‘College Knowledge’ Series Continues…

The US Higher Education System

Elena Mikhailova is a high school counselor and a college advisor with the Santa Clara USD. She holds an M.A. in Educational Counseling from San Jose State University. Elena is also professionally certified in College Admissions and Career Advising by UC Berkeley.

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In the previous articles (see above) we primarily focused on high school issues and academics. As we are approaching the topic of college admissions and college counseling, it would be important to first understand the different post-secondary options available to your child after high school graduation. With that in mind, today we are going to talk about the US Higher Education system.

A Brief Overview of Higher Education in the US.

Many of the world’s most prestigious higher education institutions are located in the United States.  Also known as post-secondary education, the American higher education system includes colleges and universities that focus on one or more study areas such as vocational, business, engineering or liberal arts. Many combine some or all of the above.

The American university and college system is highly decentralized with both public schools and privately operated institutions, both profit and non-profit.  The US Department of Education estimates that about 70% of all undergrad students attend public schools.

Since the federal government does not directly regulate colleges/universities (although it can give federal grants to them), the majority of public schools are operated by the states, usually as part of a state university system. Each state supports at least one state university and several support many more. California, for example, has three public Higher Ed systems: the 11 UC campuses, the 23 CSU campuses, and the 109 campuses of the CA Community Colleges System. Public universities often have a large student body, with introductory classes numbering in the hundreds and some undergraduate classes taught by graduate students.

US private schools offer a great variety for their students; some are secular, while others are involved in religious education. Some are non-denominational, while others are affiliated with a certain church, such as Roman Catholicism. Most private schools, like public schools, are non-profit (they don’t have private owners), although some are for-profit (privately owned and profit-seeking).

Besides public and privates schools, there are also five U.S. Service Academies (institutions of the four branches of the military: those of the Army, Navy & Air Force, under the Department of Defense, and that of the Coast Guard, under the Department of Homeland Security). These are the only institutions that are federally regulated and whose students are on active duty in the US Armed Forces from the day they enter school.

The majority of US colleges and universities are coeducational. The number of women’s and men’s colleges has dwindled in the past years and nearly all remaining single-sex institutions are private colleges.

School tuition is charged at almost all US universities, except the five federally-sponsored Service Academies mentioned above, in which students attend free and receive a stipend in exchange for a service commitment in the U.S. Armed Forces after graduation. Public universities often have much lower tuition than the private ones as funds are provided by state governments. State residents that support the university typically pay lower tuition than non-residents.

Each individual college or university has their own academic calendar, but the year is usually divided either into two semesters, three trimesters or four quarters, and includes a winter and spring break. Summer terms are common, allowing students the opportunity to complete the required number of credits for their degree faster or spread out their course load so that it’s lighter in the regular terms.

Many large colleges and universities give high-achieving students the option of enrolling in an Honors Program. Honors students take small, seminar-style classes that are more challenging than regular classes. This allows for closer contact with faculty. Honors students may be asked to complete a senior thesis or special project. At some schools, honors students live in designated housing and have access to special scholarships and internships. Honors programs at public universities often represent an excellent value for in-state residents.

So many choices–how do you begin?

School selection can be an overwhelming task for college-bound high school students. There are literally thousands of colleges and universities to choose from in the US.

Types of Colleges

Although every educational institution is unique, it is possible to place most colleges and universities into one of several broad categories. A helpful first choice in school selection is to understand what these types of institution are and how good a fit they are for your personal preferences and learning style.

There are two very basic types of post-secondary education institutions:

●        Two-year (or less) Colleges (Community/Technical/Junior)

The programs often lead to a license, a certificate, an associate degree (A.A./A.S.), or the ability to transfer to a four-year university.

●        Four-Year Colleges & Universities

These schools offer a bachelor degree (B.A./B.S.). Some also offer graduate and professional degrees.

In the next issues of ‘Kstati’ we’ll be talking about Four-Year Colleges/Universities in more detail.

To find out more on this topic… please join us on Wednesday, February 9 at 7 p.m.

The program is facilitated by Elena Mikhailova. It is planned as a series of seminars, taking place once a month from September to June.

To contact Elena directly please e-mail collegepathway@gmail.com