Maya Choosing a School in Denmark 

(Son of a retired HF headmaster here...) The initial idea behind HF ("Højere Forberedelseseksamen" or "Higher preparational exam), was to cover anyone who had left regular school after year 9 for whatever reason - Maybe to pursue unskilled labour, to travel, to do a gap-year, to do vocational school, etc etc - and who the wanted to re-enter the path towards university-education, etc. There's more or less a clear beaten path from school to gymnasium to university, but we needed a solution for those who had moved away from that path for whatever reason, and who wanted to re-join it. That's why HF was geared towards an older and maturer audience. It is the equivalent of the normal Gymnasium, but completes it in 2 years instead of 3, because it assumes you've had at least one year of "something else of relevance". The exact details of that "Something" are a bit vague, so it's the school's decission and judgement whether the maturity and competencies of the student, are appropriate for the HF. The only real criteria is "will this person, after 2 years here, be able to pass the final exams with a decent result?" If yes, they would typically be admitted to HF. Over time, it started becoming more of a "mature gymnasium", and the typical student would actually come straight from 10th grade (that counts as a year of "something else"). So it has become a lot less distinct from a normal gymnasium. Although you do still have students who rather than being 17-18, are actually in their twenties, or even older. And whereas the gymnasium in its style, shows that it's catering to "kids" who are 15-16 and straight out of the 9th grade, HF tends to treat students more as responsible adults. There's less control and supervision, etc. Students are expected to be grown-ups (PS_: Just found the channel recently, and it's really a lot of fun. Keep it up!)

Efterskole is an amazing concept. One of the best years in my life. Changed me in a good way - I became more comfortable in my own skin, became more sociable and felt prepared for the gymnasium. It matured me. So happy we have that here in Denmark - its very unique.

So if Maya wants to continue her studies in an university, it's important to know that her grades she will get during her Gymnasium time will have a big impact on what studies she may be able to get accepted into in university. Different fields of studies in the University require different levels of classes that you'll take during Gymnasium. C level = Only attending that class 1/3 years of the Gymnasium B level = 2/3 years of the Gymnasium A level = 3/3 years of the Gymnasium On top of that they will calculate all Maya's grades into an average grade, which basically determines if she needs to apply to the university via Kvote 1 or 2. Kvote 1 is for the students that have achieved the minimum required grades for that specific field of study and Kvote 2 is if you lack in grades, they will look into if anything else may make you qualified besides your grades to complete the study. So with that in mind if Maya already knows what she wants to study in University, she can go look up those requirements and based on that choose what Gymnasium and what line subject she may choose. You may already know this but it can be quite a complicated system to learn. I hope it made sense!

There is also the EUX where you get the education of the gymnasium combined with a vocation.

I have a suggestion for what you could try next Thursday, and it's "studenderbrød" and "romkulger"

LOL! Maja's face when she tried the shot...

HF is directed at older people and people who have a hard time going through the “normal” gymnasiums. That could be people who have to work full or part time, have children, have some sort of illness that makes attendance difficult and so on. You can take it as a two year program for those who can have normal attendance, but don’t need as an intensive program as other gymnasiums, or stitch together a program that allows access to whatever education you aim at later on by taking classes as “enkeltfag” which are singular chosen classes, one or more classes at one time, that you need for a specific education. You can build the diploma up to the level of STX if you want to go to university through choosing specific classes at the correct level (A, B or C level). You can also take it as remote learning for those who can’t or don’t want to attend classes in person, and use webcam, phone, Skype, Zoom or whatever for the oral assignments or for asking for help for oral or written assignments. You have to do your homework at set dates to be considered as an “active” student. If you don’t deliver your assignments on the set dates, you will be “kicked out” of the program. 😊

Højere Handelsskole (HHX) gives you access to do a service job and higher education like old school gymnasium, while gymnasium does not give you access to service jobs (apart from minimum wage naturally) HF is basically an adult education, meant for those who've already been in the job market. Languages are always a good pick on HHX while you won't have to do Latin/greek, which you would only need aiming for medical and some science fields

Gajol is a licorice brand, so it's pretty safe to say you probably wont love anything they made.

HF is a 2-year upper secondary education. As it is it enables you to the professional bachelor's programs (nurse, teacher, etc.) and the academy profession programs (erhvervsakademiuddannelser). If you want to take a Bachelor's degree then the HF in itself is NOT enough! You would have to the "udvidet fagpakke", which is taking more courses in the second year of the HF. Alternatively to the "udvidet fagpakke", you can take the extra courses afterward (which typically takes a year). HF is quite different from the other upper secondary educations. A typical HF student is older than the one on STX, HHX, or HTX, which typically comes from an HF student having taken other educations beforehand (EUD or EUX for instance). A typical HF student might have tried STX or HHX but have dropped out to work a couple of years before entering the HF to get their upper secondary education. The structure of an HF education is different as well, as each course (mathematics, danish etc.,) is more compact and intensive. This enables the students to structure their HF education to their needs (if they work on a restaurant beside the HF education or anything like that). My impression of the HF is that as the students are in different stages of their lives, so the students in the class don't have the same connection as you would typically see in the STX, HHX or HTX.

