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What is a Cram School?

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

A cram school is a school that teaches a highly accelerated curriculum, with the goal of preparing students to take examinations. Typically, these schools are designed to provide supplementary education, with students attending regular school during the day and going to the accelerated classes after school or on the weekends. People may also hear this type of school referred to as a grind school, test preparation center, learning center, or tutoring center.

There are cram schools all over the world, but they are especially common in Asia, where attendance has become commonplace for students. Usually, the goal of the school is to prepare people for examinations through the use of a curriculum that promotes memorization and recitation of information. Test-taking skills are also often taught, and students are given many opportunities to take practice tests.

Cram schools try to prepare students for examinations.
Cram schools try to prepare students for examinations.

A variety of students take accelerated courses, ranging from elementary and middle school students preparing for school admissions tests to college graduates who want to ensure that they pass the examinations required for admission to professional schools. Cram schools are especially common for high school students who wish to prepare for college, especially in countries where exhausting entrance and proficiency exams are a critical part of college admission.

A cram school teaches a highly accelerated curriculum.
A cram school teaches a highly accelerated curriculum.

Going to a cram school is usually quite physically and intellectually demanding. Students must cope with the regular curriculum from their day school on top of the accelerated material, and in some nations, there is a lot of pressure for a student to perform well. Failure to do well on examinations can result in censure from parents and teachers, and a remedial course in a specialized school that caters to students who have taken and failed exams.

The physical and mental effects of cram school can be overwhelming for students.
The physical and mental effects of cram school can be overwhelming for students.

Cram school culture has been criticized by some educators. The concern is that the focus on memorization does not promote critical thinking and an in-depth examination of knowledge. While these schools may teach students to perform well on tests, the students may struggle with real-life tests of their ability to process and analyze information. Teacher quality is also quite variable, as local laws about training for teachers are often relaxed. The heavy load of cram school can also become problematic, with some students taking uppers and other drugs to push themselves to the limit in order to succeed.

Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a PracticalAdultInsights researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...
Mary McMahon
Mary McMahon

Ever since she began contributing to the site several years ago, Mary has embraced the exciting challenge of being a PracticalAdultInsights researcher and writer. Mary has a liberal arts degree from Goddard College and spends her free time reading, cooking, and exploring the great outdoors.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

famnfriends

@abundancer--The traditional GED prep classes are not considered cram schools. However some students preparing for the GED may go to these schools to help prepare them on top of the traditional GED classes. Usually this is an option for someone who is severely behind in a particular subject. We looked into this when my son was studying for his GED. It can be quite expensive if you decide to do this and it is all an out-of-pocket expense, usually no financial aid is available.

abundancer

So would the classes offered at a college for GED prep considered a cram school? My son needed to take some of these classes for two subjects and they were very intensive and fast paced. It seems like there was a lot of memorization involved.

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    • Cram schools try to prepare students for examinations.
      By: michaeljung
      Cram schools try to prepare students for examinations.
    • A cram school teaches a highly accelerated curriculum.
      By: Adam Gregor
      A cram school teaches a highly accelerated curriculum.
    • The physical and mental effects of cram school can be overwhelming for students.
      By: ArenaCreative
      The physical and mental effects of cram school can be overwhelming for students.
    • Some elementary school students take accelerated courses.
      By: air
      Some elementary school students take accelerated courses.
    • Cram schools may teach students how to prepare and perform well on tests.
      By: auremar
      Cram schools may teach students how to prepare and perform well on tests.