Types of Colleges
There are thousands of colleges and universities in the United States, and each of them is unique. Generally speaking, however, these schools can be broken into two basic categories: two-year colleges and four-year colleges.
Community Colleges
Two-year colleges, more commonly known as community colleges or junior colleges, offer their students a chance to earn an Associate's degree. Community colleges are mostly publicly-funded institutions designed to serve local students of all ages and academic abilities. Almost half of all college students in America attend community colleges. Many are drawn by the affordable prices, others by the open-admissions policy. Most community colleges also offer career-specific training programs for students looking to transition quickly into the workforce.
Many community college students attend community college with the intention of eventually transferring into a four-year institution as college juniors. This can be a good idea for students, especially those who might need some extra support before transitioning into a four-year school, and those who have a weak academic record in high school. However, most community college students do not actually transfer into four-year institutions. If you plan to attend community college and transfer, make sure to speak with an advisor during your first semester so you can make sure you are taking the right courses and on track to meet the transfer requirements.
Four-Year Schools
There are many types of four-year institutions offering Bachelor's degrees: public universities (which are funded by the state government), private colleges (which are funded privately), or Institutes of Art or Technology (which provide various of specialized degrees). When it comes to deciding what kind of four-year school to attend, however, most students find themselves choosing between a liberal arts college and a university.
If you're looking for a schools with small class sizes where you can try out classes in many different subjects, a liberal arts college might be the place for you. If you're confident in your future career and want to join a fraternity or sorority, you may want to focus your search on universities. Check out the chart below for more details.
**Check out the next module on "Specialized Schools" and then take the quiz!**
