Understanding high school rigor in the Philippines

Hey there, I'll be moving to the Philippines this year and will be attending a senior high school there. Could anyone clue me into what the most difficult subjects might be? Is there a big difference compared to the American curriculum?

The Senior High School (SHS) phase of the K-12 program in the Philippines is more school-based compared to the US system and has several curriculum components. It consists of two years, Grades 11 and 12, where students may choose amongst three tracks: Academic (which includes strands on Business, Accountancy, Management, Humanities, Social Sciences, STEM, and Health Science), Technical-Vocational Livelihood, and Sports and Arts. The diversity of subjects you'll encounter depends heavily on your chosen track.

The Academic track is perhaps most similar to a traditional American high school curriculum, specifically the STEM strand. Students learn Advanced Sciences, such as Biology, Chemistry, and Physics, alongside Advanced Mathematics. If you're not a big fan of these subjects, they could be quite challenging.

One fundamental difference between the two systems is that Philippine K-12 curriculum emphasizes learning the Filipino language and Philippines-related topics quite heavily. Almost all students, regardless of the track, must take subjects like Filipino, Philippine Politics, and Philippine Literature. If you're not already familiar with the language or culture, these could be challenging subjects.

However, since you'll be attending an SHS, you'll belong to the first generation of students undergoing the K-12 system, an education reform begun in 2011 that added Grades 11 and 12 to help align the Philippines with education systems worldwide. Being part of this new educational evolution could be quite an enriching experience. It's always exciting to be part of a community that is navigating and shaping a new system!