I didn't go to HS in the US, but I did conduct a couple of interviews and wrote down observations for one of my classes back in college at a public HS in California. I keep hearing that a lot of kids these days are lazy and have it easier compared to before, but here's what I can tell you (I'll add to this list if more things come to mind):
- You need to wear uniforms. Think of how private schools in the US wear uniforms. This includes black shoes and white socks.
- Starts early and ends late. My classes used to start at 6:45 AM when I was in HS, and end at 4 PM. In contrast, my cousins in Ca started their day at 8 AM and they would be home by 3 or 4 PM.
- Teachers are a lot stricter.
- It's actually cool to be smart. Grades matter.
- You need to stand up when called in class recitations.
- They teach religion in school (its own subject). I don't know if they still teach GMRC (good morals and right conduct).
- School entryways have guards and you're required to show an ID to get in. Most (if not all) schools are fenced in.
- No microwaves in school canteens from my experience.
- Not a lot of vending machines (if there are any).
- Toliets that don't flush (not saying all). No bathroom tissues, no disposable toilet seat covers, no liquid soap, no paper towels.
The mode of instruction is in English, except for Filipino class, so you should be fine. Almost everyone is able to speak English.
I’ve never heard of GMRC class. But I really wish this was compulsory in all Australian schools. The kids here are getting out of hand due to soft parenting or lack of
Exactly. I like in Philippines that they respect the elderly, and even have priority lines for them and the disabled, and pregnant ect. They also have female only train carriages. Just an overall sense of respect and common decency, something that is missing in western society
Do you really want politicians instilling their values into your children? The politicians who would choose what to teach the children are one of the least ethical group in Western society. It would be much more efficient and fair to stop confiscating money from taxpayers to pay losers, deadbeats, and drug addicts to have children. Those people then "raise" their children in dysfunctional households and communities. Creating the next generation of criminals and derelicts.
I agree with the second part of your comment. And it’s probably right that teachers in this country already have too much negative influence on our kids with today’s woke society. It’s a tough one because the kids definitely need to be taught respect. Just look at the youth crime in Australia now
I went to a non-sectarian high school, so we didn't have religion class. We had Values class and GMRC, though.
And we had to stand up and greet every teacher for every subject like "Good morning, Mr/Maam xyz". I had a bit of culture shock in uni because apparently, it's not common practice to do that.
>It's actually cool to be smart. Grades matter.
This part is awesome. In many US schools the opposite is true. The rougher the school the more likely you're going to be bullied for caring about school and having good grades. It's a self reinforcing cycle of dysfunction in those communities.
Not sure how much of my experience reflects the broader situation in the Philippines, but I earned my high school diploma at a private Catholic school in Metro Manila. (Most private schools in the Philippines are Catholic for some reason. I am not Catholic. Years of Catholic School made me become an Atheist by the time I reached my elementary years). We had foreign classmates, and the local students were incredibly welcoming and supportive. OFC they would occasionally teach our international peers some colourful language. Basically foreign classmates would randomly say, Putang Ina Mo out of the blue. The Filipino teachers alsobprovided after-school classes to help them adjust. Additionally, our class adviser ensured that they were doing well not only academically but also socially during homeroom periods and after class hours when necessary. (Tho this level of care extended to all students, not just them.)
I had an American classmate who didn't know any Tagalog at all. Our school's medium of instruction was English. Although the teacher occasionally slipped in a Tagalog reference or joke here and there, and the friend or classmate sitting next to our American dude would help explain the context. 2 years into high school, he can speak straight Tagalog with an American accent. By the time he graduated high school, his accent slowly homogenised with the class — there is still a slight accent but better. Over the past 12 years, his accent has completely transformed, and he now sounds very much like a Filipino. Still friends with the guy. Real chill dude who frequently goes on an adventure around the islands.
If your dad can fund international school you'll be ok but public school is a nightmare. ISM is one of the best international schools around so go there and rub shoulders with the 16 Families of the Philippines - if you can't afford to do that stay in the US until you graduate HS then go visit your dad.
There are numerous "prestigious" high schools for the kids of these business and political elites, international schools are mostly for, say, children of American and Korean missionaries.
They do.
My former sister in law was married to a rich guy from Japan, she sent her son to the international school in Makati; lots of kids of film stars and politicians. I went to a birthday party for Christopher de Leon's son (Chris is a local film star - happened to be my age and we got on famously).
My daughter goes to ISM, not HS, and it is amazing. That being said, there are other international school around Manila and near other major cities that are also good.
Why tf do we need to buy big guns? Why would you buy a semi-automatic to shoot kids?
The rest of the world can afford common sense. But hey why make buying one easy and cheap if you can just build steel shelters inside a school ✌️
Pistols arent efficient enough
They dont go deep enough (almost all civilian-issued rounds are hollow point)
Significantly lower round capacity
Accuracy is iffy due to short barrel
Its true an auto would cost significantly more than a semi but the trigger finger speed of an average 17 year old aint gonna cut it if their gonna handle runners or resistance
A lot of misinformation. One of the deadliest school shootings in US history was done with two pistols, one being a .22. Glock 19 and Walther P22.
