Academy vs. School — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Urooj Arif — Updated on March 27, 2024
An academy is an institution specialized in particular fields or advanced training, often private or charter. A school is a broader term for any educational institution where learning is facilitated, from elementary to high school.
Difference Between Academy and School
Table of Contents
ADVERTISEMENT
Key Differences
Academies traditionally focus on specific subjects or fields, offering specialized education or training. This specialization can range from the arts and sciences to military training. In contrast, schools provide a more general education covering a wide range of subjects, catering to the basic educational needs of students across various grade levels.
The term "academy" has evolved and can also refer to private or charter schools that offer a curriculum similar to public schools but with potentially different educational approaches or governance. Schools, encompassing both public and private institutions, serve as the foundational structure for compulsory education, emphasizing a broad curriculum designed to impart a standardized set of knowledge and skills.
Academies often enjoy more autonomy in terms of curriculum development, educational methods, and governance, allowing for innovative teaching practices or specialized programs not commonly found in traditional schools. Meanwhile, schools, particularly public ones, follow more standardized curriculums and educational policies set by educational authorities or government bodies.
The historical context of "academy" dates back to Plato's Academy, emphasizing advanced philosophical, scientific, or artistic study. This contrasts with the broader historical role of schools as places for elementary and secondary education, focusing on literacy, numeracy, and general knowledge.
In terms of admission, academies might have selective processes based on academic, artistic, or athletic criteria, reflecting their specialized focus. Schools generally have more inclusive admission policies, especially public schools, which are obligated to provide education to all children within their jurisdiction.
ADVERTISEMENT
Comparison Chart
Focus
Specialized in particular fields or advanced training.
Broad educational institution for general learning.
Types
Private, charter, military, arts, sciences.
Public, private, elementary, middle, high schools.
Curriculum
Specialized or innovative, with autonomy in development.
Standardized, covering a wide range of subjects.
Governance
May have more autonomy or private governance.
Typically follows standards set by educational authorities.
Admission
Often selective based on specific criteria.
Generally inclusive, especially in public institutions.
Compare with Definitions
Academy
Can be dedicated to military, arts, or sciences.
The naval academy prepares students for military careers.
School
Broad term for educational institutions.
The local school offers K-12 education.
Academy
Autonomy in curriculum development.
The language academy designs its curriculum around immersive experiences.
School
Can be public or private.
She attends a private school with a strong arts program.
Academy
Institution focusing on advanced or specialized training.
The academy specializes in science and technology.
School
Provides general education across subjects.
Schools ensure students learn math, science, and literature.
Academy
Often private or charter with selective admission.
The academy accepts students based on artistic talent.
School
Follows a standardized curriculum.
The school's curriculum aligns with national educational standards.
Academy
May offer innovative educational approaches.
This academy uses project-based learning for all subjects.
School
Inclusive admission policies.
Public schools accept all children in the district.
Academy
An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary or tertiary higher learning, research, or honorary membership. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece.
School
A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students (or "pupils") under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes compulsory.
Academy
A place of study or training in a special field
A police academy
School
An institution for the instruction of children or people under college age.
Academy
A society or institution of distinguished scholars and artists or scientists that aims to promote and maintain standards in its particular field
The Royal Academy of Arts
School
An institution for instruction in a skill or business
A secretarial school.
A karate school.
Academy
A school for special instruction.
School
A college or university.
Academy
A secondary or college-preparatory school, especially a private one.
School
An institution within or associated with a college or university that gives instruction in a specialized field and recommends candidates for degrees.
Academy
The academic community; academe
"When there's moral leadership from the White House and from the academy, people tend to adjust" (Jesse Jackson).
School
A division of an educational institution constituting several grades or classes
Advanced to the upper school.
Academy
Higher education in general. Used with the.
School
The student body of an educational institution.
Academy
A society of scholars, scientists, or artists.
School
The building or group of buildings housing an educational institution.
Academy
Plato's school for advanced education and the first institutional school of philosophy.
School
The process of being educated formally, especially education constituting a planned series of courses over a number of years
The children were put to school at home. What do you plan to do when you finish school?.
Academy
Platonism.
School
A session of instruction
School will start in three weeks. He had to stay after school today.
Academy
The disciples of Plato.
School
A group of people, especially philosophers, artists, or writers, whose thought, work, or style demonstrates a common origin or influence or unifying belief
The school of Aristotle.
