Americans have to pay if they visit a dictor or go to hospital, but they do not usually pay to go to school. Schools, like the laws, are different from state to state, but in most places, everyone goes to school for about twelve years. The years are called 'grades': grades 1 to 5 are 'elementary school', 6 to 8 are 'middle school', and 9 to 12 'high school'. About 85 per cent of students finish high school and celebrate with a party known as a 'prom'. They also make a 'year book'; this has photos of all the students in their class and some information about each person. Films like American Graffiti and The Breakfast Club have shown what life is like at an American high school. About half the students who finish high school. About half the students who finish high school go no to study for another two or four years. Hervard and Yale in the east and Berkeley in California are among America's famous universities.