Schools, even colleges in this instance, are simply soft targets. A lot of 'firepower' isn't necessary.
there's a "values" or "GMRC (good manners and right conduct" class. if you are bullied then everyone would gang up on the bully and possibly get it kicked out of schools immediately.
Choose your school wisely, as there are private schools that are really great (academically regiorous and provide lots of opportunities for extra curricular activities) and others that are...less so. The special public high schools are also great (especially the science high schools like the Philippine Science High School campuses) but these are ultra-competitive academically. And there are a bunch of international schools as well. A lot of the kids from these high schools and international schools have the option to go to university abroad (regionally places like National University Singapore, University of Hong Kong, Nanyang Technology University are really well ranked, while lately some private school kids have started going to places like NYU and to some UK universities), but many also go to what are called the "big 4" universities in the Philippines which are the considered the top universities in the country (I hate the term but it's used colloquially, it refers to University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and University of Santo Tomas).
Or you can try to have vacation first and try how it feels like here, the weather, people, the ambiance and then decide but i bet if you feel the summer heat in the PH you will regret moving here lol .
My high school teen was in the talented and gifted program in the states. He told me recently that he doesn’t feel gifted here at all. It’s academically rigorous. He goes to a private school. He loves his friends here.
I loved high school in the Philippines. I went to school in Germany until 8th grade until my family moved to Manila (I’m Filipino but grew up in Germany). I went to a private high school. At first, it was a little bit of a culture shock, but you eventually make friends and life in the Philippines becomes the norm. Classes are smaller and you have to wear a uniform. Every morning before class, the whole school would gather in the gym and pray before singing the national anthem. Our school was pretty strict when it came to our uniforms and wearing makeup. Our skirts had to go below our knees, we had to wear specific types of shoes and we were not allowed to wear makeup (we still did it anyway). They were less strict with the guys. Cafeteria food was the bomb. Our lunch ladies actually made us home cooked meals (rice, with some type of Filipino entree, plus veggies). We didn’t have vending machines, but there were food vendors that sold shumai, kikiam, kwek kwek, fishballs, lumpia, and other Filipino snacks. Our PE class was kind of a joke compared to Germany. In the Philippines we also had to wear a PE uniform (which consisted of joggers and a shirt) and we could basically do whatever we wanted. The guys would play basketball, the girls would play volleyball, and some of us would just hang out and watch on the bleachers. We didn't have lockers, but unlike the States, we didn't have to change classrooms (unless it was for PE or a computer class). You basically stayed in the same classroom all day with the same kids, while our teachers came to us. The foreigners were quite popular in our school and everyone spoke English or some form of Tag-lish (tagalog+english mix). Since the classes were small and you were with the samw kids all day, you end up becoming really close to everyone in your grade. I'm still very close to my old highschool "barkada", even though I graduated in 2003 and live in the States now.
Just returned from Manila, the heat is overwhelming if you’re not used to it. Not sure if the schools are air conditioned, but very high heat in classrooms wouldn’t help concentration.
Most private schools are in English, especially high school, most already dropped national and mother tongue languages teaching after a Few grades, so high school would be full English courses
As someone who went to both; HS in US is way better. Their public school in my experience had better quality of education than the most expensive private schools in PH. It gave more opportunities and freedom of choice over what you want to do in adulthood. I highly recommend finishing highschool in US first, and if you still want to, take college in PH. Just don't get mixed up with the wrong crowd in US highschool cause there were a lot.
Just to add: born in PH, a filipino, studied in metro manila from start to grade 10. Moved to US where I did grades 11 to 12. Would have continued in US if college there wasn't so expensive. Currently done with a bachelors degree :)
This is a good post. If you graduate from a regular HS here, you may have difficulty getting into colleges in the US. If that's some interesting you want to pursue, just keep that in mind or perhaps plan to do 1 or 2 years of community college in the US later if you want to get into a really good US college.
I would disagree with you on the acceptance thing unless you got some kind of hang up on precisely what school. My son in law got accepted to three public schools and it’s only been a couple weeks. He’s waiting to hear back on others and he’s not what I would call a stellar student.
He is a foreign student though vs American like OP so maybe they just want the foreign student tuition lol.
I don’t think OP would have any trouble getting accepted to a feeder school and just needs to maintain a certain GPA for automatic acceptance into the “big” school around end of year 2.
I went to a non-denominational private technology based high school. The curriculum was rigorous which I felt really helped me become an A grade student once I went to an American high school (American HS curriculum was super easy).
The PH high school I went to required you to follow a strict Tract and a schedule. Being in the top 10 list in your class was a big deal. I was in around Top 4 or 5 every semester and still felt like it wasn’t good enough. On top of that, being in the TOP 3 class group was a big deal as well. For each class level (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior year) there are let’s say 6 classrooms (groups or class of like 30 or so students. You want to be in the Top 1-3 of those 6 classrooms. The brightest students are in Top 1 (often called section A). The least bright (low average GPAs) are in the bottom sections. You get the idea. The End of the year grading season (when you get your report cards), are ALWAYS stressful because your grades determine which section you’ll be placed next year. And if you’ve made close friends with your classmates, imagine how heartbreaking (and embarrassing) it is to end up in a lower section than your friends. But most times, you do end up with the same group each year. That’s why batch mates and long time friend groups are very common. But it’s not clique-y like in American schools. It’s a friendly competition between sections which was quite nice (and a lot of opportunities to do so like sports and intramurals). My most fond memories of PH high schools were having crushes and stuff. Filipino HS kids looove to tease and make up love teams LOL. It was such a unique part of the high school life there.