The Venetian school of painters.
Academy
The garden where Plato taught.
School
A group of people distinguished by similar manners, customs, or opinions
Aristocrats of the old school.
Academy
Plato's philosophical system based on skepticism; Plato's followers.
School
Close-order drill instructions or exercises for military units or personnel.
Academy
An institution for the study of higher learning; a college or a university; typically a private school.
School
(Australian) A group of people gathered together for gambling.
Academy
A school or place of training in which some special art is taught.
The military academy at West Point; a riding academy; the Academy of Music.; a music academy; a language academy
School
A large group of aquatic animals, especially fish, swimming together; a shoal.
Academy
A society of learned people united for the advancement of the arts and sciences, and literature, or some particular art or science.
The French Academy; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; academies of literature and philology.
School
To educate in or as if in a school.
Academy
(obsolete) The knowledge disseminated in an Academy.
School
To train or discipline
She is well schooled in literature.
Academy
Academia.
School
(Slang) To defeat or put down decisively, especially in a humiliating manner
Our team got schooled by the worst team in the division.
Academy
A body of established opinion in a particular field, regarded as authoritative.
School
To swim in or form into a school.
Academy
A school directly funded by central government, independent of local control.
School
Of or relating to school or education in schools
School supplies.
A school dictionary.
Academy
A garden or grove near Athens (so named from the hero Academus), where Plato and his followers held their philosophical conferences; hence, the school of philosophy of which Plato was head.
School
(North America) An institution dedicated to teaching and learning; an educational institution.
Our children attend a public school in our neighborhood.
Harvard University is a famous American postsecondary school.
Academy
An institution for the study of higher learning; a college or a university. Popularly, a school, or seminary of learning, holding a rank between a college and a common school.
School
(British) An educational institution providing primary and secondary education, prior to tertiary education (college or university).
Academy
A place of training; a school.
School
(UK) At Eton College, a period or session of teaching.
Divinity, history and geography are studied for two schools per week.
Academy
A society of learned men united for the advancement of the arts and sciences, and literature, or some particular art or science; as, the French Academy; the American Academy of Arts and Sciences; academies of literature and philology.
School
Within a larger educational institution, an organizational unit, such as a department or institute, which is dedicated to a specific subject area.
We are enrolled in the same university, but I attend the School of Economics and my brother is in the School of Music.
Academy
A school or place of training in which some special art is taught; as, the military academy at West Point; a riding academy; the Academy of Music.
School
An art movement, a community of artists.
The Barbizon school of painters were part of an art movement towards Realism in art, which arose in the context of the dominant Romantic movement of the time.
Academy
A secondary school (usually private)
School
The followers of a particular doctrine; a particular way of thinking or particular doctrine; a school of thought.
These economists belong to the monetarist school.
Academy
An institution for the advancement of art or science or literature
School
The time during which classes are attended or in session in an educational institution.
I’ll see you after school.
Academy
A school for special training
School
The room or hall in English universities where the examinations for degrees and honours are held.
Academy
A learned establishment for the advancement of knowledge
School
The canons, precepts, or body of opinion or practice, sanctioned by the authority of a particular class or age.
He was a gentleman of the old school.
School
An establishment offering specialized instruction, as for driving, cooking, typing, coding, etc.
School
(collective) A group of fish or a group of marine mammals such as porpoises, dolphins, or whales.
The divers encountered a huge school of mackerel.
School
A multitude.
School
(transitive) To educate, teach, or train (often, but not necessarily, in a school).
Many future prime ministers were schooled in Eton.
School
(transitive) To defeat emphatically, to teach an opponent a harsh lesson.
School
(transitive) To control, or compose, one’s expression.
She took care to school her expression, not giving away any of her feelings.
School
To form into, or travel in, a school.
School
A shoal; a multitude; as, a school of fish.
School
A place for learned intercourse and instruction; an institution for learning; an educational establishment; a place for acquiring knowledge and mental training; as, the school of the prophets.
Disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus.
School
A place of primary instruction; an establishment for the instruction of children; as, a primary school; a common school; a grammar school.
As he sat in the school at his primer.
School
A session of an institution of instruction.
How now, Sir Hugh! No school to-day?
School
One of the seminaries for teaching logic, metaphysics, and theology, which were formed in the Middle Ages, and which were characterized by academical disputations and subtilties of reasoning.