HF is mostly, but not exclusive, for people with a gap year or let's be honest - it's mostly for people who went to work / trade school directly after 10th grade. I started my 2-year HF (HF-Enkeltfag in 2013) at age 40 after 22 years in the dairy industry (cheese maker, manager). I wanted to make a career change and start at the university for a Bachelor of Engineering degree (Diplomingeniør - a more "hands-on" kind of study). I had a trade school / apprenticeship, plus an eduction at "College" level before, but all done without any STX/HF etc. As the system is right now, all of those STX, HTX, HHX, HF, EUX - can give you acces to ALL university programs - if you have the right combination of courses they demand, like some requiere Math A or B, Danish A, Chemisty B, English B, Physics B - all depending on the study, e.g. between STEM vs Humanities education. I shared a few HF-clases with a younger guy (18 years old) but he said "I'm doing the HF, cause I can graduate in two years instead of three - all while gaining access to the same education" (he went on to study law/politics). I started in the university with people who had STX, HTX, HHX and HF (all in the same engineering class), let's just say, some are better at math, others in "business" (marketing, language) etc. Nothing wrong with that and all graduated, and a large part of them went on to study on the Master level. That said, I do think the STX, HTX, HHX have a better social / study life, cause the are all in the same age group. On HF, it's from 18 to 50+ years - some single, single parentes, married people (w/kids) etc. The point is, one does not exclude the other (at university level - with the right courses the education demands), but if you want to go into a appenticeship e.g. at a bank then a HHX is better than a STX and so on.

Most continental countries follows the French academic system starting with Lycé/Arbitur/Gymnasium includes Nordic's, German speaking Countries, Benelux, Central Europe etc - By graduation you will get a 'studenter eksamen' that qualifies to apply for University or a Professional Bachelor education. HF is a 'studenter eksamen' originally intended as a way for older students to get back to school and into a academic path - think a carpenter wanting to go to university and study biology, history, theoretical-physics, medicine, accounting or becoming a school teacher or an engineer. HF Is 2y instead of 3y but 10th grade IS mandentory. Major difference is how your endgrade is calculated and the available classes and mandetory classes. In Gymnasium your endgrade is calculated based on your entire last semesters work in all classes combined with final written exams AND verbal exams in select classes (lottery decides which verbal exams). By contrast, in HF your endgrade is not based on your final semester performance at all - it doesn't matter! The only thing is that matters for your endgrade is your final written exams AND your final verbal exams (you will be verbally examined in ALL classes so no lottery). Additionally certain mandentory classes like sports, music and arts are not present in HF (may have changed in the past 20-30y). So HF is intended as a fast tracked 'studenter eksamen' for people of all ages who has been away from school or thinks the regular way of going to school is not for them. ...it's complicated It's also possible to do single course classes in HF if you need a higher level (A, B or C) in ex Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English, German, French or Math to qualify for your University education of choice or to boost your grade before applying for University or trade-specific education. In addition there are also 3y Technical(HTX) and Trade(HHX) specific Gymnasium's an alternative to the classic 'Alment Dannende Gymnasium'. Classic 'Alment dannende Gymnasium' is the path that opens the most doors and if you're good at going to school its the right path. ...it's also complicated - In continental educations the 'bachelor' was reintroduced in the late eighties and early nineties as as way of harmonising educations across the European Unions Single Market which is also a unified single market for employment. The Academic Bachelor degree you gain after 3y at University is still considered unfinished in continental Europe without the Masters on top (+5y). It mostly exists for compatibility with Anglo-Saxon universities. The Professional Bachelor degree is the job specific 3-4,5y theoretical educations for nurse, school-teacher, laboratory-assistant, marketing, accounting, bachelor of engineering etc. The Anglo-Saxon 'College' education does not exist here and sits somewhere between 'Gymnasium' and University/Professional-Bachelor.

