Country education guide
United States
State and local education systems; there is no single national K–12 curriculum.
📚 School stages
Grades, stages, and local pathways
Pre-K / Kindergarten
Entry ages and placement rules are set by states and districts.
Elementary school · usually Grades 1–5 or 1–6
Standards, promotion, testing, and school placement are state and district matters.
Middle school / junior high
Grade spans and course requirements vary by state and district.
High school · Grades 9–12
Diploma requirements are state or district based; the GED is a separate high-school equivalency pathway with jurisdiction-specific rules. SAT and AP are not national graduation requirements.
College / university / vocational education
Institutions set admissions requirements within federal and state frameworks.
📝 Examinations and qualifications
Selectable records for United States
Each record links to the authority that publishes its current rules.
GED
A four-subject high-school equivalency credential administered under state and territorial rules.
- Completion or score rule
- A passing score is 145 on each of the four subject tests. Eligibility, fees, retakes, and residency rules vary by jurisdiction.
- Where it applies
- U.S. states and territories
SAT
A College Board admissions test used according to each college’s current testing policy.
- Completion or score rule
- There is no universal passing score or nationwide admission cutoff; receiving institutions publish how they use scores.
- Where it applies
- United States and international test centres
🔗 Official source library