History UsefulNotes / GermanEducationSystem

Some teachers even claim that ''preparing'' (but not actually using!) a Spickzettel is a good thing because it makes you think about the subject matter, without which it's impossible to prepare a good Spickzettel. But keep in mind that the Spickzettel was invented before Wiki/TheOtherWiki.

There are no school uniforms, although some people are toying with the thought since in recent years, more kids have been bullied because they can't afford the latest brand fashion. However, others are a little iffy about putting children into uniforms, due to the associations with militarism and Hitler Youth.

There are no school uniforms, although some people are toying with the thought since in recent years, more kids have been bullied because they can't afford the latest brand fashion. However, others are a little iffy about putting children into uniforms [[note]]And we'll leave it there, thank-you-very-much.[[/note]]

Originally students had a lot of freedom choosing courses and discarding subjects they disliked, but by now the reform of 1972 has been reformed itself several times, to avoid students discarding core subjects. The choosing system is very complicated, the only thing that can be said for certain is that German and Maths are always obligatory. Usually, you need to study at least one foreign language and two sciences (Chemics, Physics, and Biology) and are obligated to take some 'social sciences' (Geography, History and Social Studies). Oh, and Sports and ''Religion''[[note]]Don't worry, if you're not religious or aren't Catholic or Protestant, you can take Ethics instead. The obligation is caused by the state having a contract with the church that dictates this. I know, a lot of people here don't like it as well.[[/note]] are also mandatory.

Completing your education at a Gymnasium used to take nine years, but changed in the Main/TurnOfTheMillennium to only 12 in most places. Since together with the four years of Grundschule it added up to thirteen years of education - in most countries of the world, it's just twelve, as was the case in UsefulNotes/EastGermany, it was considered too long. After the German unification, most eastern states adapted the 13-year curriculum, though two of them kept the 12 years. Some western lands started copying this system, and later, the rest followed. As of 2020 this process is concluded in almost all of the lands. (Which means that some eastern lands had to change their school system twice in less than twenty years.) Critics state that the shortened Gymnasium leads to even more stress for students, in some cases going as far as burn-out. Since the transformation was often rushed and not well planned, it usually means learning the same stuff scheduled for three years in just two. The topic is still highly discussed about by teachers, students and parents.

The last two grades of Gymnasium, the ''Oberstufe'' are the most important ones, the ones you get prepared for and are scared of the years before. These two years are the ones where every class tests counts and you finish by writing the one final test, the Abitur. The grading system is changed completely from grades 1-6 to a point system from 15 to 0.

Completing your education at a Gymnasium used to take nine years, but changed in the Main/TurnOfTheMillenium to only 12 in most places. Since together with the four years of Grundschule it added up to thirteen years of education - in most countries of the world, it's just twelve, as was the case in UsefulNotes/EastGermany, it was considered too long. After the German unification, most eastern states adapted the 13-year curriculum, though two of them kept the 12 years. Some western lands started copying this system, and later, the rest followed. As of 2020 this process is concluded in almost all of the lands. (Which means that some eastern lands had to change their school system twice in less than twenty years.) Critics state that the shortened Gymnasium leads to even more stress for students, in some cases going as far as burn-out. Since the transformation was often rushed and not well planned, it usually means learning the same stuff scheduled for three years in just two. The topic is still highly discussed about by teachers, students and parents.

During the last two grades of Gymnasium the old classes are dissolved and students will take courses instead: ''Leistungskurse'' (achievement courses, mostly two, in some states three or even five), which take four to six hours per week, and ''Grundkurse'' (basic courses), two to four hours per week. The Leistungskurse make up about half of your Abitur grade.

Originally students had a lot of freedom choosing courses and discarding subjects they disliked, but by now the reform of 1972 has been reformed itself several times, to avoid students discarding core subjects. Nowadays German, maths, English, one science, and another science or another foreign language along with one social science are all obligatory, as is physical education.

The diploma you get after passing the final exams is called Abitur (short: Abi), derived from Latin ''abire'' (=leaving (the school)). Which is celebrated big time, of course. Often, the students will do an ''Abistreich'' (prank), making fun of their teachers, which is tolerated as long as things don't go too far.

Completing your education at a Gymnasium usually takes nine years. Together with the four years of Grundschule this adds up to thirteen years of education - in most countries of the world, it's just twelve, as was the case in UsefulNotes/EastGermany. After the German unification, some eastern lands like Saxony and Thuringia kept the old twelve years, which meant an eight-year Gymnasium (short: ''G 8''). Then some western lands started copying this system, and later, the rest followed. As of 2010 this process is concluded in half of the lands and on its way in the rest. (Which means that some eastern lands had to change their school system twice in less than twenty years.) Critics state that the shortened Gymnasium leads to even more stress for students, in some cases going as far as burn-out. Since the transformation was often rushed and not well planned, it usually means learning the same stuff scheduled for three years in just two.

During the last two grades of Gymnasium the old classes are dissolved and students will take courses instead: ''Leistungskurse'' (achievement courses, mostly two, in some states three), which take five or six hours per week, and ''Grundkurse'' (basic courses), two to four hours per week. The Leistungskurse make up about half of your Abitur grade.

A very relevant phenomenon at German universities - both historically and presently - is ''UsefulNotes/TheStudentenverbindung'', which ended up playing a not unimportant role in German history and is often considered the ancestor of many student fraternity cultures all over the world.

An apprenticeship means that you get contracted as an apprentice (Auszubildender, commonly called an "Azubi") by a company and spend the next two to three years alternating between learning the theoretical stuff at a Berufsschule (vocational school) and practical on-the-job training. The apprenticeship finishes with a final exam, but there may be advanced training later on. All German apprenticeships are regulated by the German government, and most apprentices receive a salary. Apprenticeships are considered one of the more successful parts of the German educational system in international comparison.

First of all: In Germany there is no distinction between colleges and universities, and there used to be no distiction between undergraduates and graduates either. The degrees you could get were a Diplom (diploma), a Magister ("master" in Latin), or a Staatsexamen (state exam). Some university still retain these today, but most have changed toward bachelor and master degrees in an attempt to improve their graduates' chances in the international market. This has been a hotly debated issue for the past few years.