What is School: Definition and 1000 Discussions

A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students (or "pupils") under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsory. In these systems, students progress through a series of schools. The names for these schools vary by country (discussed in the Regional section below) but generally include primary school for young children and secondary school for teenagers who have completed primary education. An institution where higher education is taught, is commonly called a university college or university.
In addition to these core schools, students in a given country may also attend schools before and after primary (Elementary in the US) and secondary (Middle school in the US) education. Kindergarten or preschool provide some schooling to very young children (typically ages 3–5). University, vocational school, college or seminary may be available after secondary school. A school may be dedicated to one particular field, such as a school of economics or a school of dance. Alternative schools may provide nontraditional curriculum and methods.
Non-government schools, also known as private schools may be required when the government does not supply adequate, or specific educational needs. Other private schools can also be religious, such as Christian schools, gurukula (Hindu School), madrasa (Arabic schools), hawzas (Shi'i Muslim schools), yeshivas (Jewish schools), and others; or schools that have a higher standard of education or seek to foster other personal achievements. Schools for adults include institutions of corporate training, military education and training and business schools.
In homeschooling and distance education, teaching and learning take place independent from the institution of school or in a virtual school outside a traditional school building respectively. Schools are commonly organized in several different organizational models, including departmental, small learning communities, academies, integrated, and schools-within-a-school.

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  1. S

    High School Student Thinking About Future Careers

    Hey! I'm a Grade 11 (entering Grade 12) high school student living in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and I was wondering if I could come here and ask a question on if anyone could give me any advice on what I should do with my life? More specifically, which one of these careers do you think would be...
  2. DLOBE

    To grad school or not to grad school?

    Hi guys, Im Daniel, I am currently an undergraduate astrophysics student at CU Boulder. Just coming into my junior year now and I've begun thinking about grad school. My current career goal is to join the upcoming private space industry. I was hoping to get some advice about what to do after...
  3. R

    Mathematical Physics graduate programs?

    I have a master's in physics. I'm looking at PhD programs, but I really don't want to take the same courses over and take comprehensive exams (or the damn GRE). I managed to squeeze in a few math classes before I finished. I would like to do research in physics, but from a more math-heavy...
  4. ZapperZ

    Schools What to Expect from Graduate School Before You Get There - Comments

    ZapperZ submitted a new PF Insights post What to Expect from Graduate School Before You Get There Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
  5. Berkan

    Building a solar cooker for school

    (Sorry for my bad English, I'm from Germany) Hello! I need to build a solar cooker as a school project. Our build needs to be able to heat 1 liter of water in 80 minutes. My idea was, to heat the water by using a fresnellens. I've bought a 15.6 x 15.6 inches fresnellens for that. I thought...
  6. ZapperZ

    Schools Applying for Physics Graduate School - Comments

    ZapperZ submitted a new PF Insights post Applying for Physics Graduate School Continue reading the Original PF Insights Post.
  7. Crystal Pearl

    Schools Can I take Electricity and Magnetism in grad school

    I am supposed to graduate next year but I just realized I have left Electricity and Magnetism off of my schedule. I'm afraid to add it because I feel like I am already taking enough and I am wondering if instead it is common or likely to just take the undergrad elective in graduate school. I...
  8. R

    Schools Studying astrophysics in graduate school

    Hello again, After a recent course in extragalactic astronomy, I have realized the field of astrophysics is quite beautiful. I am incredibly fascinated in the cosmological aspect of astrophysics along with high-energy aspects as well: AGN, Neutron stars, Black Holes. How competitive is studying...
  9. M

    Need advice on school work combo

    I am in a sort of catch 22. I need to work to get to school and work is making my grades drop hard. My parents are paying for tuition but we do not have much money. So my problem is I have to work to get to school, thankfully my job is a network tech on campus, and work is eating up time I need...
  10. M

    Schools Is it too late to get into a top grad school with a low GPA?

