Okay, I am very aware of the definitions of these terms within the sphere of the american educational system. However I am an international student residing in the Caribbean and these words have quite a different meaning or connotation here. We do not attend a middle school and we go from primary(elementary school) directly to our secondary school. After attending secondary school up to the age of 16-17 (five years),most students attend a community college up to the age of 18-19 (two years). Some students do leave secondary school at the age of 16 and attend community colleges in other countries and some even attend universities. My issue here is when applying to american universities, they would often ask me to enter my secondary school name ,transcript etc. However, I am uncertain if I should submit my literal secondary school information or my community college information. Or should I enter my secondary school information and list my community college information as post secondary education even though my respective ages during these institutions differ from the ages expected in an american secondary school and community college. Basically an american would submit their high school info for secondary school requirements at the age of 18 but Ill be submitting my own form of secondary school requirements when I was 16 instead and listing the school that i attended til the age of 18 as my post secondary education. I hope you understand my question and dilemma. Also, no we do not have guidance counselors who help with this sort of thing.
What American colleges want is the schools you attended between the age of 14 and 18.
So, you would enter two schools: your secondary school, then your college (“sixth form college” is the British term for example, or “FE college”, preparing for A-levels).
There are many cultures in which “college” means “non mandatory, upper-level secondary”, especially those which British-patterned or -related educational systems. Enter both “Secondary school” for the 14-16 part and “college” for the 16-19 part.