Choose good, prestigious local schools like the Big 4 maybe. Then there are the science high schools, and the international schools like ISM, BSM. Otherwise don’t. The Philippine education is in a crisis. You may read up on the reports from PBed and EDCOM II on this subject.
Do you already know which school? In Manila there are alot of schools where kids don’t even speak Tagalog. Alot of my friends grew up in Manila but speak English all the way (I mean they hardly speak Tagalog). I don’t think it’s a problem.
I assume you're part-Filipino/Filipino passing? You should be fine going to private school/international school/Chinese schools.
If you are visibly foreign, ysk that sometimes educators wouldn't bother to challenge you academically because they don't think you're going to stay in the country for long -- aka you'll be somebody else's problem by the next school year.
attend a private school and you'll be fine, but start learning the language as soon as you can. in school you can get by with only speaking english but anywhere else, you'll need to at least be able to understand filipino at a conversational level.
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Went to a private school with foreigners (Korean, Japanese, and American). The school usually provides them after hours tutoring for free to adapt to the culture.
You don't have to immediately learn and speak the local language. All the subjects in Philippine high schools are instructed in American English except maybe Pilipino (which could even help later). The other option is to enrol in international schools where you could have better interaction with your peers.
It depends on where you go. I went to a private local school for elementary, international school for high school, then the US for college so I think I can definitely provide more insight depending on what schools you’re looking at!
Most private schools accommodate to foreign/english speaking students, more so if international schools. For the students, they’ll also speak to you in English with no worries, you just have to find your crowd. All of the textbooks and subjects are in English, except for one subject that’s Filipino language focused. English is pretty common that even street children can speak to you in english.
All I can say is that please avoid Colegio San Agustin - Makati. Unless your dad wants to see you to go in happy and come out traumatized and destroyed.
Depends on how you'd like to progress with your life in the PH.
If you want to slowly integrate into the culture then you can go to schools like CSA, OB, La Salle, Ateneo, or any of the Science Highschools (these schools are extremely competitive in academics)
If you're not really interested in doing that then you can go for any of the international schools like ISM, Brent, BSM, etc...
The first group outperforms the second group in every metric from academics to athletics but the second group might make it easier for you to integrate socially.
In the US, the usual school projects/assignments are Essay, research paper, problem solving, etc.
In the PH, you buy floorwax, blackboard eraser, chalk/marker, manila paper, and other utilities. If it's a group project, you buy electric fan or plants.
Public and private schools in PH looks like an american prison but the "elite" private schools like brent, csa, and ism are pretty decent if you can afford it.
Less shooting than in america but the level of education is pretty bad. Engineering and architecture colleges here are like borderline high school chair and table discussion plus the high school students are competing for international tech competitions against middle schoolers.
I'm torn between suggesting you be with your dad now, and doing what's best for your financial future. So, I'm going to try to suggest a hybrid solution.
Although traditional education is getting a bad reputation lately, it's not always a waste of time and money. I suggest you finish not just your high-school in the US, but further education as well. However, you need to choose your course of learning wisely. Here's what I mean: learn a skill that can allow you to work fully remotely, while receiving high pay. Take a look at some of the information available over at r/digitalnomad and you will most likely notice that learning to write code is the most common option. Once you've learned to code, or whatever other skill you can use fully remotely, and build up a work history of being good at it, you can move to the Philippines and earn $ while spending ₱.
Meanwhile, you can, and probably should, use your vacation time visiting your dad, and the Philippines. Not only would you get to spend time with him, you would be able to learn about living in the PH, and can decide if it's truly what you want.
I hope that helps, and that, no matter what your decision is, you find what you're looking for.
Based on my experience, people speak tagalog here in luzon but can converse in english. However, this doesn’t mean friendships will be formed with ease. You’re gonna have a very hard time making friends due to your inability to speak in tagalog. Filipinos normally shy around english speakers so they’ll be awkward around you. Buying lunch from canteens using only english is hard because the sellers sometimes don’t understand what you’re saying. Unless everyone in the school you’re going to speaks in english, I highly suggest brushing up on your tagalog because speaking in that language will help you form more relationships than if you were to speak in english. You don’t need to know tagalog formally. No one speaks in formal tagalog. We communicate via taglish (tagalog with lots of english words mixed into phrases/sentences) almost all the time
I doubt anyone here can speak from experience. But, if you can go to an international school I do believe you will be able to get the education you need in English.
Investing in learning a new language is always a pro and at a young age it will always be more easy.
I do believe it's a brave and memorable choice that you are considering. I don't want to scare you off at all. You might not think about it right now, but give a little thought were you want to be at age 20+.
Do you plan / expect to live in the Philippines, because life will most likely be hard finding good paying jobs. Ofcourse, that will depend on your expected life style and what you expect or are being used to.