Trying to answer the HF question: HF stands for "Højere forberedelseseksamen", meaning "Higher preparation exam" (literally translated) and is one of the four ways to "College", or more correct in Danish terms: access to the higher educations as a whole. HF is today a way of speeding through specific classes, often for ones goal to achieve the specific qualifications to eligible for a wished education. It relies more on individual discipline, than teaching, as a very(!) rough generalisation, but is thus also a very popular option for people who didn't persuade a "high school" education in their teens. Maybe because they took a vocational education, and later wish to change career. You also see professional athletes, musicians and even seafaring, getting a "degree" from a HF, with a specific school or otherwise arranged system, that allows say sport classes and training to be a major focus, along the primary classes required for this level of education. This is possible by removing classes of interests that you'll find in STX, HTX and HHX, that aren't required to enter a higher education. The HHX actually has its roots as a vocational education, and still incorporates many study subject applied in classes and exercises, rather than theoretical only. The change for the system of HHX as it is today, happened in 2004, where HHX became longer education, and less vocational, with more teaching, but it's degree (In Danish we traditionally and formally say "exam" in reference to a completed school) is now eligible for higher education (although lacking STEM fields, categorized as "Naturvidenskabelige fag" in Danish). It is thus a very good "all-round" education, and i think it's a very attractive option for anybody who wants to do business in any level, as it trains for a good career in stores and general business, and also gives access to a lot of higher educations, should one wish to advance either immediately or later. About the Danish "High School", we used to have a more similar structure, with grades 7-9 being a separate school, called Realskole (In Danish, not pronounced as an english word, but rather "Ræ-al" - "real" in other Danish words are also not pronounced in the English manner, here's one for your language classes). This changed long ago, when Gymnasium became more available due to increasing living standards, and grade 7-9 was integrated into the primary school. When Realskole existed, kids were only required to finish 6th grade. The school "Høj skole" which is the literal translation of High School, is a very interesting topic. They're often private, and between ½-1 year, and can dwell deep into specific topics, often not academic at all, but based on interest. There's a very interesting selection of schools, offering arts, sports, language, travel, the skills of household, spirituality and i could go on. You also tend to meet a great variaty of people, as there's not generally a requirement of previous education, so you meet people of all ages and classes. I my self attended one in outdoor sports, as my gap year choice. And for your understanding of our educational system further ahead, let me bring out a few differences between American education and Danish/mainland European i can think of (Not necessary for Maya, but just to understand it): - We actually don't have an equivalent word for "college", but instead refer to "Further going educations" as "Videregående uddannelser), as we have many vocational education that extends to higher educations (mine included). And the subcategories is normally just short/medium/long. So we don't have a college system, with a major and minor field, rather, you begin immediately to study a specific field after Gymnasium. Gymnasium is therefore more equivalent to early college (should help to understand, why Maya was considered "too young" for Gymnasium), and you'll find the the mathematical level of the exam in gymnasium (At STX) for example, is equivalent of "minoring" in mathematics at College, and choosing STX or HTX with a high level (A-level) studies of mathematics in Gymnasium, is not that far of the curriculum of a general major in mathematics at a US college. My later statement is based on a quick lookup at the maths major of MIT, where i expect the depth of the subjects is more advanced than A-level STX mathematics, but it's the same topics as i had to handle(to admittedly varied degree of success) in my A-level STX studies. - A Danish "minor" equivalent in concept at least, is a bachelors degree. Which i study. A 3-4 years study. In academic topics, a "major" is often a necessity, which is a masters degree. When it's not required, it's often because it's a "vocational"-degree, such as my study, "advanced forestry", called a "proffesions bachelor" which implies in it's name, that it's a degree level designed for a career or industry, such as many engineering fields too. In almost all cases, you can still go further, and apply for a master in your field, but if it's a "proffesions-bachelor" you can get a good career from this point (which i hope to get, even thou if i advanced in the field, and achieved a masters, i would have a small chance to be employed as a "Skovridder", which means Knight of the Forest, so just by the name of the tittle, it would be a little tempting, but there's only demand for a very limited number of people, which such a high degree in forestry). - A Masters degree is the top level education, when compared to American education. A Masters degree in Denmark and Europe is achieved when all classes in the very specific topic is passed. - A Ph.D is not a study in Denmark or Europe, it's the step towards a research career. Where as a Ph.D in America often requires more study and classes, a Danish Ph.D student is a researcher and only accepted to study a new topic of research, and will both teach and research on a university during the process. Thus, there's a lot less Ph.D "educated" people in Denmark and Europe, but that's because it's not the top level education, that's the masters degree. EDIT: And about the alcohol topic, we Danes are probably a little more loose than Americans. It's not a tabu, at all, and in fact, i'm entertained about Joshua & Miranda tasting the liquors that i would "consume" in "vast quantities" at more around Mayas age, from 15-20, and have never considered since becoming an adult. I guess it's a big difference in cultures, and my teen habits would be highly illegal around the US.

The gymnasium is for people who have just finished primary school. HF is intended for adults who want to go back into the educational system. There are also young people who go directly from primary school to HF. One reason to do this is that as long as you have the 10th grade, you will always be accepted at HF. For the gymnasium you need your teachers to declare you suited. So if your teachers do not think you can learn enough to enter university in three years, you can try to do it in two. Note that I started in the gymnasium in 1975, so things may well have changed.

Just hearing the intro saying "we're the Youngs" I'm all like *YEAH YOU ARE!!* getting reading for the next update. No I'm not addicted at all, but you guys are better than crack cocaine. :-)

HF was originally designed for people who for example have been working and now want to switch path. Furthermore normally it's also for people who for some reason or another haven't taken their gymnasium f.eks. people who have been sick, young parents. But in the last 15 or so years HF have also come into the normal gymnasium, where some people see it s a shortcut if you f.ex. want to be a nurse, instead of doing 3 years STX you can do 2 years in HF.

The idea of the folk high schools emerged in the 1830s founded by N.F.S. Grundtvig a Danish theologian, writer, philosopher and politician, but the idea is actually not foreign to the USA, because in 1932 The Highlander Folk School (now known as the Highlander Research and Education Center) was established in Monteagle, Tennessee. The founders of the school were Myles Horton and Don West, who was the owner of the land used for Highlander. Myles Horton got the idea to build a folk school after visiting Denmark in 1931 to 1932 and seeing the Danish folk high schools in action. So the Highlander Folk School began its career by educating the poor and focusing on labor movements for woodcutters, coal miners, textile workers and farmers in the region, before they also turned to the issue of segregation during the 1950s, when it played a critical role in the American Civil Rights Movement. It trained civil rights leader Rosa Parks prior to her historic role in the Montgomery bus boycott, as well as providing training for many other movement activists, including Martin Luther King Jr. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folk_high_school#United_States

Obviously picking a gymnasium that has a focus, helps you get into a education that is in line with what you study, though most, if not all of the gymnasiums has a basic set of classes you have to go through, and the difficulty of the classes, is often the requirements you need in a certain field. i for one studied a "standard" Hf, and after that, i had to spend half a year studying math on a higher level, to get in to the education i wanted. So no matter what happens, you'll always be able to pick and choose what you want/need to get into a education. HHX is certainly very minded on businesses and has extra classes that specializes in business, but if Maya decided 4 years down the line, that she wanted to become a doctor, she would "just" have to look for the requirement for studying medicine, and if there is any classes that she hasn't completed a high enough level in, she can just sped half a year studying it and getting paid for it (depending on how many hours a week she is studying). The fast way is definitly picking the school that focus on a area you want to continiue in, but thousands of people decidede to go a completely different route once they turn 25 or 30, and they just go back to school and study whatever classes they need, to start another education :)

Give it 5 years, Maya, then you'll be eating salt lakrids like you were born in Denmark!

