A Swedish Student's Take on American Education: From Kunskapskrav to GPA
The biggest difference I’ve noticed between the Swedish and American school systems is in how grades are assigned. Back in Sweden, I’m used to being assessed throughout the year, with most of the weight placed on the final exam. Sometimes, the single final exam can determine your entire grade. We also have a straightforward system where any letter grade except F is passing.
In the U.S., it’s quite different. Everything is tied to percentages, and all of your work throughout the semester combines to determine your final grade. I actually like this part because it’s easy to see where you stand. However, something that caught me off guard is how much attendance counts toward your grade. You can be acing every test, but if you miss one too many classes, it can really drag your grade down. Another odd thing is the number of “failing” grades. While Sweden only has one failing grade (F), the American system has F, D, and E, which are all considered failing. And even in some cases, C’s are considered failing! In my opinion, this seems a bit unnecessary. Why would I want to know if I’m super failing or only failing slighlty?
The grading scale here looks like this:
| Grade | Procentage | GPA |
|---|---|---|
| A | 94-100 | 4.0 |
| A- | 90-93 | 3.7 |
| B+ | 87-89 | 3.3 |
| B | 84-86 | 3.0 |
| B- | 80-83 | 2.7 |
| C+ | 77-79 | 2.3 |
| C | 74-76 | 2.0 |
| F | <74 | 0.0 |
In Sweden, we use a similar system, but most of our grades are based on something called kunskapskrav (knowledge requirements) instead of percentages. That’s basically a chunk of text explaining what the student should be capable of to reach a particular grade. A little hard to translate to percentages, but a rough equivalent might look like this:
| Grade | Procentage |
|---|---|
| A | 85-100 |
| B | 75-84 |
| C | 65-74 |
| D | 55-64 |
| E | 50-54 |
| F | <50 |
The Swedish and American grading systems measure student achievement differently. But what is the big difference between Kunskapskrav and GPA? In Sweden, grades are based on kunskapskrav, which translates to “knowledge requirements.” These are detailed descriptions of what a student should be able to demonstrate in order to achieve a specific grade.
Translated Knowledge Requirement For A in English 6
The student listens, understands, and interprets both the overall meaning and details of spoken language in a well-founded and nuanced way, even in fast-paced and more formal contexts. The student reads, understands, and interprets both the overall meaning and details of texts of various types and in more formal contexts in a similarly well-founded and nuanced way. The student critically selects content from both oral and written sources of various types and uses the selected material in a relevant, effective, and problematizing manner in their own production and interaction.
In oral presentations of various types, the student expresses themselves in a varied, nuanced, clear, and structured way. The student also expresses themselves fluently, adapting to the purpose, audience, and situation. In written presentations of various types, the student similarly expresses themselves in a varied, nuanced, clear, and structured way. They also express themselves fluently, adapting to the purpose, audience, and situation.
In interactions in various contexts, including formal and complex ones, the student expresses themselves clearly, fluently, and adapts to the purpose, audience, and situation. Furthermore, the student uses strategies that facilitate and improve the interaction and move it forward in a constructive way. The student discusses thoroughly and with nuance, in English, relationships in various contexts and areas where the language is used, even based on their own experiences or knowledge.
This focus on a deep, holistic understanding contrasts with the GPA system in the U.S., which is more task-driven and numerical. In the Swedish system, the emphasis is on how well students understand and apply knowledge, particularly in more complex and real-world contexts. Each subject has its own set of kunskapskrav, and a student’s grade reflects how closely their performance matches these detailed expectations.
In the U.S., the GPA system boils everything down to a single number, based on how well you perform on individual assignments, tests, and other graded activities throughout the semester. While this system is easy to understand, it can sometimes feel like it measures short-term performance rather than long-term mastery. The Swedish kunskapskrav feels more tailored to evaluating a student's development over time.
Both systems have their merits. GPA provides a clear, consistent measure across subjects, but I believe that the Swedish kunskapskrav system does a better job of reflecting a student’s true capabilities, especially in terms of critical thinking and adaptability.
One surprising thing for me was when I converted my Swedish grades to American ones—many of my B’s and C’s became A’s here. This makes me feel like the Swedish system might do a better job of reflecting real knowledge and understanding. Even though neither system is perfect, I believe Sweden does a better job of assigning grades based on knowledge alone.
Another key difference is the sense of personal responsibility. In Sweden, there’s more independence. You’re expected to manage your time and figure things out on your own. In the U.S., everything is laid out clearly for you, which takes away some of that independence. While it’s helpful at times, I feel like it’s a step back in terms of developing self-management skills.
The classroom environment is another big difference. In Sweden, things tend to be more laid-back. You have more freedom to explore subjects independently, and teachers guide discussions rather than lead them entirely. In the U.S., classes are more structured, and participation plays a big role in your final grade. You’re expected to engage in discussions actively, and that engagement can make or break your grade.
What also stands out to me is the constant stream of assignments in the U.S. There’s always something due—weekly quizzes, assignments, essays, and group projects. In Sweden, the approach is more relaxed, focusing on mastering the subject by the end of the course. While the American system keeps you on your toes, it sometimes feels like there’s unnecessary pressure with so many deadlines.
Extracurricular activities are another major difference. In Sweden, sports and clubs exist, but they’re separate from academics. Here, everything is integrated—your involvement in extracurriculars can even influence things like college applications. It’s a level of school involvement that I wasn’t expecting, even though I came here for that exact reason! Back home, school is more just for learning, whereas in the U.S., academics and personal interests are more blended.
Lastly, the formal relationships between students and teachers are quite different. In Sweden, it’s common to be on a first-name basis with teachers, and the atmosphere is casual. In the U.S., it feels more formal with titles like “Mr.” or “Ms.” and a clearer hierarchy. It’s not necessarily bad, but it does create more distance between students and teachers compared to what I’m used to.