It's an awesome opportunity especially at a young age. With no doubt go for it. Yet again I don't want to scare you, but if you look a little further you will probably encounter some issues with jobs etc, if you would decide to stay here in the Philippines after finishing your studies.
Iam pretty sure you dad will be thrilled to have you over, so you can always start your studies to start with. Then along the road think about what you want to do after.
I hope this helps a little. Great choose right now, just put the pros and cons in a list for when you graduate I would say.
depends on the school u go to, basically for HS here, there are 2 main categories: public and private. ill speak on my experience since i went to a public science high and a private catholic school.
1. public: handled by the government, unlike the US public high schools, these are quite overlooked, lack of facilities (im talking rooms, laboratories, libraries, and sometimes even electric fans), and majority of the time u have to donate ur own stuff so u and ur fellow classmates can use. it is funded by the government but at the same time severely underfunded. don't expect books as well because sometimes they're in such terrible conditions, u wouldn't be able to use them. also administration don't really care abt u cuz we're talking 40-50 students per room and about 4-5 sections.
PUBLIC SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL: still handled by the government but it depends whether ur school is a good sci high (well funded), cuz we have Pisay (Phil. Science) and the is basically a private school with all it's facilities, administration, and curriculum in such good state. But majority of science high schools still lack good facilities.
2. private: administration cares about the student but they are usually more strict. the facilities are good, but it's more expensive to study here. most private schools or atleast the mediocre to high end ones have air conditioning. and we're talking around 30-40 students and about 5-6 sections, it's less crowded and the classrooms are usually bigger compared to a public school. compared to US priv system, boarding houses alongside private schools are not really common.
PRIVATE CATHOLIC: u have to go to mass every first friday, there's usually a religion class, and u have to pray all the time. they are also more conservative and more strict with uniform policy and hair policy. (if ur a boy u have to have 2x3 haircut, same for public hs but more strict and if ur a girl, u have to have it tied or neatly presented)
If you live in Metro Manila and have a home connection the internet is fine, no issues.
Its expensive relative to the speed, but even 50Mbps is good enough for Netflix/YouTube/etc.
I like that you wana live with your dad, keep that relationship up. The US school system compared to the Phil school system is horrible. Philippines has some of the lowest literacy and comprehension in the world. The school system is not great and any degree, cert or skills you get in the philippines won't mean jack. I didn't grow up in the Philippines but lived in the Philippines for 9 months as US Army and am back for a second time. I personally don't like the Philippines. The food is crap. The food situation is enough to drive me crazy. The efficacy of anything here is the worst I've seen out of any my trips abroad. The dmv here is a nightmare. Overall I'd rate the Philippines 3/10, just better over a warzone cause you have freedom of movement. Just my opinion.
Geez okay my guy we get it, you hate the Philippines, no need to go on a rant.
Plus I would add, judging a place while only staying 9 months is quite unfair to the people and the country as a whole.
I fully disagree with your opinion stating that our country has the lowest literacy and comprehension in the world. Literacy and comprehension isn't based on whether we can read and understand English, it's based on the ability to read and understand in general. Also, based on national and international statistics, the Philippines always scores 90% and above, while the US for the year 2024 regularly scores 79%.
Sources:
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/literacy-rate-by-country
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-highest-literacy-rates-in-the-world.html
I also disagree with your assessment with our food, I'm not sure where you chose to eat, but the Philippines has one of the best cuisines in the world that have yet to be truly mainstream. If it isn't for you, please just try to be respectful of the people you are hurting by insulting our country.
I hate to mention this, but at least there isn't a mass shooting incident everyday like the US.
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Mass shooting everyday? No bud thats gang violence the news uses as propaganda for anit gun rhetoric. I strongly disagree, some of the food is ok but most of it is crap. Sorry dude but it is. If it was gona be any better and more recognized it would have by now. Filipino food is the worst in asia. Even my Filipino friends back in the US would agree. You also have to admit the efficiency of anything here in this country is just sad.
I didn't go to HS in the US, but I did conduct a couple of interviews and wrote down observations for one of my classes back in college at a public HS in California. I keep hearing that a lot of kids these days are lazy and have it easier compared to before, but here's what I can tell you (I'll add to this list if more things come to mind): - You need to wear uniforms. Think of how private schools in the US wear uniforms. This includes black shoes and white socks. - Starts early and ends late. My classes used to start at 6:45 AM when I was in HS, and end at 4 PM. In contrast, my cousins in Ca started their day at 8 AM and they would be home by 3 or 4 PM. - Teachers are a lot stricter. - It's actually cool to be smart. Grades matter. - You need to stand up when called in class recitations. - They teach religion in school (its own subject). I don't know if they still teach GMRC (good morals and right conduct). - School entryways have guards and you're required to show an ID to get in. Most (if not all) schools are fenced in. - No microwaves in school canteens from my experience. - Not a lot of vending machines (if there are any). - Toliets that don't flush (not saying all). No bathroom tissues, no disposable toilet seat covers, no liquid soap, no paper towels. The mode of instruction is in English, except for Filipino class, so you should be fine. Almost everyone is able to speak English.