HF school is basically the same as Gymnasium except its a two year period instead of three, and you have to be at least 18 to enter it, its kind of like a school for adults who wants to improve their school education but are too old for Gymnasium and who may need better grades and school education in order to take another education that requires that you have attended Gymnasium or HF. Because of this two side way of using an HF school, its also possible to take single subject lessons, which means, you dont take a full HF within two years, but rather take a few subjects that you wish to do better at and get a better grade in.

Gymnasium originally means "place where people are naked". The ancient Greek institution was built around students (men only at the time) training and studying together, with everyone being naked. The idea being that if you cannot hide your body under clothes, you will be more inspired to work on your physique and the better you can appreciate the rock hard abs of your fellow students.

HF is two things. 1: A 2-year compact version of the STX, more classes and more exams, but you're done in 2 years. 2: Singular classes. If you are an adult and want to take a singular class, or raise the level of a specific subject, you can do that at HF, which is why it's much more normal to see full-grown adults there

I have no idea why it's so fascinating, as a danish person, to watch americans in Denmark adapting to the culture and stuff. I lived in the US for a year as an exchange student (after 9th grade, as my "special year", I guess :P ), so it is fun to see the shoe on the other foot.

its alot about figuring out what you want to do when your done with your studies... since its more specialized for that direction... if your unsure as to what that will be, then chose the gymnasium that gives you the most acces to different kind of educations longer down the road... an exsample would be if you wanted to work with children, then there are basicly two options, like pædagogisk assistent uddannelsen, wich you can skip gymnasium and go directly in that direction... where you then have options to ekstend that education to become pædagog... or you could go through a gymnasium and have the option to go form that to pædagog education instead, more of a "safe" pick if your not sure but takes a year longer.

I like your thoughts about gymnasium and gymnasium is probably the best choise for You. HF was meant for people who had some years at work and found out they wanted a higher education, but were too old for gymnasiums. HF generally qualify for higher education and university, but does not offer subjects at higher than B level, as gymnasium often offer subjects at A level. You know what You aim for and can pick gymnasium offering the right subjects at A level, wich in turn will open your path to your education at university. If You are not 100% sure of your future path, the standard gymnasium probably offer the widest range of future possibilities and You can supplement with additional subjects / courses if needed as if You spezialise early, it is harder to change things later on. Efterskole is awesome. It was a lifechanger for my daughter. She was always a great child, but efterskole matured her on a completely different level than folkeskolen did. The way You talk remind me of her, so I guess You know what I mean.

As a Dane I think it's great to hear about your choice and reasoning for opting to have Maya follow our normal/regular path in the education system. Hopefully that has accelerated - and will continue to - her integration into our society, and by extension also you as her parents. I think it's vitally important to become part of the society and culture in order to not fall into a perpetual spiral og seclusion that isolate you from what makes Denmark different from the country and culture you came from. And that doesn't have to be at the expense of your past culture. I have a lot of respect for those that can manage to blend their past and present cultures together without friction.

There is a rule about trying a new taste. A lot of time we taste something new, that we have tasted before, we don't like it. Our taste buds need to be turned into a new flavor, so we have to try the new taste many times before we may like it. When I was younger I didn't like olives and blue cheese, today I love both. I allways taste a little on food or drinks eventhough I know I don't like it and today there only very few things I do not like, like prunes, apricots and liver.

I can´t remember if you like fish or not. But if you do, spring is the time to eat Stenbiderrogn. Danish equivalent to kaviar. You eat it on toast with sour cream and sprinkled with red onion.

Everybody should try efterskole. If its not an option then try højskole. The most fortunate tries both.. - and dont worry too much about the alcohol. Youre in denmark. People drink. Its perfectly normal to have a snaps + beer at lunch and glass of wine for dinner

Love watching you learn more about Denmark. Good luck in HHX 😊

Good luck on the way Maya, hope you will have fun too.

In brief; HF is a "Gymnasial education" and on paper it holds just as much validity as an STX, HHX and HTX in terms of qualifying someone for applying for a university level degree. It allows for people who have decided to not move directly into high school to have a shorter and more attainable way to gain access to a tertiary education (The argument here being that having to join an ordinary gymnasium may seem discouraging for particularly adults as they would feel out of place attending high school, and might also consider the three years too much). In certain areas HF is a bit frowned upon (it's believed to have a lower educational standard and more slackers), but I think it's a necessary and useful institution in the Danish educational system.

Best of luck and applaus for what you have done so far. Congratulation to Maya 👍😀⚘

Hi, i have been watching your channel since you had about 200 subscribers, and all i can say is, that its been lovely to see how yourr content has improved, and i am really glad to see that you have gained so many subscribers. I wish you good luck in the future!

As usual great video. How about a “Eating danishes in Denmark” for you next try it Tuesday?

Correct me if I'm wrong. It looked like Maya blushed when she tried the pomegranate licorice shot. (no offence) I seen that bottle myself many times but haven´t tasted it myself. Maybe i should. Me like all other Danes and Swedes like licorice. And as always, i love to fallow you and see your view from another perspective after moving to another country. Had an uncle who moved to New Zeeland for a couple of years after listening to him you get another persåective of the life you live in your own country, just a hint of why i like to follow your channel. With my best regards to you from Sweden.

Over the last 5-10 years the danish trends of eating and drinking has been something like liquorice and caramel, and over the last few years, also with chili. Most people(not me) love the combinations. I love Miranda's shirt, and Maya's nails

You deserve so much respect for your considerations for Mayas journey in the danish educational system. It is difficult for most danish youngsters, it must be mind boggling as a forreigner. How do you find the academic level comparred to the US? You mentioned that it was a surprise that we use less tests?

Just discovered your channel. Really great content. I was in HTX a few years ago and am now in university. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask, I have quite a lot of experience with the Danish educational system.

