School Curricula Guides

US HS Diploma

There is no such thing as a US education in the way there is, for example, an English National Curriculum - the requirements to get a US High School Diploma vary considerably from state to state.
US HS Diploma
Country of Origin: United States of America
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Students who graduate from a US curriculum High School will do so with a High School Diploma, which is a reflection the 14 years of work proceeding it. 

Historically, every US State had its own curriculum standards, and, therefore, the academic quality of the High School Diploma was at best variable!  Over the years, changes have been made not only in terms of a common set of standards being put in place by the US Government - the US Common Core Standards - which apply only to English Language Arts and Math, but Associations of Schools and Colleges, representing geographic areas of the US have been formed to provide accreditation for their members, as a means of guaranteeing the quality of the curriculum provided.

Today, there are four Associations - NEASC, MSA, WASC and Cognia - that are the accreditation organisations who work with schools both within the USA and internationally to ensure that the quality of education delivered will be recognised by colleges and universities in the US.  Students who attend a US curriculum school overseas should ensure that their school is accredited with one of these associations in order to be certain that their High School Diploma will be recognised. 

Having a high school diploma is essential for university entrance, but in some ways also irrelevant. Getting into US university is not based on a final grade at high school. Rather US universities take a distinctly less academic view, looking at your profile as a whole: The number of courses you have taken (how academically interested are you), how you're expected to do in those courses (US universities will offer you a place before you sit your final exams), and your extra curricular activities (what are you going to contribute to college life, not just your course).

The US is also less focused on what you have studied. To some degree this reflects the fact that you don’t usually decide what your main focus at a US college until the end of your second year. In the UK, and Europe as a whole, you focus almost immediately on one subject.

Finally, perhaps the "real" exam or pass you are looking for for for US universities is not the US high school diploma, but your SAT, or “Scholastic Assessment Test” or ACT, "American College Test". These are compulsory tests, and determine your abilities in writing, mathematics and “critical reading” or reasoning. 

In other words your high school diploma matters only in as much it reflects what you have done with your time at school, which in turn will reflect how a university sees you as a human being. It will be one facet of what a college will be looking for.

This for example is what Columbia University says matters:

  1. The student’s curriculum and grades - we hope to see that a student is challenging herself or himself with a rigorous course load;
  2. The context of a particular candidate, including family circumstances, secondary school, community, interests and access to resources;
  3. The quality of a student’s involvement in activities beyond the classroom;
  4. The character and personality of a candidate, and the impact she or he will make on our diverse, residential campus;
  5. The candidate’s fit for the distinctive Columbia experience, which includes the Core Curriculum; a both traditionally collegiate and unmistakably urban campus life; and an Ivy League school where curious thinkers come to grow;
  6. Recommendations - which provide evidence of intellectual curiosity and promise, classroom and school and community participation, and overall potential for the candidate to make an impact at Columbia, in the classroom and beyond.

Criteria to actually obtain your high school diploma will vary from state to state - one of the reasons why talking about a "US education" or curriculum is difficult. It will require at a minimum the continued study of core subjects and a minimum grade point average.

Note: Academically gifted students at US high schools will also look to take Advanced Placement (AP) exams. Again, how well you do at these exams will not determine your success or otherwise in university admission. It will however send a statement regarding how much you challenge yourself academically, your intellectual ambition, and perhaps your overall potential. Students capable of doing well at the AP exam will also take it because it will give you college credit.

 