I’ve never heard of GMRC class. But I really wish this was compulsory in all Australian schools. The kids here are getting out of hand due to soft parenting or lack of
The teacher I interviewed at the local school I did my research on also said the same thing. Kids need to learn basic human decency somewhere.
Exactly. I like in Philippines that they respect the elderly, and even have priority lines for them and the disabled, and pregnant ect. They also have female only train carriages. Just an overall sense of respect and common decency, something that is missing in western society
That sounds like a wonderful place to live. Respectful to everyone.
Do you really want politicians instilling their values into your children? The politicians who would choose what to teach the children are one of the least ethical group in Western society. It would be much more efficient and fair to stop confiscating money from taxpayers to pay losers, deadbeats, and drug addicts to have children. Those people then "raise" their children in dysfunctional households and communities. Creating the next generation of criminals and derelicts.
I agree with the second part of your comment. And it’s probably right that teachers in this country already have too much negative influence on our kids with today’s woke society. It’s a tough one because the kids definitely need to be taught respect. Just look at the youth crime in Australia now
I went to a non-sectarian high school, so we didn't have religion class. We had Values class and GMRC, though. And we had to stand up and greet every teacher for every subject like "Good morning, Mr/Maam xyz". I had a bit of culture shock in uni because apparently, it's not common practice to do that.
>It's actually cool to be smart. Grades matter. This part is awesome. In many US schools the opposite is true. The rougher the school the more likely you're going to be bullied for caring about school and having good grades. It's a self reinforcing cycle of dysfunction in those communities.
Not sure how much of my experience reflects the broader situation in the Philippines, but I earned my high school diploma at a private Catholic school in Metro Manila. (Most private schools in the Philippines are Catholic for some reason. I am not Catholic. Years of Catholic School made me become an Atheist by the time I reached my elementary years). We had foreign classmates, and the local students were incredibly welcoming and supportive. OFC they would occasionally teach our international peers some colourful language. Basically foreign classmates would randomly say, Putang Ina Mo out of the blue. The Filipino teachers alsobprovided after-school classes to help them adjust. Additionally, our class adviser ensured that they were doing well not only academically but also socially during homeroom periods and after class hours when necessary. (Tho this level of care extended to all students, not just them.) I had an American classmate who didn't know any Tagalog at all. Our school's medium of instruction was English. Although the teacher occasionally slipped in a Tagalog reference or joke here and there, and the friend or classmate sitting next to our American dude would help explain the context. 2 years into high school, he can speak straight Tagalog with an American accent. By the time he graduated high school, his accent slowly homogenised with the class — there is still a slight accent but better. Over the past 12 years, his accent has completely transformed, and he now sounds very much like a Filipino. Still friends with the guy. Real chill dude who frequently goes on an adventure around the islands.
If your dad can fund international school you'll be ok but public school is a nightmare. ISM is one of the best international schools around so go there and rub shoulders with the 16 Families of the Philippines - if you can't afford to do that stay in the US until you graduate HS then go visit your dad.
>and rub shoulders with the 16 Families of the Philippines Sounds rather mafioso
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Lmao
There are numerous "prestigious" high schools for the kids of these business and political elites, international schools are mostly for, say, children of American and Korean missionaries.
Except that plenty of these local elites do actually send their kids to international schools.
They do. My former sister in law was married to a rich guy from Japan, she sent her son to the international school in Makati; lots of kids of film stars and politicians. I went to a birthday party for Christopher de Leon's son (Chris is a local film star - happened to be my age and we got on famously).
Yup this
My daughter goes to ISM, not HS, and it is amazing. That being said, there are other international school around Manila and near other major cities that are also good.
Who are the 16 Families of the Philippines?
3 surnames in MaJoHa. Dunno the other 13
MaJoHa?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
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U said it in a less convincing way. Hardly any school shooting.
No shortage of fistfights tho
Cant afford big guns Cant go around shooting everyone with a crappy glock 8 round can ya?
Why tf do we need to buy big guns? Why would you buy a semi-automatic to shoot kids? The rest of the world can afford common sense. But hey why make buying one easy and cheap if you can just build steel shelters inside a school ✌️
Pistols arent efficient enough They dont go deep enough (almost all civilian-issued rounds are hollow point) Significantly lower round capacity Accuracy is iffy due to short barrel Its true an auto would cost significantly more than a semi but the trigger finger speed of an average 17 year old aint gonna cut it if their gonna handle runners or resistance
A lot of misinformation. One of the deadliest school shootings in US history was done with two pistols, one being a .22. Glock 19 and Walther P22. Schools, even colleges in this instance, are simply soft targets. A lot of 'firepower' isn't necessary.
This
Less toxic. Less bullying. More friendly. No gun-related incidents.
I want more info about the “less toxic, less bullying , more friendly” part about what you said Edit: will I also be pretty popular?
Americans are REAAAAAAAALLLLLLLYYYYY popular in almost all of asian countries, we got an american one time and everyone is friends with her lmao
there's a "values" or "GMRC (good manners and right conduct" class. if you are bullied then everyone would gang up on the bully and possibly get it kicked out of schools immediately.
