Where to Go to School

Types of Higher Education Programs

Colleges, universities, community colleges, online degrees, vocational school—these are just a few of the types of educational institutions available to students beyond high school. But what differentiates one from the other? How important is the choice you make?

The official Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education provides a definitive and formal guide, almost a scientific dissection of the characteristics and requirements of each. Truth is once you decide the type of program you’re looking for the final decision is more emotional, preference-relative, than anything based on theory.

Universities

Universities are either public or privately funded. The word “university” is often used interchangeably with the word “college.” This is a misnomer. Colleges are not universities, yet all universities have colleges within them. Here’s how it works: if you are an English major attending a university, you are a student of the College of Liberal Arts but would be graduating from “such and such” university. Make sense?

By definition a university often grants degrees beyond the baccalaureate, or bachelors—most confer Masters and Doctorates.

  • Public universities are state-funded and designed to provide an affordable education for state residents. Public universities must adhere to very strict regulations, the only way to ensure that all students receive equal treatment.
  • Private universities, on the other hand, function independently from public sources and thrive on huge financial endowments that will hold up for hundreds of years to come. No chance of the money running out. Examples of prominent private universities are Yale and Harvard. As expensive as many of the elite universities have been in years past most have made available free educations for disadvantaged students.

Four-Year Colleges: Liberal Arts Education

Four-year colleges are often private, but there are some that function off of public funds. Students typically are conferred the baccalaureate degree or bachelors degree in either the arts or the sciences. The four-year college experience defines the Liberal Arts education—a fully rounded and well-balanced educational “diet” that includes arts, sciences, mathematics/logic and athletics. Students in liberal arts programs emphasize a major field of study, but are required to complete coursework in all the major disciplines.

Students interested in achieving a Masters degree or a Ph.D. often go onto a university to complete their education. And it is also quite common for students in a community college to transfer to a four-year college to complete a Bachelors program.

Community Colleges

Community colleges have come a long way in the last couple of decades. Today’s community college provides a diversity of educational avenues for all types of students:

  • Standalone two-year degree programs lead to Associates degrees.
  • Transfer programs allow students to complete two years of an undergraduate degree then transfer to a four-year liberal arts college to complete the final two years of a traditional Bachelors degree.
  • Continuing education and professional certification programs for working adults and professionals that require specialized training.

Trade Schools

Trade schools are quite unique from either a college or university. In the past students primarily sought trade schools for agricultural and automotive trades. However, there is a renewed vigor in the trade and vocational school realm. For example, here are some examples of popular trade or career school programs that lead to top-notch jobs:

  • Welding
  • Culinary/Cooking school
  • Art school
  • Hairstyling
  • Automotive
  • HVAC
  • Construction/carpentry

Find out why trade programs like these have blossomed in both number and popularity and if one is right for you.

Online Degrees: Distance Learning

The Internet has made distance learning a reality. Time has improved the scope and quality of online programs and now many are considered equal to their brick and mortar counterparts. Online degrees are offered by online universities, traditional colleges and universities and community colleges.

The advantages benefit both students and institutions: students with jobs and families may earn degrees from the comfort of their own home on their own schedules and institutions may expand their student bodies by offering distance degrees and courses similar to those they provide on campus.

But online learning is not for everyone. Find out what you need to know about online courses, costs, types of degrees and technical requirements so you can make an informed choice.

Studying Abroad

International studies programs have exploded and almost every student may participate and through almost any type of educational program. As the world grows more globalized students are encouraged to venture abroad as part of a well-balanced college education.

Study abroad programs are thriving on just about every college and university campus. Students may opt to study singly or in groups in just about any country where there is no State Department warning. In fact a couple of very good government scholarship programs are intensive study abroad scholarships.

Besides the standard European locales, students have opportunities to see countries never before visited by American students and the option to trek off to exotic and unusual spots such as Antarctica and the Galapagos Islands. Still many others opt to spend semesters studying at sea or scuba diving.

Guess what? Most study abroad programs are covered by financial aid or have their own financial aid options built in. Find out how you can make studying abroad a reality.