A request to authors.

[SithSpawn]

Please don't take this as me being an asshole but when writing a story about younger people coud you all please include their age instead of just saying "Joe was in 8th grade". I know this is only a minor thing but nobody has ever explained to me exactly how the grade system works in American schools so I'm left wondering how old they actually are.

It's not just the authors on here either, they even did it in the Spider-man film. When MJ and Peter were talking in the garden about the school play she said something about her only being in 3rd grade leaving most non Americans clueless as to how old she was.

Anyway, you're all doing a great job so keep it up, and if anyone wants to try explaining how the grading system works then please feel free.

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by SithSpawn

Please don't take this as me being an asshole but when writing a story about younger people coud you all please include their age instead of just saying "Joe was in 8th grade". I know this is only a minor thing but nobody has ever explained to me exactly how the grade system works in American schools so I'm left wondering how old they actually are.

1st grade is approximately 6. It is additive from there.

[brent]

As Scott eluded to the American grade system is very simple. Like most English speaking countries (I think) you go to Kindergarten at the age of 5, then on to the first grade. This continues all the way through school (as in grades K-12). In most American school districts, grades K-6 are called "Elementary school", 7&8 are called "Junior High", and 9-12 are "High School". In Junior High, 7th graders are often referred to as freshmen, and 8th graders are seniors. In High School, you are a Freshman in grade 9, a Sophomore in grade 10, a Junior in grade 11, and a Senior in grade 12. So now you'll understand the next time someone refers to a high-school sophomore, and understand that infamous line in Fight Club, "I haven't been fucked like that since elementary school!"

[SithSpawn]

Thanks guys, I know it was only a niggly little point but it does get annoying when you're sitting there reading then suddenly get to that point and think "well how old is he?" It's probably the same for you guys when you see stats listed in metric and you have to stop reading to work out how big the guy is, I know I do, I was taught the metric system in school but all the older generation still use imperial measurements so we have a bit of a mish mash going on.

Anyway, thanks again.

[brent]

When I was 12, my family & I moved to New Zealand, and I had to quickly get used to metric measurements, and I went from the 6th grade, to the 2nd form. Then 4.5 years later, I moved back to the States. Suddenly, I had to relearn standard (or imperial) measurements, and I got used to having gone from the 6th form, to being a High School junior. In both cases, I quickly got used to 30 cm to a foot, 2.2 lbs to a kg, etc. In both cases, I had to carry around a calculator, so things made sense, until I got used to the system around me... After all of that, I'd say metrics are by far the better system, and that Americans should get over themselves, and convert. It takes a little getting used to, but it's so much easier, and it's what the rest of the world uses...

[Corwin]

Originally Posted by SithSpawn

It's probably the same for you guys when you see stats listed in metric

er, no. Metric is easy

[omelissokomos]

Originally Posted by Corwin

er, no. Metric is easy

Yes it is, and even though I grew up with it, I've always preferred feet and pounds over centimeters and kilograms for having that "human" edge especially when describing characters in a story.