<p>Well, my school (elite private) gives an “american diploma” for its graduates. wth? doesnt make sense. You dont get to choose your own courses (except grade 12, even then its pretty much mandated by the ministry, cause thats also what public schools do here). Course instruction is in english, except for Arabic language, Religious studies, and social studies (which should be in english!). The school interacts with students using the arabic language.</p>
<p>What should I put on my applications? My country’s education system or an american-patterned system? Since we cant choose our own courses, we dont have APs either.</p>
<p>I know there are a few bilingual high schools in my home country that teach half of their classes in the native language of the country and the other half in English or French. The curriculum is the same as the standard national curriculum. Students graduate with two diplomas: our national high school diploma and an American or French diploma. </p>
<p>Is that similar to your own experience (except that you only get a single diploma)? </p>
<p>If you followed the standard national curriculum for your country with the only difference being that the courses were taught in English, I would say that you followed the national curriculum of your country. From what you describe, it does not sound like an American-style high school education at all. You can elaborate on your school’s curriculum in the school report, which needs to be completed by a school official.</p>
<p>They will keep their reputation and claim the american system just because their diploma says so, and because theyre certified by “CITA” (they claim that all the freaking time…so what?), which still doesnt mean its an american school. Itd only an ongoing certification and inspection of the quality of the school. doesnt mean its american.</p>
<p>“What should I put on my applications? My country’s education system or an american-patterned system? Since we cant choose our own courses, we dont have APs either.”</p>
<p>Since your school is following the US system, and has CITA certification, there surely is someone on staff who can answer this question. Go ask them.</p>
<p>Its jsut branded as “American Diploma”. CITA certification (from what Ive seen on their website) only certifies its quality as an educational institution, it doesnt certify that its american. </p>
<p>Ive asked. They say American (!!! How can it be american when you have a course called “Social Studies” taught in arabic!!).</p>
<p>It’s your country’s educational system. Your diploma could have been made by an American maker with American paper coming from an American tree and printed by an American printer, but the fact stands that the educational system is your country’s so that’s what you should mark in your applications.</p>
<p>They told you to check “American”, well then do that. It is an American-style academic program, as opposed to a British-style program where you would have been preparing for the equivalent of A levels, or a French-style program where you would have been preparing for the equivalent of the Bac. It doesn’t matter if some (or even all) of the classes are conducted in a language other than English. What matters is how the academic program is organized.</p>
<p>Colleges and universities know what CITA Accreditation is. They can look your school up and find out a lot about its program, and whether it has been fully accredited or is still in process. CITA Accreditation is very valuable for your school to have because it certifies that indeed certain standards are being met, as opposed to your school just randomly handing you a diploma after X years.</p>