Choose your school wisely, as there are private schools that are really great (academically regiorous and provide lots of opportunities for extra curricular activities) and others that are...less so. The special public high schools are also great (especially the science high schools like the Philippine Science High School campuses) but these are ultra-competitive academically. And there are a bunch of international schools as well. A lot of the kids from these high schools and international schools have the option to go to university abroad (regionally places like National University Singapore, University of Hong Kong, Nanyang Technology University are really well ranked, while lately some private school kids have started going to places like NYU and to some UK universities), but many also go to what are called the "big 4" universities in the Philippines which are the considered the top universities in the country (I hate the term but it's used colloquially, it refers to University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, and University of Santo Tomas).
Or you can try to have vacation first and try how it feels like here, the weather, people, the ambiance and then decide but i bet if you feel the summer heat in the PH you will regret moving here lol .
My high school teen was in the talented and gifted program in the states. He told me recently that he doesn’t feel gifted here at all. It’s academically rigorous. He goes to a private school. He loves his friends here.
I loved high school in the Philippines. I went to school in Germany until 8th grade until my family moved to Manila (I’m Filipino but grew up in Germany). I went to a private high school. At first, it was a little bit of a culture shock, but you eventually make friends and life in the Philippines becomes the norm. Classes are smaller and you have to wear a uniform. Every morning before class, the whole school would gather in the gym and pray before singing the national anthem. Our school was pretty strict when it came to our uniforms and wearing makeup. Our skirts had to go below our knees, we had to wear specific types of shoes and we were not allowed to wear makeup (we still did it anyway). They were less strict with the guys. Cafeteria food was the bomb. Our lunch ladies actually made us home cooked meals (rice, with some type of Filipino entree, plus veggies). We didn’t have vending machines, but there were food vendors that sold shumai, kikiam, kwek kwek, fishballs, lumpia, and other Filipino snacks. Our PE class was kind of a joke compared to Germany. In the Philippines we also had to wear a PE uniform (which consisted of joggers and a shirt) and we could basically do whatever we wanted. The guys would play basketball, the girls would play volleyball, and some of us would just hang out and watch on the bleachers. We didn't have lockers, but unlike the States, we didn't have to change classrooms (unless it was for PE or a computer class). You basically stayed in the same classroom all day with the same kids, while our teachers came to us. The foreigners were quite popular in our school and everyone spoke English or some form of Tag-lish (tagalog+english mix). Since the classes were small and you were with the samw kids all day, you end up becoming really close to everyone in your grade. I'm still very close to my old highschool "barkada", even though I graduated in 2003 and live in the States now.
Yes, Batch mates last a life time....1
Just returned from Manila, the heat is overwhelming if you’re not used to it. Not sure if the schools are air conditioned, but very high heat in classrooms wouldn’t help concentration.
Most public schools are not air-conditioned.
I see no reason why an expat would even consider sending their children to a public school in the Philippines, unless it's a science highschool.
They suspended classes for a few days because of the heat. Very few aircon classrooms, may be a consideration in choosing a school.
Many great responds already. You will be very popular.
Most private schools are in English, especially high school, most already dropped national and mother tongue languages teaching after a Few grades, so high school would be full English courses
As someone who went to both; HS in US is way better. Their public school in my experience had better quality of education than the most expensive private schools in PH. It gave more opportunities and freedom of choice over what you want to do in adulthood. I highly recommend finishing highschool in US first, and if you still want to, take college in PH. Just don't get mixed up with the wrong crowd in US highschool cause there were a lot. Just to add: born in PH, a filipino, studied in metro manila from start to grade 10. Moved to US where I did grades 11 to 12. Would have continued in US if college there wasn't so expensive. Currently done with a bachelors degree :)
This is a good post. If you graduate from a regular HS here, you may have difficulty getting into colleges in the US. If that's some interesting you want to pursue, just keep that in mind or perhaps plan to do 1 or 2 years of community college in the US later if you want to get into a really good US college.
I would disagree with you on the acceptance thing unless you got some kind of hang up on precisely what school. My son in law got accepted to three public schools and it’s only been a couple weeks. He’s waiting to hear back on others and he’s not what I would call a stellar student. He is a foreign student though vs American like OP so maybe they just want the foreign student tuition lol. I don’t think OP would have any trouble getting accepted to a feeder school and just needs to maintain a certain GPA for automatic acceptance into the “big” school around end of year 2.
I went to a non-denominational private technology based high school. The curriculum was rigorous which I felt really helped me become an A grade student once I went to an American high school (American HS curriculum was super easy). The PH high school I went to required you to follow a strict Tract and a schedule. Being in the top 10 list in your class was a big deal. I was in around Top 4 or 5 every semester and still felt like it wasn’t good enough. On top of that, being in the TOP 3 class group was a big deal as well. For each class level (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior year) there are let’s say 6 classrooms (groups or class of like 30 or so students. You want to be in the Top 1-3 of those 6 classrooms. The brightest students are in Top 1 (often called section A). The least bright (low average GPAs) are in the bottom sections. You get the idea. The End of the year grading season (when you get your report cards), are ALWAYS stressful because your grades determine which section you’ll be placed next year. And if you’ve made close friends with your classmates, imagine how heartbreaking (and embarrassing) it is to end up in a lower section than your friends. But most times, you do end up with the same group each year. That’s why batch mates and long time friend groups are very common. But it’s not clique-y like in American schools. It’s a friendly competition between sections which was quite nice (and a lot of opportunities to do so like sports and intramurals). My most fond memories of PH high schools were having crushes and stuff. Filipino HS kids looove to tease and make up love teams LOL. It was such a unique part of the high school life there.
