"a sophomore"?

[DarkApprentice]

Forgive my ignorance, but I am fairly new to this forum (MSCL in general, actually), and I do not have the benefit of your experiences with the American school-system (being a "norwegian imbecile", as a rather blunt canuck once labeled me ). Every time the term "sophomore" came up while watching MSCL, it got me wondering what it was. First I thought it was geographically conditioned, that a "sophomore" was someone coming from or living in a confined geographical area. Today, however, when watching "The Zit", I couldn't bear the torture of not knowing any longer, so I looked it up in an old dictionary. Here's what I found:

soph·o·more
Alteration (probably influenced by Greek sophos, wise, and mros, stupid)
\Soph"o*more\, n. [Probably fr. soph or sophister + Gr. ? foolish. The word was probably introduced into the United States at an early date, from the University of Cambridge, England. Among the cant terms at that university, as given in the Gradus ad Cantabrigiam, we find Soph-Mor as ``the next distinctive appellation to Freshman,'' but the term has now almost ceased to be known at the English university from whence it came.] One belonging to the second of the four classes in an American college, or one next above a freshman. [Formerly written also sophimore.]


It seems the actual word is a combination of two words, one meaning "wise" and the other "stupid" (I believe the word "moron" is derived from "mros" as well)? What a laugh! I never knew a word could be so contradictory! Now at least, I know it means "one belonging to the second of the four classes in an American college". What are the terms for the 1st (=freshman?), 3rd and 4th grades in college? Do these grades also have names? If so, I would like to know...

[MadMichael]

What are the terms for the 1st (=freshman?), 3rd and 4th grades in college? Do these grades also have names?

The 4 years of college in America are Freshman(1), Sophomore(2), Junior(3), and Senior(4). The diploma is a Bachelor's degree, for whatever discipline (Arts, Science, etc.). Post-graduate programs lead to Masters and Doctorate degrees. Two-year programs are available (mainly vocational) which award Associate degrees.

Primary schooling usually starts at age 5 (Kindergarten), although 'pre-school' is common. 'Elementary' school is Kindergarten and grades 1-6. 'Junior High' or 'Middle' school is grades 7-9. 'High School' is grades 10-12. Sometimes Middle school is grades 6-8 and High School is 9-12. This can vary by locality, as school policy is determined by local school boards. Many years ago, Elementary school went to grade 8 and there was no such thing as Junior high. The 4 years of High School are also termed Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior.

The military acadamies (West Point, Annapolis, Air Force Academy) have their own arcane nomenclature. At West Point, Freshmen are called 'Plebes', but that's the extent of my knowledge in that area...

[_MackTuesday_]

My middle school had grades 7 and 8 only.

[CrimsonGlow]

In Canada, first of all we say Grade 12 not 12th grade. Okay, we have elementary from kindergarted to gr.6 (gr. 8 in some schools), then we have what we call "senior public school" aka junior high/middle school from gr. 7-8, then high school from grades 9 to 13. But those born from 1985 and after will not be getting grade 13 because it has been done away with, a little of a big mistake is that idea. And in high school, we don't use the terms like "Senior" and stuff like that, though we do know what they are. I guess because our system is our own and we had the 13th grade.

[DarkApprentice]

In Canada, first of all we say Grade 12 not 12th grade
...is our own and we had the 13th grade

You don't say 12th grade, but apparently you do say 13th grade. Heh, can't argue with that logic...

[CrimsonGlow]

HAHA You make me laugh!

True, I typed that here, but I was catering to the American pals so I used a little of their way just to even things out a bit.

[DarkApprentice]

<irony>HAHA You make me laugh! </irony>

True, I typed that here, but I was catering to the American pals so I used a little of their way just to even things out a bit.

Doh squared! Why not just admit that it was a slip?

[CrimsonGlow]

Geez! I meant to do that to get the idea and to get people still with the program! Hehe. Don't admit anything for me because I'm an honest person and I just admitted to you the truth so it's a gift already and don't return it!

[north_Star98]

for me: 6th grade - 8th grade was middle school or junior high
9th (freshman year) - 12th (senior year) was high school

so 10th grade...sophomore year....and 11th grade...junior year.

[Hunee]

usually when your a sophomore that is when you are not a newbie to highschool anymore but you are not a senior either so you are just kind of in the middle and trying to discover who you are and where you fit in... I had the most trouble when I was sophomore...

[Natasha (candygirl)]

I don't think that's necessarily true because before the advent of middle school, most school districts had junior high (grades 6-9) and high school had grades 10-12 - meaning that the sophomores (not the freshmen) were the newbies.

[Hunee]

yeah but they never clarify if it is a 3 year or 4 year highschool... I know that there are some schools that are still like that but for me and all of my friends our trouble was around sophomore year but were all different...

[TomSpeed]

I'm guessing that they all want to Liberty their freshman year. Foster knows about Brian's good grades (without looking at his permanent record). Angela knows that Rayanne made out with someone in the auditorium (or somewhere like that). Angela knows Jordan was left back twice. They all know about the boiler room. All of these things are known right about at the start of the year.

[Hunee]

ok it was a 4 year school because in the halloween episode when they are all talking about nicky driskel and angela says who is nicky driskel and sharon is all like we hear about him freshman year... so then I guess it is a 4 year school

[Natasha (candygirl)]

I wasn't arguing that Liberty had 3 vs. 4 grades, just that when you said a sophomore isn't a newbie anymore, that isn't always true depending on the school system since Dark Apprentice's original question was about what a sophomore is in American schools.