newer school system, one that would incorporate grades Kindergarten through 8^th in the same school. This would theoretically allow for an even stronger sense of mentoring and accommodation. However, scarce school building space has been a limiting factor in the development of this model.

The function of the high school
 
 

• Like in many countries, the American high school is primarily designed to prepare students for life outside of the school system. This could include further academic pursuits at a university, vocational program, or directly in the work force.
• Most American high schools now include grade levels 9 "freshman" through 12 "senior". Grades 10 and 11 are designated as "sophomore" and "junior" respectively.
• Because colleges and universities look exclusively at student grades earned from 9^th grade and after, it is important that aspiring scholars plan out their high school curriculum to be as appealing as possible to college admission boards.
• In high school, many students who wish to attend university involve themselves in extra-curricular activities, which greatly influence college admission boards. School newspaper, yearbook, student politics, music, and community volunteer programs are all excellent examples that many schools offer.
• High school is also the time that many native-born American students learn their first foreign language, the knowledge of which is required by universities across the country.
• The student should spend these final years mastering the fundamentals of language composition, mathematics, social sciences, and history. College work will be much more difficult in comparison, and it's best that students learn these skills as soon as possible.

Middle schools offer a period of transition for students who are about to enter high school, one the most important points in their academic and social lives. Once in high school, students should prepare themselves as much as possible for their future career plans. Doing this means: undertaking an intellectually challenging course load containing a diverse arena of disciplines, involving themselves in extracurricular activities, and maintaining the highest grade point average possible.