At Cambridge the philosophy of Descartes was still dominant in the schools.
School
The room or hall in English universities where the examinations for degrees and honors are held.
School
An assemblage of scholars; those who attend upon instruction in a school of any kind; a body of pupils.
What is the great community of Christians, but one of the innumerable schools in the vast plan which God has instituted for the education of various intelligences?
School
The disciples or followers of a teacher; those who hold a common doctrine, or accept the same teachings; a sect or denomination in philosophy, theology, science, medicine, politics, etc.
Let no man be less confident in his faith . . . by reason of any difference in the several schools of Christians.
School
The canons, precepts, or body of opinion or practice, sanctioned by the authority of a particular class or age; as, he was a gentleman of the old school.
School
Figuratively, any means of knowledge or discipline; as, the school of experience.
School
To train in an institution of learning; to educate at a school; to teach.
He's gentle, never schooled, and yet learned.
School
To tutor; to chide and admonish; to reprove; to subject to systematic discipline; to train.
It now remains for you to school your child,And ask why God's Anointed be reviled.
The mother, while loving her child with the intensity of a sole affection, had schooled herself to hope for little other return than the waywardness of an April breeze.
School
An educational institution;
The school was founded in 1900
School
A building where young people receive education;
The school was built in 1932
He walked to school every morning
School
The process of being formally educated at a school;
What will you do when you finish school?
School
An educational institution's faculty and students;
The school keeps parents informed
The whole school turned out for the game
School
The period of instruction in a school; the time period when schools is in session;
Stay after school
He didn't miss a single day of school
When the school day was done we would walk home together
School
A body of creative artists or writers or thinkers linked by a similar style or by similar teachers;
The Venetian school of painting
School
A large group of fish;
A school of small glittering fish swam by
School
Educate in or as if in a school;
The children are schooled at great cost to their parents in private institutions
School
Train to be discriminative in taste or judgment;
Cultivate your musical taste
Train your tastebuds
She is well schooled in poetry
School
Swim in or form a large group of fish;
A cluster of schooling fish was attracted to the bait
Common Curiosities
Can a school be called an academy?
Yes, some schools, especially private or charter ones, are called academies due to their specialized curriculum or educational approach.
What types of academies are there?
Types include private, charter, military, arts, and science academies, each focusing on specific areas of education or training.
What distinguishes an academy from a school?
An academy often focuses on specialized or advanced training in specific fields, while a school offers a broader, general education.
Do academies have stricter admission policies?
Many academies have selective admission policies based on academic, artistic, or athletic criteria, unlike general inclusive policies of most schools.
How does the curriculum differ between academies and schools?
Academies may have more specialized or innovative curriculums, while schools follow more standardized educational programs.
Can anyone attend an academy?
Attendance often depends on meeting the academy's specific admission criteria.
Can academies offer a general education curriculum?
While some academies focus on specific subjects, others may offer a general education curriculum with additional specialized programs.
How do public and private schools compare to academies?
Public and private schools typically offer general education, while academies, which can be either public or private, focus on specialized areas.
Are academies better than schools?
Not necessarily better; academies may offer specialized programs suited for students with specific interests, while schools provide a broad education beneficial for general knowledge and skills.
What is the purpose of a school?
The purpose is to provide a foundational education, teaching a wide range of subjects to equip students with essential knowledge and skills.
Are academies private institutions?
Many academies are private or charter, though the term can also apply to some public institutions with specialized programs.
Is specialized education better than general education?
It depends on the student's needs and interests; specialized education can be beneficial for focused learning, while general education offers a well-rounded knowledge base.
Why might a student choose an academy over a traditional school?
A student might prefer an academy for its specialized programs, innovative teaching methods, or because it aligns more closely with their career goals or interests.
Are there academies for adults?
Yes, there are academies and educational institutions focused on adult education, offering specialized training or continued education opportunities.
What is the historical origin of the term "academy"?
It originates from Plato's Academy, a place of study and philosophical discussion, reflecting the term's association with specialized learning.
Share Your Discovery
Previous Comparison
Arquebus vs. Matchlock
Next Comparison
Swap vs. SwipeAuthor Spotlight
Written by
Urooj ArifUrooj is a skilled content writer at Ask Difference, known for her exceptional ability to simplify complex topics into engaging and informative content. With a passion for research and a flair for clear, concise writing, she consistently delivers articles that resonate with our diverse audience.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