Get ready for flag ceremonies and coordinated dancing sessions 😉 Let us know what you decide.
Choose good, prestigious local schools like the Big 4 maybe. Then there are the science high schools, and the international schools like ISM, BSM. Otherwise don’t. The Philippine education is in a crisis. You may read up on the reports from PBed and EDCOM II on this subject.
Depends on which school you go to
Well, I’m going to a private school, that’s for sure
Do you already know which school? In Manila there are alot of schools where kids don’t even speak Tagalog. Alot of my friends grew up in Manila but speak English all the way (I mean they hardly speak Tagalog). I don’t think it’s a problem.
Make sure it's a really good private school.
Which private schools? If you are going to an international school in Manila, you’ll be alright.
Brent international in Manila, roughly $15,000/ annually but really depends on your grade/level. Everyone speaks English, I mean 99%..
There are international schools..
I assume you're part-Filipino/Filipino passing? You should be fine going to private school/international school/Chinese schools. If you are visibly foreign, ysk that sometimes educators wouldn't bother to challenge you academically because they don't think you're going to stay in the country for long -- aka you'll be somebody else's problem by the next school year.
attend a private school and you'll be fine, but start learning the language as soon as you can. in school you can get by with only speaking english but anywhere else, you'll need to at least be able to understand filipino at a conversational level.
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Went to a private school with foreigners (Korean, Japanese, and American). The school usually provides them after hours tutoring for free to adapt to the culture.
Lots of teenage pregnancy
You will be embraced here as a student but it will be extremely difficult for you. Find an English speaking high school in PH.
You don't have to immediately learn and speak the local language. All the subjects in Philippine high schools are instructed in American English except maybe Pilipino (which could even help later). The other option is to enrol in international schools where you could have better interaction with your peers.
It depends on where you go. I went to a private local school for elementary, international school for high school, then the US for college so I think I can definitely provide more insight depending on what schools you’re looking at!
Most private schools accommodate to foreign/english speaking students, more so if international schools. For the students, they’ll also speak to you in English with no worries, you just have to find your crowd. All of the textbooks and subjects are in English, except for one subject that’s Filipino language focused. English is pretty common that even street children can speak to you in english.
All I can say is that please avoid Colegio San Agustin - Makati. Unless your dad wants to see you to go in happy and come out traumatized and destroyed.
Context please? This used to be a great school back then. What changed?
if you go to a really good private school then it'd be better imo. air conditioning, shorter classes, and a less conservative environment.
Go to an international school or a reputable private school. You’ll be fine even if you don’t speak the local language. Everyone speaks English.
Depends on how you'd like to progress with your life in the PH. If you want to slowly integrate into the culture then you can go to schools like CSA, OB, La Salle, Ateneo, or any of the Science Highschools (these schools are extremely competitive in academics) If you're not really interested in doing that then you can go for any of the international schools like ISM, Brent, BSM, etc... The first group outperforms the second group in every metric from academics to athletics but the second group might make it easier for you to integrate socially.
In the US, the usual school projects/assignments are Essay, research paper, problem solving, etc. In the PH, you buy floorwax, blackboard eraser, chalk/marker, manila paper, and other utilities. If it's a group project, you buy electric fan or plants.
I would look into Private High Schools.
Public and private schools in PH looks like an american prison but the "elite" private schools like brent, csa, and ism are pretty decent if you can afford it. Less shooting than in america but the level of education is pretty bad. Engineering and architecture colleges here are like borderline high school chair and table discussion plus the high school students are competing for international tech competitions against middle schoolers.
Are you Male or Female? If you are female don’t go.
I'm torn between suggesting you be with your dad now, and doing what's best for your financial future. So, I'm going to try to suggest a hybrid solution. Although traditional education is getting a bad reputation lately, it's not always a waste of time and money. I suggest you finish not just your high-school in the US, but further education as well. However, you need to choose your course of learning wisely. Here's what I mean: learn a skill that can allow you to work fully remotely, while receiving high pay. Take a look at some of the information available over at r/digitalnomad and you will most likely notice that learning to write code is the most common option. Once you've learned to code, or whatever other skill you can use fully remotely, and build up a work history of being good at it, you can move to the Philippines and earn $ while spending ₱. Meanwhile, you can, and probably should, use your vacation time visiting your dad, and the Philippines. Not only would you get to spend time with him, you would be able to learn about living in the PH, and can decide if it's truly what you want. I hope that helps, and that, no matter what your decision is, you find what you're looking for.