    Alright so I know that I am thinking far into the future here but I think it is necessary. I am a freshman in college and I am a physics major but my grades are poor. My first semester I got 2 C's(physics and math) because I did not study a lot. This semester I'm doing better, I'll get an A in...
  11. SpanishOmelette

    Am I doing this right? The Boxers punch (not for school)

    Salutations, all. I have recently been pondering a rather basic, initiate question, just to test my classical physics. So, if a boxer of 40kg throws a metre-long punch that hits his opponent in 0.25s, assuming he can channel his entire body weight into the punch, is the force generated 160N...
  12. S

    Schools Research and Graduate School .

    Hi Guys! Perhaps this a commonly asked question on Physics forums. If this has been addressed before then I apologize. I really value the input on this board from the experienced folks, hence the question. My first question : 1) What is required to be accepted for internships for places such...
  13. L

    Help with questions on becoming a surgeon?

    Im almost 16 and in 10th grade and I am very interested in biology/human anatomy. But when i was in 9th grade i was homeschooled and it wasnt for me and i ended up procrastinating to the point were i was kicked out in the middle of the second semester (but you need to finish the whole semester...
  14. Sudharaka

    MHB What Are Your Real Experiences in Grad School?

    Hi everyone, :) Now I am sure many of you are grad students or have experience being a grad student. I would like to start this thread as a discussion about grad school and your experiences as a grad student. From my conversations with numerous grad students I gained many life experiences, how...
  15. A

    Schools Is finishing college in three years bad for graduate school?

    I'm curious as to whether completing one's undergraduate studies faster is a disadvantage for applying to graduate school. While there are many reasons to stay the full four years, many also have real reasons to finish earlier (financial concerns being a main one). I'm going to assume that all...
  16. J

    Engineering Physics or Engineering after high school?

    I am really hoping someone will be able to give some advice on this because this decision is very stressful. I will be graduating high school in a couple of months and need to make a decision as to what I want to study in university. I have always loved science and math and have taken a...
  17. A

    Schools What should i study in graduate school?

    Im a junior physics major with interests in statistical physics, quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, classical mechanics and all thing theoretical and mathematical. I certainly want to go into something that is very mathematical but I am just not sure what I should look into. Also how to i go...
  18. A

    Schools Extra courses for physics grad school after Mech.Eng?

    Hello everyone, I am starting my third year in Mechanical Engineering. I wish to get a degree in physics after my bachelors, theoretical physics, to be precise. So what extra courses should I take now in order to be ready for grad. school ? Please note that my college does not offer minors.
  19. S

    Schools Finding Fulfillment and Graduate School Advice for Math-Related Majors

    I am afraid I made the wrong major choice. Currently I will be entering my senior year of a Civil Engineering b.s. with a concentration in structural engineering. And now that my program is coming to an end, I realized its not what I thought it is. Its too much picking through laws and...
  20. C

    Schools Grad School or Experiences: Pros/Cons for Biochem Major

    I'm a third year biochemistry major, minoring in mathematics and physics. When I finish this degree I'm going a cheaper public university to finish either an astronomy or physics degree because I think I want to do something solar-system related in terms of industry and/or research. But there...
  21. Brian T

    Schools Research Experience for Grad School

    Hello all, just a quick question. In terms of gaining research experience for applying to physics grad school, does the research experience necessarily have to be in a lab? Would only independent research (but supervised) be worse than actually lab experience? Thanks for your input, Brian
  22. ish512

    Schools Help with high school class selection

    Hello, I am a current freshman in HS. Sophomore year I am registered to double up in math (AP Stat/Precalc) and am taking Honors Programming, the prereq to AP Computer Science at my school. I am also taking Spanish 3 next year, as well, as I took Spanish 1 for HS credit last year in middle...
  23. EternusVia

    Schools Balancing Work and College: Tips and Strategies for Success

    Hi all, It's my third year of college studying mathematics. Some of the upper level courses are more challenging, although I'm making it through them. After school, I want to get a masters or PhD in mathematics. I currently work 10-15 hours a week, and sometimes this adds a lot of stress...
  24. Cake

    Anyone have experience finding money for school?

