U.S. edu (and parenting) culture — more encouragement, more confidence building, less “rule-abiding” as I experienced first-hand in Singapore system.

I think many kids at 12 are not motivated by any keen interest in anything whatsoever. By my standard, perhaps half are unmotivated to study. Does the U.S. system give them too much freedom? I think so.

I was told at high school freshmen level, the competitiveness would emerge, at least in some good schools, but focus today is the earlier years.