# Best year for UK student to move to US High School?



## greymann (Sep 19, 2011)

My wife and I are trying to understand US vs. UK school year equivalencies. My step son is 14 and is preparing to take his GCSE's next year. We are thinking about a move to the US possibly within the next few years and trying to figure out strategically what would be best for him. One feeling is letting him finish GCSE's here before making the move, then, let him finish in a US high school to finish preparing for University. Or maybe we could just let him take his GED/SAT in US and enter college right away. Or should we move before his GCSE year so that we give him more time to transition to the US educational system asap? Also isn't it better to have him graduate from a US high school so that the US university will have an easier time bringing him in or does it matter? Just needing some general advise on this from anyone knowledgeable. Thanks.


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## AbdulBaqi (Sep 19, 2013)

Hello,

I have no knowledge in the UK system, so I am unsure of when the best time would be to transition. However, as a teacher from America, I can tell you that it is largely up to your child and yourself when it is best to move. If you feel that the cultural shock and other factors would ruin his testing in the US, stay until after the test in the UK. I don't know how the test would translate but I'm sure it is possible so don't worry too much, just Google for some more information. As for Universities, if you transition into a high school, they will look at his high school transcripts only, which will be the ones responsible for translating/converting the worth of his UK high school credits. It will look good for your child that he went to school both in the UK and US systems, as it shows flexible, adaptability, and other factors that go into a person who goes through those kinds of changes. In the end it's all up to you. I personally would make sure my money, job, and location affairs are in order, and bring him over after his testing in the UK to make sure that he is not stressed about the testing requirement differences.


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