Colleges and Universities

Public Colleges and State Universities: State Universities and Public colleges and are funded by local and state governments, usually offering lower tuition rates than private colleges, especially for students who are residents of the state where a university or college is located. Public colleges and State Universities tend to be very large, some have over 20,000 students, and provide a larger range of academic options.

Private Colleges and Universities: Private colleges are funded by a combination of donations and endowments, research grants and tuition fees.

Two-year colleges and Universities: Two-year colleges, such as community colleges, technical colleges, vocational and career colleges, offer  2 year programs that lead to an associate degree or certificate.

Four-year colleges and Universities: Four-year colleges and universities provide four-year programs that lead to a bachelor's degree (BA). Degrees are awarded after completing a specific number of credits during four years of full time study. It usually takes between 130 and 180 credits to graduate. The first year students are called 'Freshmen', second year students 'Sophomores', third year students ' Juniors' and fourth year students are ' Seniors'. Many Four-year colleges and universities also offer the option for an additional 1 - 2 study program to obtain a Master's degree.

Community colleges: Community colleges, aka junior colleges or 2 year colleges, can be public or private institutions that offer smaller class sizes and and valuable support systems in the community. Tuition costs at 2 year public community colleges are often lower than at 4 year colleges and many have agreements to allow students to move easily on a transfer program. Community colleges provide two-year associate degree programs (AA, AS or AAS) that can then be used when transferring to a  4 year college or state university to earn a bachelor's degree (BA). Community colleges often provide an affordable option with relatively low tuition fees and offer high quality courses and programs to meet their employment needs.

Technical and Vocational Colleges: Technical and Vocational Colleges specialize in training in a particular industry or for preparing for a specific career. Technical and Vocational Colleges usually offer certificates or associate degrees - many Community Colleges provide technical training and vocational education.

Christian Colleges and Universities: Some private Christian colleges are connected to specific religious faiths such as Protestant, Catholic or Mormon. Students at these types of specialized colleges and universities, which number between 600- 700, study religion, theology, philosophy, Biblical Languages, Bible Studies, Religious Education, Religious Music, Ministry and Church Administration.

Colleges and Universities - Affiliations: All colleges and universities in the United States welcome students of all color, race and religion. Prior to 1964 Civil Rights Act black colleges and universities (HBCUs) focused on educating African American students. There are currently over 100 historically black colleges and universities (HSIs) including public and private schools, 4 year institutions, medical and law schools and community colleges. There are also Hispanic-serving colleges and universities (HSIs) that cater to Hispanic students.

Colleges and Universities Academic Calendar: The US academic year generally runs from the beginning of September until the end of May, although some colleges and universities offer optional six to eight week summer terms to enable students to finish their degrees in a shorter period. The two main 18 week terms are called semesters although some schools and universities have 12 week trimesters or quarters.

Colleges and Universities - The Ivy League: The eight most prestigious and historic schools in the US are referred to as the Ivy League due to their old, ivy-covered buildings. A list of names for the Ivy League schools are Brown University, Columbia University, Cornell University, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University, and Yale University.

Single Sex Colleges and Universities: Most American schools and universities are coeducational, however, there are over 60 colleges and universities that are women-only institutions.

Student lifestyles at Colleges and Universities: The choice of location of colleges and universities have a strong influence of student lifestyles. Schools located in rural settings are quieter than those located in the hustle and bustle of city or urban colleges. There are many different extra curricular activities to be enjoyed such as theatre, dance, drama and music related activities. Sports, such as badminton, basketball, football, swimming, softball, tennis, volleyball together with Intercollegiate Athletics also play an important role in the student lifestyles at universities, whether acting as participants or as supporters.

Admission systems in US Colleges and Universities: The admissions systems of the schools and universities in the United States are used to assess the suitability of students and determine their potential for success at their schools.  Admission systems vary considerably due to the sheer numbers and different types of schools. Assessments regarding the selectivity of students use SAT and ACT scores to filter applicants and the grade point average (GPA) achieved by the previous years students are published by many schools and universities  each year indicating the academic standards achieved. Admission test scores are an important part of the admission systems in many schools but extracurricular activities, hobbies, work experience, recommendation letters and volunteer work are also taken into account.

Major Fields of study in US Colleges and Universities: The major fields of study in US Colleges and Universities are Agriculture, Education, Engineering, Engineering-Related Technology, English & Literature , Ethnic Studies, Foreign Languages, Mathematics, Military Science & Protective Services, Parks & Recreation, Philosophy, Religion & Theology, Public Affairs & Law, Sciences, Social Sciences and Visual & Performing Arts.

Colleges and Universities: The choice of schools and universities is extensive in the United States and the articles on this website provide some interesting facts to help decide what makes a school special, using information to enable you to balance academics, student lifestyle and affordability.