    Hey all. I'll be transferring to a four year university in the fall. Once I'm into wherever I go, I'll need to start looking for money in order to minimize the debt I accrue over my undergrad. I was wondering what experience any of you have in looking for support. I'm going to be getting a fair...
  25. N

    Schools What are the best resources for brushing up on math skills for graduate school?

    Good morning! So, I graduated in 2013 and got a job in industry. Now, I'm starting grad school in the fall. That's a 2.5 year gap; I'd like to brush up on my skills and shore up my weaknesses. Anyone have recommendations? In particular, for Math Methods and skills? As far as Undergraduate...
  26. N

    Schools Graduate School Guidance. I want to be a cosmologist

    I had a lot of trouble in my early undergraduate career and had received some really bad grades. I retook a lot of courses and after 6 years, I am finally graduating with good marks in my third and fourth year courses and I believe I have an overall good understanding of undergraduate physics. I...
  27. D

    2 questions I wish I had gone to school for this

    if anyone wishes to answer my questions would it be too much to ask you to e-mail me the answer. Because I get notices that people have answered other questions, For the life of me I don't know where the answers are going to... all I see is the alert that Mr. or Mrs. Peoples answered my...
  28. Dishsoap

    Schools Diverse or concentrated research experience for grad school?

    Hey there, I'm a junior in undergrad and I'll be applying to grad school next fall. I have a 4.0 and very good letters of recommendation, but other than a sub-par GRE score, my main dilemma is research experience. Here is the research experience I have: 3 years, 3 papers in AMO/QFT (pair...
  29. EternusVia

    Schools Asking my Boss for Grad School Funding

    Hi all, I'm going to ask my boss to pay for some percentage of my graduate school. He has hinted before that this might be a possibility. It won't be totally out of the blue. So, I have a few questions for you. 1) Have any of you had a similar arrangement? 2) If so, how much did your...
  30. M

    Beginning a career after grad school

    Hi PF! Just as the title says, I'm wondering how you gained work after finishing grad school? While any STEM field is relatable, I will have completed my Master of Science in mechanical engineering this December and am wondering what some of you have done to gain employment? Do you just apply...
  31. M

    Programs Rejected by Best Fit School - Reapply, Transfer? Seeking Advice

    Hello PhysForums! New poster here. I hope some of you will have experiences, or advice for my situation. I've searched a lot of threads here and on physicsgre or gradcafe, and haven't gotten quite the information I'd like. Here's the facts: - Senior at elite LAC in USA, Physics and Math double...
  32. B

    Internships during graduate school? (Physics related)

    I was wondering if there is anyone out here who was in a PhD physics program that did internships during grad school? ( Or plans to do an internship) Google searching this usually leads me to many CS people that have done this. I guess it's not that common for physics people? I do not want to...
  33. I

    Studying Independently in High School - How Much Time?

    Hi, I'm currently in high-school and looking to study independently, but am unsure how long I should spend doing this a week. Currently I spend about 35 hours in school per week (9 till 4, Mon to Fri) with about an hour of travel time. Of this time in school about 23 hours is spent in lessons. I...
  34. A

    Schools EE grad school with a physics minor

    Does anyone here have any experience with going to grad school in Electrical Engineering with a minor in physics? It's something I've planned on doing for a while, and I'll start taking my extra physics courses to fulfill the minor next semester, but I was wondering exactly how much it'll help...
  35. parabola

    Help with high school dynamics assignment?

    < Mentor Note -- thread moved to HH from the technical physics forums, so no HH Template is shown > I've searched for help before posting, found this thread that is asking for the same assignment by unfinished so I'll just copy and paste lol...
  36. S

    Schools U Of Toronto vs UBC in physics graduate school (condensed matter theory)

    I have to choose between U of T and UBC for my physics graduate school. QS ranking places UBC(46th) much higher than U of T (100th), but two of my professors told me the other way around. any ideas about the discrepancy? thanks~
  37. GiantSheeps

    Stargazing Are there astronomy competitions?