93 UAE Schools offering US HS Diploma

School name Community City
Abu Dhabi International School Al Rowda Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi International School MBZ branch Mohammed Bin Zayed City Abu Dhabi
ADNOC Sas Al Nakhl Secondary School Umm Al Nar Abu Dhabi
ADNOC School Madinat Zayed Madinat Zayed Abu Dhabi
ADNOC Schools, Ruwais Branch, Abu Dhabi Ruwais Abu Dhabi
Ajman Modern School Al Bustan Ajman
Ajyal International School Al Falah Al Falah Abu Dhabi
Al Ain American School Bida Bin Ammar Al Ain
Al Bateen Scientific School Al Nahyan Abu Dhabi
Al Dhafra Private School, Abu Dhabi Mohammed Bin Zayed City Abu Dhabi
Al Dhafra Private School, Al Ain Manaseer Al Ain
Al Ittihad Private School Jumeirah Al Safa Dubai
Al Ittihad Private School Mamzar Al Mamzar Dubai
Al Maaref Private School Dubai Al Qusais Dubai
Al Maarifa Private School Al Qusais Dubai
Al Mawakeb School Al Barsha Al Barsha Dubai
Al Mawakeb School Al Garhoud Garhoud Dubai
Al Nahda National School for Boys Al Mushrif Abu Dhabi
Al Resalah School Al Azra Sharjah
Al Sanawbar School New Manasir Al Ain
Al Worood Nursery Al Rehan Abu Dhabi
Al Yasat Private School, Abu Dhabi Al Shamkha Abu Dhabi
American Academy for Girls Mirdif Dubai
American Community School Abu Dhabi Khalidiya Abu Dhabi
American Gulf School Sharjah Al Rahmaniyah Sharjah
American International School Abu Dhabi Al Reehan Abu Dhabi
American International School Dubai Al Qusais Dubai
American School of Creative Science Al Layyah Al Layyah Suburb Sharjah
American School of Creative Science, Maliha Al Jurainah Sharjah
American School of Creative Science, Nad Al Sheba Nad al Sheba Dubai
American School of Dubai Al Barsha Dubai
Beaconhouse Al Khaleej International Private School Al Azra Sharjah
California American Private School Shakhbout City Abu Dhabi
City American School Al Tallah 2 Ajman
Clarion School Al Quoz Dubai
Collegiate International School Umm Suqeim 2 Dubai
De La Salle Montessori Nursery Al Mankhool Dubai
Diyar International Private School, Fujairah Campus Al Sharia Sikamkam Fujairah
Dubai Arabian American Private School Al Muhaisnah Dubai
Dubai International School Al Quoz Al Quoz Dubai
Dubai International School Garhoud Garhoud Dubai
Dubai National School Al Barsha Al Barsha 1 Dubai
Dubai National School Al Twar Al Twar Dubai
Dubai Schools Al Barsha Al Barsha Dubai
Dubai Schools Mirdif Mirdif Dubai
Dubai Schools Nad Al Sheba Nad al Sheba Dubai
Dunecrest American School Al Barari Dubai
Emirates National Schools Al Ain Towaya Abu Dhabi
Emirates National Schools Al Nahyan (Secondary) Al Nahyan Abu Dhabi
Emirates National Schools Dubai Al Khawaneej Dubai
Emirates National Schools Mohammed Bin Zayed City Mohammed Bin Zayed City Abu Dhabi
Emirates National Schools Ras Al Khaimah Al Thaid Ras al-Khaimah
Emirates National Schools Sharjah Al Rahmaniyah Sharjah
Future International Academy Al Ain Al Sarooj Al Ain
Future International School Al Nyadat Al Ain
GEMS Al Khaleej International School Al Warqa Dubai
GEMS American Academy Khalifa City A Abu Dhabi
GEMS Dubai American Academy Al Barsha Dubai
Greenwood International School Muhaisnah 1 Dubai
Horizon Private School Branch Khalifa City A Abu Dhabi
iCademy Middle East Dubai Knowledge Park Dubai
Ignite School Al Warqa Dubai
International Academic School Abu Dhabi Shakhbout City Abu Dhabi
International Academic School Dubai Al Warqa Dubai
International Community School Al Falah Al Falah Abu Dhabi
International Community School Khalifa City Khalifa City Abu Dhabi
International Community School Mushrif Al Mushrif Abu Dhabi
International School of Arts and Sciences Al Warqa Dubai
Liwa International School - Al Mushrif Al Mushrif Abu Dhabi
Liwa International School - Falaj Hazza Falaj Hazzaa Al Ain
Liwa International School Al Qattara Al Qattarah Abu Dhabi
Liwa International School for Girls AlBateen Al Ain
Manor Hall International School Falaj Hazzaa Al Ain
Manthena American School Muweilah Sharjah
New Academy School Bur Dubai Dubai
Next Generation School Al Barsha Dubai
Nibras International School Dubai Investments Park Dubai
North American International School Al Mizhar Dubai
Philadelphia Private School Al Qusais Dubai
Pinnacle American School Madinat Zayed Abu Dhabi
Renaissance School Dubai Sports City Dubai
Royal American School Mussafah Abu Dhabi
School of Modern Skills Dubai Muhaisnah 1 Dubai
Sharjah American International Private School Dubai Al Warqa Dubai
Sharjah American International School Abu Dhabi Shakhbout City Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed Academy for Boys Al Khalidia Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Zayed Academy for Girls Al Bateen Abu Dhabi
Summit International School Madinat Zayed Abu Dhabi
The Gulf International Private Academy Al Ain Al Muwaiji Al Ain
United Private School Al Yahar Al Yahar Al Ain
Universal American School Festival City Dubai
Virginia International Private School Shakhbout City Abu Dhabi
Yas American Academy Yas West Abu Dhabi

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