USA Age to Grade Conversion Chart- College Preparedness

Last Updated on August 8, 2022 by David Shaw

In the US, the compulsory education system from grade 1 to 12 is crucial to a student’s foundation and academic success. Whether you’re planning for your own or your children’s education plan in their preteen or teenage years, having a chart in front of you can be handy in planning for future high-level learning for you or your children.

Age	Grade	Level of school
6-7	1	Elementary School
8	2	Elementary School
9	3	Elementary School
10	4	Elementary School
11	5	Elementary School
12	6	Elementary School
13	7	Middle Scool
14	8	Middle Scool
15	9	High School (Freshmen)
16	10	High School (Sophomore)
17	11	High School (Junior)
17-18	12	High School (Senior)

Among the 3 levels of school, middle school is also commonly known as ‘Junior High’. In some states, some middle schools might span 3 years, although 2 years of middle school duration is the most common. In such cases, it makes you a Freshman in the last year of Middle School at the age of 15, and a Sophomore in the following year when you attend high school.

More Information About US Grade School System

Children in the US start attending Grade 1 at the age of 6 or 7. And mostly the case, children initially start 1st grade at the age of 6 and turn 7 in the same academic year, hence why 2 ages are listed for the age group of grade 1.

As to why some students might attend or graduate 12th grade both at the age of 17 or 18, it is due to the same reason as why children start attending 1st grade at the age of 6 or 7.

What year in high school can you start driving?

It is usually in the Sophomore (10th grade) in high school, at the age of 16 when people can start learning to drive. Most high schools even offer parking lots for students who may start driving themselves to school on their own.

Finishing grade school earlier

If you’re wondering whether can you finish high school earlier than the age of 18, that is totally possible. Students who wish to wish to finish grade school earlier than expected by taking extra AP classes. If you finish grade school before 18, you can easily spend some time off before college, or apply to college right away.

Preparing for College or University

In the US, what comes next after 12 years of grade school is college or university as many would also call it. Although the term college and university are often used interchangeably in the US, they actually don’t mean the same thing.

Much like the 4 years of high school, students entering college typically also go through 4 years of classes or more depending on their major of study to earn a Bachelor’s Degree.

Age limit for attending college

Although the expected age to finish 12th grade is around usually around 18 years old, there is actually no age limit by law in the US for students to attend college.

With that said, it is normal to see universities across the US admitting students as young as 15 every year. On what is the minimum age to attend college, check out our article on College Admission for Minors- Is There a Minimum Age for College?

Students who accelerate their high school progress by taking extra AP classes and have appropriate standardized exam scores like SAT and ACT are simply qualified for college admission if they meet the other basic requirements of universities.

Types of Universities and Colleges in the US

Although most people in the US use the word ‘college’ and ‘university’ interchangeably, it might be important to address the differences for future college students since they’re not exactly the same thing.

Colleges usually have 2 meanings, which can be a separate college division within universities, or just a standalone 2-year academic institution where people can obtain an Associate’s Degree. For more about what is an Associate’s Degree, costs, check out this article.

Universities on the other hand are more interesting and broad, and often a better version of smaller 2-year colleges. Among the large and well-established top universities around the US, you will often see separate colleges in place for the different disciplines of study, like the College of Liberals Arts or College of Engineering in some universities for example.

– Community Colleges

There are a lot of 2-year community colleges across the US that students attend to obtain an Associate’s Degree to get a job, or they can take it a step further by transferring to a 4-year university. The pros of community colleges includes the fact they often have a significantly higher admission rate, as well as much cheaper tuition fees compared to universities.

– 4 Year Universities

Universities in the US typically have 4 years of program study for the most basic Degree, which is the Bachelor’s Degree. In the more general spectrum, universities can be categorized as research and teaching universities, where the goals and focus of their mission are different.

To keep things simple, research universities invest a greater amount of time and resources of their funding and faculties on research projects, while teaching universities are more about delivering a quality experience of Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree programs.

The Experience and Return on Investment From Both Institutions Are Different

Inevitably, there will be disparities in the return you get for the lower price of tuition you pay for attending a community college vs 4-year universities. The experience of both pathways can be very different from the aspects of the class syllabus, social life, pacing, and support.

Let’s look at a few major points of choosing between choosing to attend 2-year colleges and 4-year universities.

Community colleges are not so tight-knit compared to universities

Given that most people choosing to attend a community college is either focused on getting an Associate’s Degree for a job, hastily busy about transferring, or a mix of both. On top of the fact that community colleges don’t usually have dormitories to promote a strong social community, building good relationships and networking while in college is usually more challenging.

In short, you’re paying less for a quick and easy path to getting a bachelor’s degree at the expense of making great connections and lasting friendships.

Universities give you stronger connections and friendships

Universities are often more accommodating in terms of providing a safe space for peers to connect and mature. For instance, universities can enforce freshmen to live on campus, promoting friendships to be initiated and created that can last throughout the 4 years of college, unlike 2-year colleges.

If you have a very healthy and supportive group of friends in university, the positive feedback and healthy support system of such a community will give students a better undergraduate experience overall.

That is not to say all 2-year colleges give you a comparably more negative experience compared to 4-year universities. There are certainly also many great community colleges where they have great clubs, support faculty, connections, and resources to help you thrive. Sometimes, investing a little time on Google searches can often point you in the direction of really good options of community colleges and 4-year universities near you or more fitting to your location preferences.