Hi from Turkey 🤗🇹🇷 The relationship between you guys superb 😄🥰 I wish I have that kind of enjoyful relationship with my family :( keep it up!👋🏻

Before explaining what HF means, and giving you clarifications on the educations, I would like to let you know, that yes, the 10th grade is often a waist of time academically, but maybe not as far maturity goes. Sometimes a good student can become disillusioned with the higher education, as there is going to be a major difference between how mature the kids are coming out the 9th grade, compared to the ones coming out of the 10th grade. And by maturity I don't just mean, if they are responsible and such, I actually mean that a 9th grader is perhaps more innocent and naive compared to a 10th grader. At that age a few months of age difference can be massive. HF just means "Higher Preperation" = "Højere Forberedelse". HF is meant for adults or young people, who took more than just a gap year. Or people who need to go to a College that only requires that you have completed B level classes (not the grade but the level). Or if you can take HF and a summer class to get into your desired education. It is rarely recommended, that you use it to take a shortcut, as you will be extremely out of place, if you are much younger than everyone else. A lot of college and/or university educations require A level classes, but for instance engineering universities will in some places allow someone with HF or even a "Blue Collar" degree to take either a summer class or a qualification class, that can be taken over 6 to 18 months. And that qualification class could actually give access to most science related educations in Denmark, and to my knowledge abroad as well, as it is equivalent to the last year of the STX and/or HTX education, depending on how much you need to qualify for. And just to clarify, they are all called "gymnasielle" educations, but only one of them is called "gymnasiet" or the gymnasium, and that is not HH. HH is normally referred to as Handelsskole (HH = "Højere Handelsskole" => "Higher Commerce School"). Gymnasium in danish, means "gymnasiet" which is referring to the STX program, which is the traditional "Almen studentereksamen", and the only education people in Denmark will understand as going to gymnasium. The general difference in the educations is that STX gives access to everything, and all the other educations are more specialized. Meaning that HH is specialized for commerce educations, by not having a lot of the technical, and linguistic as well as art, music and social studies programs that STX has. And HTX is for science and technical educations, and also doesn't have have a lot of the linguistic and social studies aspects etc. of STX. History, music and art are for instance some of the programs that are mandatory in STX, but aren't provided at all in HH or HTX. So STX gives access to everything that HH, HF and HTX give access to, but not the other way around. But that doesn't mean that STX is more work, or more difficult, it just means the education is more general, and is traditionally appreciated more by higher education. Whether that is right or wrong, I don't know, but it is just the way things are. Besides, only STX means you can have a "studenterhue" when you have graduated, although the other educations also have "huer" (caps/hats), only the STX one is an actual "studenterhue". And also, STX and HH people rarely mix. It is very common to have some rivalry between the educations.

HF was originally created as a quick gymnasium line, but for adults, and at first you had to be 18 to start HF. The idea was that adults who had not got an education early in life, also should be able to qualify for further education, even if they started a little late. The difference was also, that in HF it was only your exams that mattered, compered to STX, HHX, HTX were your performance through the year also was messured.

As a dane, it is so fun to see foreigners explain and (try) to understand the danish school system. Even I think it's complicated, so I can't imagine how you guys feel trying to navigate around :-) Just found your channel - keep up the good work!

Starting on a STX gymnasium was the best social experience of my life, and I made a ton of friends there.

I’m currently in 3G (final year) at HHX and from experience it is fantastic. You learn a lot of useful stuff about business and i would 100% recommend it.

Quite different from Norway. Dident expect that. We have 10 years in public school. Then you start either Gymnasium or some sort of vocational school. After that it might be university. You can Ofcourse go to private or religious school too.

Hey! Great videos! Just disvovered you guys :) im a dane, i passed af HF! HF is like stx just in Two years with tiny bit differencies and examen in all classes. It gives you full acces to University and other schooling/learning. Off course your grades will defind how many schools you Will get easy acces to after Gymnasium/High School - the same with stx, hhx and so on :)

HF is pretty much Gymnasium boiled down to 2 years where you chose if you want to specialize in languages or in science and math :-)

I to went to a HHX and I loved it really much, I will say that business economy and international economy is pretty interesting, and even tho most of the subjects are predetermined, you will get to decide 2 or even 3 of your subjects. And even tho I have no doubt that she will do great then I se forward to hear more about it 😊

Discovered your channel today :P very interesting to hear your viewpoints on Denmark from an US immigrant into Denmark perspective :) also a great resource for when people from the US, have weird misconceptions about Denmark ^^ (the Tax video is a good example)

Well done Maya! Sounds like you’ve climbed a steep leaning curve and are now bossing school in a second language which is super impressive ☺️ Fingers crossed for your gymnasium applications

I attended HF more than a decade ago. The point of HF is essentially to scoop up those that didn’t go directly to gymnasium (STX/HHX/HTX) but later after perhaps gap year, military service, working abroad, and numerous other reasons didn’t get a secondary education at the same time as their peers. Meaning students are generally older. It is for people aiming to attend some higher education (both profession schools for nurses, teachers, pedagogues, but also any university degree whether in science, technology, humanities, law, business etc.). It is more targeted and has exams as the only evaluation. If you have a class in it, you have an exam it. One shot, and that is your grade. And your get an individual examination, none of that group work malarkey. Since people attending are usually more established, it is probably the least social of the gymnasiums. For most it is simply a stepping stone to get ahead, and do it is quickly as possible. It is an odd mixture of dropouts, people in the late 20s, and some very ambitious students. Since it is such is mixing pot it is also more individually tailored, and is usually a good fit for people that look at gymnasium and just wants to cut out all the bullshit. You have the opportunity to pick and chose classes more freely, and also take additional classes if you want. You just have to be careful to not just take the fun classes, but remember to prioritize language and mathematics. You can always take a summer school afterwards, so it isn’t a problem as such if you end up missing a certain level in a particular class. It also has a higher percentage of people from blue collar families, and is consistently better at lifting the grades for boys. Students from HF also has the lowest drop out percentage in university of all the gymnasiums, and the highest number of PhDs. If you fit into one of the other three gymnasiums, you should attend one of those. If not. You should consider HF. It is the Hufflepuff of the four.

