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[quote=Anonymous][quote]There's multiple problems with the German model.

First, if you don't get into the right high school, you will NEVER go to college. You'll be sent to trade school as a teen. This obviously blocks teens with learning issues from getting into college. Some people mature later in life and could end being a brilliant academic in college, if just given the chance. I know many people who had terrible high school experiences and grades (usually due to a traumatic home life or school bullying), but then excelled once they got into college.

The 2nd big issue with the German system is that people would literally be in an undergrad program for 8 years before finishing. Once you got into the university, it was very difficult to get you out. The education was basically free, plus the German government gives you a monthly subsidy as a student to pay your living expenses. The professors in many German universities are very strict about failing 30-50% of the class, so you'd need to take a single class perhaps multiple times before passing. This kept Germans in their 20s in college for way too long. I think they've recently enacted a time limit to finish your bachelor degree (7 years?). That said, the German up-and-out method produces very smart individuals who have a mastery of the material. I've met many who come to the U.S. for grad school and find it to be way too easy compared to the German system.[/quote]

You are actually quite out of date in your understanding of the German system.

1: While it used to be the case that many kids were "mis-steered" into the vocational/non-academic path, this has largely changed.  There are fewer and fewer kids going to the vocational schools, and the threshold (and sadly quality) of the public university-prep schools has fallen, particularly in certain Bundeslaender (like NRW).   Actually, an issue in Germany is that more kids should head toward vocational education which in Germany means excellent job prospects.

2: The German university system has changed quite a bit with the introduction of Bachelors/Masters degrees.  Students are not taking as long, and with the good economy/jobs prospects there are fewer incentives for staying indefinitely in school.  That said, in my view the German university system would not be the model I would support for the US.  I think it's too old-fashioned/academic (with few exceptions) and very inflexible.  It is also not inspiring with way too large classes in the beginning courses (something that large public universities in the US also suffer from).
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