What happens when Ponyville's foals get older?

[ggg-2 3,550]

In terms of education? the Ponyville schoolhouse is the only school in town with Cheerilee as seemingly the only teacher. Moreover, the only place with what could be called a college we've seen is CANTERLOT. In fact Canterlot is the only place we've seen with a high school (if you could call Canterlot Academy from the comics a high school).

[That One Pone 584]

In terms of education? the Ponyville schoolhouse is the only school in town with Cheerilee as seemingly the only teacher. Moreover, the only place with what could be called a college we've seen is CANTERLOT. In fact Canterlot is the only place we've seen with a high school (if you could call Canterlot Academy from the comics a high school).

They go into the slave trade until they are old enough to work.

 

jk.

 

You have a valid point, and nothing more was mentioned of "Magic Kindergarten"

[Stancet 673]

Well, most of Equestria is based on the Medieval/Renascence times of Europe. The towns and cities are very rural with no electricity and very few conveniences like dishwashers and cars. Back then, education was limited to the upperclass who could afford it. But in Equestria, the school system seems to resemble the early American ideal that education should be free and readily available to all children. And before the government had huge amounts of money to waste on large buildings, one room school houses like Ms. Cheerilee's were the norm. I would assume school attendance is optional in Equestria but highly encouraged. 

 

And as for Canterlot Academy, I find that school out of place in the MLP universe. It's much too modern looking.

[ARagY 1,152]

Well we can assume that after they're out of school they will have their cutie marks, so they go and pursue their talents. (Applejack and Fluttershy for example) If they're not exactly professional material yet (most certainly not) then maybe they take an apprenticeship or something. It's the best way to work their way up and hone their skills. Also the social structure of Ponyville could be different from Canterlot much in the ways of nomadic people and agriculturalists. While we have high schools some tribes somewhere else turn 13 and become adults, ready to hunt and other things. It may not necessarily be that obvious, maybe more subtle, but that could be something. 

 

Also, wasn't the Canterlot one basically more like a private University? It could be like the said apprenticeship or similar to that that I mentioned above.

 

 

Well, most of Equestria is based on the Medieval/Renascence times of Europe. The towns and cities are very rural with no electricity and very few conveniences like dishwashers and cars. Back then, education was limited to the upperclass who could afford it. But in Equestria, the school system seems to resemble the early American ideal that education should be free and readily available to all children. And before the government had huge amounts of money to waste on large buildings, one room school houses like Ms. Cheerilee's were the norm. I would assume school attendance is optional in Equestria but highly encouraged. 

 

And as for Canterlot Academy, I find that school out of place in the MLP universe. It's much too modern looking.

 

Aren't there stoves in the Cakes' shop as well as sinks? And there was an arcade, and Vinyl is a DJ and there were strobe lights..right? Also the cello wasn't made until the 16th century

 

Plus with that weird Cherilee shot from a clear "70s" cliché I would say it's somewhere around the 90s

Edited September 26, 2014 by ARagY

[Buck Testa 5,503]

Well considering some of the mane six started work as fillies I would say they become valid adult members of society when they find what they can do for a living and have a cutie mark. As such education would not need to extend much farther than what the cmc deal with, unless you major in magic.

[Arican 100]

They all grow beards and get fat!

[That One Pone 584]

They all grow beards and get fat!

Oh my god. I cannot even begin to comprehend this.

[Stancet 673]

 

Aren't there stoves in the Cakes' shop as well as sinks? And there was an arcade, and Vinyl is a DJ and there were strobe lights..right? Also the cello wasn't made until the 16th century

 

Plus with that weird Cherilee shot from a clear "70s" cliché I would say it's somewhere around the 90s

 

 

I'm not saying that Equestria makes a whole lot of sense. It clearly doesn't fit into any one time period. 

[Arican 100]

-snip-

oh my god. I cannot even begin to comprehend this.

haha yes fat Scootaloo with a big bushy Santa-hooves beard!

[ManaMinori 4,143]

then Cherilee gets a well-earned retirement period, or maybe finds foals people want a private tutor for, afterward, and schools them from that pony's home.

[Treble Bolt 1,122]

Something tells me Ponyville has a school akin to one-room-school houses....Kindergarten thru high school is done there....However, all the foals seem to be about the same age....so either, they are all about a year or two apart (Snails maybe 3 years older), or they have a system to where a foal could choose post 'however long their education is' to further their education by going to high school.

The Mennonites around are like that. They graduate at age 14, with beginning college level education, but there are some that choose to go to a normal high school (at which they succeed and get scholarships for college)....Most don't go on, but some do.

 

Magic Kindergarten seems specific for Unicorns, as does flight camp for Pegasi. I see that as being very practical. Unicorns have to learn how to control their magic and Pegasi have to learn how to fly, both necessary for their own safety and others'. Earth ponies probably have to learn about basics about tending to the earth at the very least, because just as all Pegasi in Ponyville were all mandatorily made to help with getting Cloudsdale water, I believe all earth ponies have to help with spring planting and animal tending (as seen in Winter Wrap Up). If you think back to when the races were all separated, this had to be the case, because even though their relationship was rocky at best, they needed each other for survival because they couldn't properly do what another race could en masse.

 

Now back to Ponyville, why are there specific schools for Pegasi and Unicorns, but a conglomerated school in Ponyville? Simple, it's a small town and though the school is most likely more generalized to be able to teach all students, it is too small a school to teach the specifics each race needs to thrive. I am sure it is left up to the parents to do the finite teaching, just as it was IRL back in the day for kids to learn the family trade.

[silvadel 1,393]

They either apprentice with another pony with a similar talent, go to a technical school like flight camp for pegasi, or a general school in one of the cities, or they set up shop for themselves.

[Cloud Yeller 69]

In human society the one room school house concept typically groups all ages and only goes to the equivalent of 8th grade.  After that you pick a profession and start your apprenticeship.   So for the ponies that should be an easy choice as their cutie mark will tell them what their talents are.

 

Without the writers saying something about it I would think that is how things work.  

[Nulln 754]

Pegasi can go to the flying school, unicorns can go to a magical college kinda thing, I have no idea about earth ponies, since so far they've all been shown as farm workers.  They usually find their special talents before school is over though, so they can probably just go on to work and don't need extra education.

[Arican 100]

Fat scootaloo is really fat

[Sugoi Kurloz 40]

Apprenticeship

Study like Twilight (books I mean)

Or quickly pursue there interests because being its cutie mark means it's bound to come naturally at points and need help at others

[Jeric 46,834]

In terms of education? the Ponyville schoolhouse is the only school in town with Cheerilee as seemingly the only teacher. Moreover, the only place with what could be called a college we've seen is CANTERLOT. In fact Canterlot is the only place we've seen with a high school (if you could call Canterlot Academy from the comics a high school).

 

This is where individual interpretation comes in handy as we don't know exactly based on the show itself. My opinion is that Equestria has general dual approach education system. After their initial education, foals eventually intern or apprentice. Jobs like running a farm, baking, or mail delivery would fit this approach. Other jobs would require advanced learning ... medical fields, ship building, scholarly approaches (including magic study) may require structured university like settings.

 

Some may just strike out on their own (like Rarity may have done). 

[sweetolebob18 724]

IIRC, I've read that as late as WWII, about 2/3 of all enlisted personnel did not graduate high school.  IMO, you graduate 8th grade (age 14) then you either get a job/apprenticeship or go on to higher education (rarer, but Twilight probably would have)

 

But, I think Dash got a job pushing clouds at age 14 (her educational difficulties in Testing 1, 2, 3) & that is why she was in charge of the weather by the pilot -on the job training & experience.