How to Say High School in Spanish

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Say "secundaria" when you are referring to school grades 7-10

   Determine the age level(s) of schooling to which you are referring.
   
   In the United States, high school refers to a compulsory education for students ages fourteen through eighteen.
   
   However, this is not the case in many Spanish speaking countries.
   
   Schooling is broken up differently in other countries.
   
   In Mexico, if you are referring to students age twelve to fifteen, students attend what is comparable to junior high school.
   
   This school is called "secundaria"
   
   and it is an extension of "educación básica" (elementary school).
   
   If you want more information about high school in Mexico, there are some government websites which provide information about "secundaria" in Mexico.
   
   These websites can be written in language that is difficult to read.
   
   However, if you read slowly and skim for graphs and visual representations, you can find some useful information.
2. 2

   Step 2: in Mexico.

   Students ages fifteen to eighteen attend what is called "preparatoria"
   
   "bachillerato"
   
   or "educación media superior".
   
   In Mexico, "el bachillerato" is the main track to university. "Prepartoria"
   
   on the other hand, is more geared toward vocational training so that when a student graduates they are ready to work in a specific vocation.
   
   For example, students who graduate from "prepartoria" might be ready to work as a laboratory technician. , In Spain, students twelve to sixteen years of age attend either an "instituto de educación secundaria" (instituto for short), "colegio concertado"
   
   or "colegio privado".
   
   Schooling at this point is still compulsory.
   
   Some high schools are public, others are private, and some are both.
   
   In Chile, for example, there has been a major shift toward the privatization schools.
   
   Most parents will pay more for their students to attend the private or semi-private schools. , At this point, schooling is not compulsory for all students.
   
   However, many students sixteen to eighteen years of age attend "bachillerato" or go to "ciclos formativos" for more school training.
   
   Often the different high schools in Spanish speaking countries entail different kinds of training.
   
   Different kinds of schools determine the career path their students take.
   
   For example, in Spain "el bachillerato" is the school that is on track to university.
   
   In "el bachillerato" studies students earn a certificate that is mandatory to attend university.
   
   Students also prepare for their "Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad"
   
   or university admittance exam, which they must take for university admittance.
   
   The other track students take in high school is Ciclos Formativos.
   
   This program is through Spain's "institutos"
   
   and it consists of vocational training.
   
   When most students leave these programs they are ready to work as a hairdressers, technicians etc..
3. 3

   Step 3: Say "preparatoria" or "bachillerato" when talking about school grades 10-12

4. 4

   Step 4: in Mexico.

5. 5

   Step 5: Call school grades 7-11 "instituto"

6. 6

   Step 6: when referring to Spain.

7. 7

   Step 7: Call school grades 11 to college

8. 8

   Step 8: "bachillerato" or "ciclos formativos"

9. 9

   Step 9: for Spain.

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