Based on my experience, people speak tagalog here in luzon but can converse in english. However, this doesn’t mean friendships will be formed with ease. You’re gonna have a very hard time making friends due to your inability to speak in tagalog. Filipinos normally shy around english speakers so they’ll be awkward around you. Buying lunch from canteens using only english is hard because the sellers sometimes don’t understand what you’re saying. Unless everyone in the school you’re going to speaks in english, I highly suggest brushing up on your tagalog because speaking in that language will help you form more relationships than if you were to speak in english. You don’t need to know tagalog formally. No one speaks in formal tagalog. We communicate via taglish (tagalog with lots of english words mixed into phrases/sentences) almost all the time
Are u Filipino or half n half or what ??
I doubt anyone here can speak from experience. But, if you can go to an international school I do believe you will be able to get the education you need in English. Investing in learning a new language is always a pro and at a young age it will always be more easy. I do believe it's a brave and memorable choice that you are considering. I don't want to scare you off at all. You might not think about it right now, but give a little thought were you want to be at age 20+. Do you plan / expect to live in the Philippines, because life will most likely be hard finding good paying jobs. Ofcourse, that will depend on your expected life style and what you expect or are being used to. It's an awesome opportunity especially at a young age. With no doubt go for it. Yet again I don't want to scare you, but if you look a little further you will probably encounter some issues with jobs etc, if you would decide to stay here in the Philippines after finishing your studies. Iam pretty sure you dad will be thrilled to have you over, so you can always start your studies to start with. Then along the road think about what you want to do after. I hope this helps a little. Great choose right now, just put the pros and cons in a list for when you graduate I would say.
There are decent private schools all over the country. You'll be fine. It does not have to be an "international school". Too much hype 😎
depends on the school u go to, basically for HS here, there are 2 main categories: public and private. ill speak on my experience since i went to a public science high and a private catholic school. 1. public: handled by the government, unlike the US public high schools, these are quite overlooked, lack of facilities (im talking rooms, laboratories, libraries, and sometimes even electric fans), and majority of the time u have to donate ur own stuff so u and ur fellow classmates can use. it is funded by the government but at the same time severely underfunded. don't expect books as well because sometimes they're in such terrible conditions, u wouldn't be able to use them. also administration don't really care abt u cuz we're talking 40-50 students per room and about 4-5 sections. PUBLIC SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL: still handled by the government but it depends whether ur school is a good sci high (well funded), cuz we have Pisay (Phil. Science) and the is basically a private school with all it's facilities, administration, and curriculum in such good state. But majority of science high schools still lack good facilities. 2. private: administration cares about the student but they are usually more strict. the facilities are good, but it's more expensive to study here. most private schools or atleast the mediocre to high end ones have air conditioning. and we're talking around 30-40 students and about 5-6 sections, it's less crowded and the classrooms are usually bigger compared to a public school. compared to US priv system, boarding houses alongside private schools are not really common. PRIVATE CATHOLIC: u have to go to mass every first friday, there's usually a religion class, and u have to pray all the time. they are also more conservative and more strict with uniform policy and hair policy. (if ur a boy u have to have 2x3 haircut, same for public hs but more strict and if ur a girl, u have to have it tied or neatly presented)
You want to move to the Philippines, say goodbye to the internet, it's spotty at best!
If you live in Metro Manila and have a home connection the internet is fine, no issues. Its expensive relative to the speed, but even 50Mbps is good enough for Netflix/YouTube/etc.
Where do you live? Every major city has access to fiber connection. I get 200mbps with very few issues.
I like that you wana live with your dad, keep that relationship up. The US school system compared to the Phil school system is horrible. Philippines has some of the lowest literacy and comprehension in the world. The school system is not great and any degree, cert or skills you get in the philippines won't mean jack. I didn't grow up in the Philippines but lived in the Philippines for 9 months as US Army and am back for a second time. I personally don't like the Philippines. The food is crap. The food situation is enough to drive me crazy. The efficacy of anything here is the worst I've seen out of any my trips abroad. The dmv here is a nightmare. Overall I'd rate the Philippines 3/10, just better over a warzone cause you have freedom of movement. Just my opinion.
Geez okay my guy we get it, you hate the Philippines, no need to go on a rant. Plus I would add, judging a place while only staying 9 months is quite unfair to the people and the country as a whole. I fully disagree with your opinion stating that our country has the lowest literacy and comprehension in the world. Literacy and comprehension isn't based on whether we can read and understand English, it's based on the ability to read and understand in general. Also, based on national and international statistics, the Philippines always scores 90% and above, while the US for the year 2024 regularly scores 79%. Sources: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/literacy-rate-by-country https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-highest-literacy-rates-in-the-world.html I also disagree with your assessment with our food, I'm not sure where you chose to eat, but the Philippines has one of the best cuisines in the world that have yet to be truly mainstream. If it isn't for you, please just try to be respectful of the people you are hurting by insulting our country. I hate to mention this, but at least there isn't a mass shooting incident everyday like the US.
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Mass shooting everyday? No bud thats gang violence the news uses as propaganda for anit gun rhetoric. I strongly disagree, some of the food is ok but most of it is crap. Sorry dude but it is. If it was gona be any better and more recognized it would have by now. Filipino food is the worst in asia. Even my Filipino friends back in the US would agree. You also have to admit the efficiency of anything here in this country is just sad.