    I run an astronomy club at my school, and I recently discovered that the robotics club gets $2000 from the school every year to build a robot. They then go on to compete in tournaments with that robot, so that justifies the $2000. It would be great if I could get the school to give us $2000 to...
  38. L

    Value of a Masters in Computer Science from a State School?

    Hey guys, I got accepted to a few Cal State Computer Science masters (MS) programs (I live 10 minutes from one of them). I also applied to UC Davis and UC Irvine for their BS in Computer Science (would be a 2nd bach. degree, first was Psychology, pre-req's done/am doing at a CC), and am waiting...
  39. M

    Concerned about ability to succeed in job/grad school

    I would like to get a Master's of Engineering and work in the industry, but for a number of reasons, I don't think I am going to be very good at it. I worry that I am deluding myself into thinking that I am good at something I am not. I'd like to get other people's thoughts on whether I this is...
  40. P

    Cosmology books for high school students

    Is there any book, on cosmology, or anything related (Not too deep) recommended for a high school students interest basis. Thank you.
  41. M

    As a High school senior, my knowledge of physics is limited

    My question is this: how do I break the chains? I took honors physics last year and absolutely fell in love. Unfortunately we don't have any Calculus-based physics courses in my school… I've asked some of my teachers for textbooks I could borrow and they've been nice enough to give me some...
  42. 1

    Sources to learn QM while commuting to school?

    i go to school, and it's quite far away (3 hours per day, return), so, i'd like to use this time wisely and learn QM, but unfortunately, i can't read books on transportation, i get dizzy... when i read things for prolong period of time.. i've only learned about the special relativity, and am...
  43. R

    Seeking Advice on Choice of School

    As the results for physics phd program admissions have come out, I am lucky enough to get into several top programs including Stanford, Harvard and Princeton. So far, I have no clue which one to choose and I would like to hear some advice. Personally, I would like to study hep-th and I am more...
  44. M

    Schools Grad school chances: Advice needed

    I'm planning to apply to grad schools in December 2015 and I thought I'd start thinking about it now. I'm quite unsure of my chances so I'd like your opinion. Undergrad institution: Top university in SE Asia, probably not too well known in the US Undergrad GPA: 3.75/4.00 (was Valedictorian of...
  45. A

    Summer research spot without REU at a school with REUs

    I want to find an undergrad research spot at UC Davis over the summer since I'll be in the area; however, I believe I've missed the deadline for summer REU applications. Seeing as Davis gets an influx of undergrad researchers from their REU program, do I have any chance in scoring a spot by...
  46. M

    16 years old and an aspiring physicist

    Hi, my name is Matt, I'm 16 years old and an aspiring physicist. I've recently found myself in a position of great uncertainty. I'll provide some background. I was a reasonably successful High School student although academics were secondary to leisure in my life. At the beginning of my junior...
  47. K

    High school physics problem involving a spring slingshot

    Homework Statement For a grade 12 physics project we have to stretch a spring along an inclined plane and then let go so that it hits a target. I know the mass of the spring, the angle of the incline, the height of the incline (how high the front of the spring would be off the ground before...
  48. Brian T

    Is Summer School a Good Option for Completing Minor Requirements?

    Hey all, I'm currently an undergrad physics major at UCSD. I'm thinking about taking a few classes over the summer so that my course-load for next year will not be too unbearable (my schedule is already packed). The courses I plan on taking over the summer are: (1) PDEs (2) Complex Analaysis...
  49. H

    Owning a Duplex and Attending Grad School

    I am not attending grad school yet, but I am working and saving cash. One investment I was considering is a Duplex. Ideally, I'd live in one half and rent out the other and make a few hundred extra a month (I've read at least $200 is a reasonable expectation). I am going to be applying to...
  50. hgducharme

    Physics vs. Engineering undergrad for industry aspirations?

    First, I would like to thank in advance to anybody who takes the time to read this and provide any feedback. Your help is greatly appreciated! I’m a first year undergrad and my passion is studying physics. I find myself 95% of the time looking up things that pertain to physics & science rather...
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