2015-07-14
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1. Degree-granting institutions in the United States can be called colleges, universities, and institutes. As a rule, colleges are smaller and usually offer only undergraduate degrees, while a university also offers graduate degrees. An institute usually specializes in degree programs in a group of closely related subject areas. Within each college or university you will find schools, such as the school of arts and sciences or the school of business. The following types of higher educational institutions exist in the USA: state universities, private universities, community colleges, technical and vocational colleges.
2. State universities are founded and subsidized by U.S. state governments (for example, California, Michigan, or Texas) to provide low-cost education to residents of that state. They may also be called public universities to distinguish them from private institutions. State universities are usually very large, with enrollments of 20,000 or more students, and generally admit a wider range of students than private universities.
3. Private universities are funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees, research grants, and gifts from their alumni. Tuition fees are higher at private universities than at state universities. In general, private universities have enrollments of fewer than 20,000 students, and private colleges may have 2,000 or fewer students on their campuses.
4. Community colleges provide two-year associate degree programs, usually called the associate of arts (A.A.) or associate of science (A.S.) degrees, as well as excellent technical and vocational programs. Community colleges have close links with secondary schools, community groups, and employers, and many U.S. students live close to campus with their families. Community colleges can be public or private institutions and are sometimes called junior colleges or two-year colleges. Many have agreements to allow students on transfer programs to move easily into the third year of a bachelor's degree at the local state university.
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5. Technical and Vocational Colleges specialize in preparing students for entry into the world of work. They offer certificate and other short-term programs that train students in the theory behind a specific vocation or technology, as well as in how to work with the technology. Programs usually last two years or less. There are several thousand technical and vocational colleges across the United States, and they may be private or public institutions.
6. There is no limit to the number of colleges or universities to which a student may apply, though an application must be made for each. Some students are "wait-listed" for a particular college and may be admitted if another student who was admitted decides not to attend the college or university.