Make sure to visit Aarhus if you go!

Good intro guys love the humour. Hope ya get into the gym you want to maya.

For something different to try go to the store and see if you can find from MOU hyldebær suppe (Elderberry soup). Easy to do because you just warm it in a pot this way. It's traditionally eaten in a bowl with apple wedges and kammer junkere. I usually make my own but of course Elderberries won't be in season until fall.

I live in Sweden across the bridge in Malmo. What you tell is the same over here when itcomes to schools.♥️

OMG Maya, you are gonna have so much fun you cant even imagine. And you will make freinds for LIFE there. I hope you will vlog abit about the experience which i promise you are gonna be awesome. Best time of your life.

HF is made for adults who already have life experience but want to go back to school, but as another commenter said, it has since become an accelerated program for all ages as well for various reasons

HF is STX but just in a 2 year format for people who come back to school or only want to in 2 years. You study the same things, but basicly HF is STX light. for sure I would recommend doing STX, HHX or HTX. I did STX, best years of my life, loved drama and music and activities after school and stuff like that.

By now someone ought to have told you, that Danes find it funny feeding forginers liquorice at any possible chance we get. Its like a rite of passage. And its good to see father and daughter managed it with flying colors! :)

There is a difference between a HF and a STX, HTX and HHX education. HF requires that you take the 10 year to enrolle at a HF where as the gymnasium you can enrolle after 9 year (right after folkeskolen). The second big difference is how you get graded in gymnasium and HF. Gymnasium you get oral and writting grades (som classes only have oral grade) and you have 6-7 exams you need to do in those 3 years (they are randomly picked by the institution of education). In HF you dont get oral og writting grades, but only by your exam result but you have far more exams than gymnasium have. If you are strong in exams situation then HF can be a better option if you want good grades

HF takes two years and is often on the same Gymnasium as STX. You don't get grades throughout the year, but have to finish all subjects with an exam. It is mostly for people who are going for business academies or professional bachelor programmes. On my Gymnasium there also is a 3-year HF for people who have been diagnosed with mental illnesses, is mentally vulnerable or have learning or concentration difficulties, which is really cool, because it allows such people to have a chance at getting a higher education. Hope that helped! :)

HF is an Education where you design your classes from what you want to use it for. STX is more the complete package, and on HF you to an ekstent choose the classes you want.

HF is typically aimed for people that has taken a gap year or for people that are a bit older so they can get to university faster, while the other 3-year programs are for people who go straight from 9th or 10th grade.

I dont know what it takes to be a craftsman in the US, but here in Denmark you enter an apprentice-master relationship where you go back and forth between periods of on the job training with the master and periods at vocational school (called technical school) - after 2 to 5 years you can then pass a test and graduate from apprentice (Lærling) to journeyman (Svend). If you want to optimize your chance of always having a job learn a craft.

I was in Dublin with my HTX class and at a standup show I was asked what I do "technology.. school.......... thing.." *queue laughter*

HF (højere forberedelseskursus = higher preparation course) was originally designed for drop-outs, ie. people, who quit school after 10th grade, and who later in their lives decided to go back to school in order to go to university, or some other higher education. Back in the day the students were typically a bit older than those in the gymnasiums, but I believe that these days it has become a convenient way to save a year.

Two classical Danish desserts that I recommend: Æblekage (which is not what you would think) Citronfromage

HF is basicly a "speed" version of the STX, where most social arrangements and stuff like that is cut out, in order to speed it up. Mostly for people who need to catch up. I would recommend the 3 year HHX, HTX or STX, because it supports the social aspects way more.

Stumbled across your videos and been enjoying your perspective. Also interesting to see that when Americans actually come to Scandinavia there is very little talk about the horrible communist states we seem to have hear and all the oppressed people without money (due to taxes) and no choices of anything :) Ohhh, and good luck at the gymnasium ;)

Something, you have to look forward too is the 'Vogntur', when you graduate from the gymnasium you are going to attend. It's all 3(or more) years worth it.

I usually dont comment anything.. but here i am. Im a teacher at a HHX, and I would recommend efterskole before entering any gym. Take the situation into account of Covid, you would rather have homeschool on efterskole than hhx.

I view HF, HTX, STX and HHX as keys to attend middle to higher education. HF is originally meant for adults that fx. chose a blue collar job and later in life want the fastest education to attend the higher education. A lot of young people will choose it because it is quicker, but I would not recommend it. HHX and HF are definetely the worst choices due to lacking options in my opinion. HHX fx. have a lot of classes that dont give you entry to anything. STX and HTX leave you with the most options because they have the highest amount of classes required to attend university. I would say get "Math A" no matter what you do. It is required almost everywhere.

HF is a short Gymnasium education at 2 years and is aimed at students who wants to pursue Professionshøjskole or a Business Academy. I did this and got into Zealand Business Academy to study Computer Science. STX is aimed at samfundsvidenskab, naturvidenskab, and humaniora and is 3 years.

