TRADITIONAL COLLEGES

UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION IS A MEANS OF ACHIEVING HIGHER LEARNING, ESPECIALLY A GENERAL OR LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION RATHER THAN TECHNICAL OR PROFESSIONAL TRAINING. THESE SCHOOLS TYPICALLY OFFER COURSES OF INSTRUCTION IN THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES, USUALLY LEADING TO A BACHELOR’S DEGREE. LEARN ABOUT SOME OF THE OPTIONS FOR THIS EDUCATION BELOW!

COMMUNITY COLLEGE

COMMUNITY COLLEGES, SOMETIMES CALLED JUNIOR COLLEGES, ARE TWO-YEAR SCHOOLS THAT PROVIDE AFFORDABLE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AS A PATHWAY TO A FOUR-YEAR DEGREE. THESE COLLEGES ARE TYPICALLY CLOSE TO THE RESIDENCES WHERE STUDENTS LIVE WHICH OFFER THEM THE OPTION TO LIVE AT HOME. BECAUSE OF THIS AND THEIR LOW COSTS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES ARE AN AFFORDABLE OPTION FOR STUDENTS PURSUING SECONDARY EDUCATION. 

SMALL LIBERAL ARTS SCHOOLS

THESE COLLEGES OFFER A BROAD BASE OF COURSES IN THE LIBERAL ARTS, WHICH INCLUDES AREAS SUCH AS LITERATURE, HISTORY, LANGUAGES, MATHEMATICS AND LIFE SCIENCES. MOST ARE PRIVATE AND OFFER FOUR-YEAR PROGRAMS THAT LEAD TO A BACHELOR’S DEGREE. THESE COLLEGES CAN PREPARE YOU FOR A VARIETY OF CAREERS OR FOR GRADUATE STUDY.

STATE SCHOOLS

PUBLIC COLLEGES ARE FUNDED BY LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS AND TYPICALLY OFFER LOWER TUITION RATES THAN PRIVATE COLLEGES, ESPECIALLY FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE WHERE A COLLEGE IS LOCATED. STATE SCHOOLS ARE OFTEN LARGER THAN SMALLER PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND CAN OFTEN BE THOUGHT OF AS THE TRADITIONAL COLLEGE EXPERIENCE. 

ONLINE SCHOOLS

AN ONLINE DEGREE IS AN ACADEMIC DEGREE THAT CAN BE EARNED PRIMARILY OR ENTIRELY THROUGH THE USE OF AN INTERNET-CONNECTED COMPUTER, RATHER THAN ATTENDING COLLEGE IN A TRADITIONAL CAMPUS SETTING. THIS ALLOWS STUDENTS TO HAVE FLEXIBLE SCHOOL SCHEDULES WHILE THEY ARE WORKING TOWARDS THEIR BACHELOR’S DEGREE.

PROPRIETARY COLLEGES

PROPRIETARY COLLEGES ARE FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES. THEY ARE OPERATED BY THEIR OWNERS OR INVESTORS, RATHER THAN A NOT-FOR-PROFIT INSTITUTION, RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION, OR GOVERNMENT. BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT FUNDED BY TAX MONEY, THEIR LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY IS DEPENDENT ON THE VALUE THEY PROVIDE RELATIVE TO THE PERCEIVED VALUE OF A DEGREE FROM A HIGHER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OVERALL. SOME INSTITUTIONS IN THIS CATEGORY ARE REGIONALLY ACCREDITED, WHILE OTHERS MAY NOT BE.