Our American education system is very different than the European system, and has many pros but also lots of cons. The biggest difference is that here students have the possibility to choose most of their classes, and there are only a few mandatory classes. In Europe people can’t choose their own classes, but there are different schools that specialize in varying categories, such as a scientific school where you learn more Math and Science, or a grammar school in which you learn more the language and literature.

Sincerely I think that the American system is better, because you have chances to discover your passions, that may be in elective classes or not. You can find out that you have a talent in Drama, or in Ceramics, for example. With this method you can then follow your ambitions after high school and it can be your job, or just your hobby in the future. A negative aspect of this system is that there can be a lack of knowledge in important themes. Also, having seen both the American and the European school system, I can say for sure that in Europe students have to work harder and to study more. This happens because in Europe people don’t have the freedom to select the subjects they like. There are not elective classes, but only hard mandatory classes that require hard work and studying.

“I think that here the school doesn’t give you enough general knowledge, so I think they need to have more mandatory classes if they want to keep this system, or they could change it completely and make it with all mandatory classes, like in Europe, where students can choose their future specific schools before the starting of high school,” said senior Marko Sajic, exchange student from Serbia.

The American opinion about this argument is different though. Students think that here they are forced to take some classes, even if they don’t find any interest in them.

“I think our system is not that efficient because it forces kids to do work they don’t want to do, and it’s not a good learning environment, it’s just doing work and getting output,” said junior Camryn Goodwin.

I believe that is fair that students should have the possibilities to choose completely their classes. For example, if you hate math, and you know that you will never use that knowledge in your future, there are no reasons why you have to take that class.

“Generally in America I think that people get forced into classes that they are not really passionate about, and I think that can be inefficient and there is student’s apathy. I would make it more customizable to the students and their learning type,” said senior Sam Wendt.

Probably the hypothetical perfect school would be a completely freedom for students to decide what they want to do with their life without any pressure from others and without the duty to study and work on what they don’t like, but it’s something impossible to make and it may generate ignorance on important themes that are necessary to know even if they are not related with our future jobs or our life.