There is one more kind of Gymnasium called EUX. it´s like HHX but intead of 3 years you go there for 2 years in school and 2 years as a student in a retail or a grossery shop/store. and the cool part is YOU LEARN THE EXACT SAME THING. it´s kind of a link between STX HHX and vocational education. Have that in mind. :-)

I have taken an HF, it is a "3 year" education, as you either take a 10 class or work effering which is described as the 3 year. But it is an STX education where you have compressed the education, and you have to take up all the subjects at STX if you take some subjects for the exam. It gives access to pretty much the same thing, and there is an old conflict between the Red student hat and the Blue student hat.

You guys want to try some desserts for Tuesdays? Have you tried strawberry tarts/pie yet?

HF is like a gymnasium programme, just in two years. Has different requirement levels to join and it mostly target "late bloomers", like people in their start 20s. But you'll also encounter people here just past the 10th grade, so the classes can be a very varied mixture in ages. I was the youngest, and the oldest was 61!

I'll give it a try explaining HF - and it's going to be longwinded.... HF was "invented" in 1966. The idea was to give people (working class kids) who hadn't had the change to go to Gymnasium, the posibility of qualifying for University. Highschool for grown ups! Due to the life experience they'd gained since leaving school, they cut it a year shorter. The rules about attendence was slacked. And an important thing: They don't get year-grades given by the teacher. They only get exam's grades. Working class kids generally had bad experiences with teachers being prejudiced (snobs!). .... Eg. my sister had a teacher, who ran through the class list asking what their farthers did for a living, before doing the grades. When Lene told about it at home - and that she'd answered "baker" - our Mum got a bit insulted, as she hadn't seen a dime from him since the divorce, and that the money we lived of was her income as Care Taker (hjemmehjælper). Next year my sister answered "Min mor er hjemmehjælper". She dropped two grades! ... Then came "Enkeltfags HF", which was more like an evening high school, where you hand pick your subjects. ... Eg. at the library I had two collegues who had "Lingual" Studenter Exams, but wanted to be nurses. They studied Chemestry on Enkeltfag in order to qualify for Nursing School. ... I dropped out of the gynasium, but years later took 4 Enkeltfags Exams in order to qualify for Teacher's College. In Quote 2, for those in the know ;-) ... Hope this helped a little. As for you guys - keep it up. You're getting better and better :-)

The Danish "Gymnasium/Gymnasie" is really more like College in the US. The reason being, that the level of difficulty in a US college corresponds to that of the Danish Gymnasium. This is largely due to the effeciency of the Danish school system and better training of teachers (A Danish teacher studies for 4 whole years at a University College, must have 3 different majors (used to be 4), study psychology, socal relations, pedagogics amongst other things. They must pass all of the exams and on top of that attain a Bachelor's degree in Education).

You should try danish Mead :P I think you all would love it.

It is easy to fall in love with the specialized gymnasiums if you are really certain of what you want to do, but they can often be a trap. Let's say that you want to study something business related at university, the "difficulty" of the educations that fall under the business umbrella can heavily limit how applicable the business gymnasium will be. This is because something like economy will require A-level subjects that are only really accessible in the standard gymnasium. If you already know the specific educational path you want to take at university and that business gymnasium already offer those subjects at a sufficient level then this is not really a problem. BUT it can still throw a wrench in the wheels because simply the fact that it allows for a limited number of A levels will hurt your "GPA". As an example I have in total of 4 A-levels, maths, English, physics and civics plus the two automatic Danish and history. That results in me being able to multiply my final "GPA" by a certain number that is greater than 1(sorry don't remember the specific number because I'm old af) all because I have a subject count that is higher than the standard 2+2. This grade boost would not be possible anywhere but at the standard gymnasium. So if you want to study something that require a high grade average this could be something to keep in mind. Danish "GPA" requirements can be wildly different from what is American common sense. For instance the best engineering school in the country, arguably, AAU has no "GPA" requirement at all, while the 3-year physiotherapist education has a "GPA" requirement that can compete with the those of doctor schools. In general any education popular among studious young women will have very inflated "GPA" requirements. Disclaimer: As I said, old af, so take it with a grain of salt because things might have changed since the mid 2000s.

If you want a suggestion to a "typical Danish" liqour without Liqourice, see if you can find the one called "kongen af Danmark", In many stores it can be had in a mini-bottle called "små konger". Its a beautiful red liqour. Regarding Efterskole and Højskole (the direct translation of highschool that isnt highschool), Its the 2 school forms that does require payment to attend.

HF (higher preparatory course) is the same as the first you mention. But shorter and aimed at more mature students. It is more aimed at uni preparation for those with some previous work experience. Like I had been in the Royal Danish Navy for 3,5 years and wanted to get into uni. So I got a HF.

First sorry for all the danish names. You could try: Roasted torskerogn on rye bread with remoulade You can even toast the rye bread in butter on a pan to get an extra crispy experience.

HF can be used to get an education that is equivalent to STX, HTX and HHX, but since it only has a duration of 2 years, you won't have the same options to get subjects like math at the high level/A-level. If you find a bachelors program that requires you to have passed specific subjects at a high enough level, either A-, B- or C-level, then you might want to use HF-enkeltfag where you can pick and choose from the specific subjects you need to pass. Now if you only need to get one subject at a high level then you can try either a Turbokursus(turbocourse) or a GSK (Danish: Gymnasiale suppleringskursus. English: Supplementary courses at the gymnasium level). As an example DTU offers a turbokursus where you can get math from a B-level up to an A-level in 6 weeks time, so if you're willing to sacrifice your summer vacation time, you can get immediately from HF to a bachelors program that requires an A-level in math

good luck Maya!

The sheet about the education levels is from what I could see the academic part of the education system. The one for craftmanship is alot different. E.g you could start becoming an electrician, and after some years working as that you can build a level on top of it which is called "montør" which means they are allowed to educate electricians that are studying to become electricians. Originally HF were for People who needed a gymnasiel education to e.g after educate themselves. Plus for young mothers also had a way to safe year on a gymnasiel education. Now it is very different, so people choose HF for alot more different reasons. Btw all 3 of you have nice and calm voices to listen to 😀 An idea is to make a video about what you feel is the difference between Denmark and the US on how the corona have been handled? And cam Maya not get some SU while studying in Denmark 😀

HF is the equivalent to an STX but shortened down to 2 years (so longer modules) and if I'm not wrong the level is a bit higher in STX

Members of my family don't like snaps to Easter, Christmas so straight after the snaps they take some beer or soda (sodavand) to flush the taste away, but Maya looks like me when i tasted peanutbutter first time.😆😆😆

Hi. As a Danish journeyman carpenter, I’d love to hear more about your take on the differences between American and Danish ways of educating “blue collar workers”, as well as standards of living for said workforce in Denmark vs. in the US.

Hey.. I think you guys should check out something called "lakritol".. You can buy it in alot of kiosks, and some supermarkets here in Denmark. It comes in a small tin can, and eventho its liqourice, it has a special kind of taste, that i think would be interesting for you guys.

I personally took my first year at a Higher Technical Examination Programme School (HTX). The HTX Programme is based on technical and scientific subjects at the highest mandatory level offered in Denmark. Furthermore, it is as well based on a wide range of optional subjects similar to those found in the Gymnasium or at the HHX Programme. Some of the optional subjects could be/are business, economics, work environment, culture, information technology and design, to name a few. Most of the schools offer at least 3 different lines of study: "Natural Science" with Mathematics A and Physics A + Chemistry A or Biotechnology A "Technical" with Technology A and another relevant subject "Communicative" with Communication/IT A and English A + Design B It all depends on the school however, so this may vary. I ended up however switching school for my second & third year to the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP). The International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme is a two year educational Programme and provides an internationally accepted qualification for entry into higher education and is recognized by many universities worldwide. Every subject is taught in English :) apart from the native language (in my case Danish B). The setup for this is different as you will be basing your choices from groups of subjects. Group 1: Studies in language and literature - This is generally the native language. Group 2: Language acquisition - An additional language is taken (can also be the native language if not chosen in Group 1). Latin and Classical Greek are also offered at some schools. Group 3: Individuals and societies - Business Management, Economics, Geography, History, Philosophy and Psychology. Group 4: Experimental sciences - Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Design Technology and Computer Science. Group 5: Mathematics - Mathematical Studies SL, Mathematics SL and HL, and Further Mathematics HL. Group 6: The arts - Dance, Foreign Languages, Music, Theatre, Visual Arts, and Film. All these subjects/courses are offered in SL or HL and from when I attended IB, you had to have as a minimum of 3 HLs. HL = Higher level (A) and SL = Standard level (B). Mathematical Studies is considered (level C) in Danish terms. Much like with HTX, the IB Programme is subject to change and varies from school to school. Mine for example did not have Computer Science which I ironically went on to study after my Gymnasium adventure :) and after Computer Science, I took my Bachelor's in IT Security and currently working at DKCERT on the DTU campus. Its surely a touchy feel type of situation when it comes to choosing a Gymnasium path. It has to be what you feel is best for you and what interests you the most :) I made the slight mistake in choosing HTX and switched to IB thereafter and looking back, I can kinda kick myself in the behind for not starting with it :) but back in 2006-2007 I never knew that IB existed until a family friend mentioned it. If I had known I would've entered Pre-IB (which follows the path of a STX Danish Gymnasium structure until your 2nd year where you choose the various subjects). And give it time, you'll LOVE Lakrids ;)

HF is like the the 3 year STX, with the lessons packed more densely and typically attended by a bit older individuals.

HF is like STX (the standard) but you have all your subjects on the base-level for that specific subject. You are not upgrading your Language classes, or math or any other subjects to a higher level, as you will do at STX, HHX and HTX. This means that you can get through high-school in just 2 years and have access to college - but you may have to upgrade specfic subjects on your own time since many university/college degrees require non-standard high-level (A-level) or mid-level (B-level) subjects for admission. Hope this helped.

Your intro is still the best so far, Love it!

Outside Copenhagen the gymnasium/school placement is determined more by proximity/logistics/where you live than in Cph, where it's a lot more a matter of choice and research...

All the Gajol shots are based on the Gajol laqurice candy :) Since were closing up on easter, you should try Anthon Berg Fugleæg.. Its marcipan eggs covered in chokolate.. Some of my fav candy hehe ;) Also, HF is often just called a quicker gymnasium.. 2 years instead of 3 years..

HF also offers something called "enkeltfag", once called "aftenskole" because you can study part time while working. People would usually do this if they wanted to attend university but didn't get a required level/grade during their STX/HTX years, since most university courses require specific grades, i.e. if you want to read International Business on Copenhagen Business School, you might need maths and a second or third language on the highest level which is A-level (called A-niveau in danish) so you could read a required level during the summer before starting university.

HF stands for "Højere Forberedelseseksamen" translated as Higher preperation exam. There's kinda a bad rep about it though from "normal" Gymnasiums(STX, HTX, and HHX). This is due to the tradition of the "Studenterhue" which you guys discussed in another video. Normal Gym students don't see HF as being worthy of getting it, even though HF is technically on the same level of education. Where Gym gives acces to universities and all the programs there, given that you have followed the right classes in gym, HF only gives acces to professional bachelors, and the like as a basic. You can design it though so you can get acces to normal bachelors to though.