chapter 3
TYPES OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Selecting the right institution is critical to success for many students. While this sounds obvious, some people don’t know there are significant differences between colleges. Even if you have already chosen a school, this section will provide a useful overview of what to expect. If you are still undecided, this chapter will help you narrow your choices.
Just like there are many types of companies (large corporations, non-profit organizations, etc.) there are a variety of higher educational institutions. Just as individuals will thrive in a particular work setting, there are certain colleges or universities that fit some students better than others. WalMart, Apple, and Ford are great work environments for many people. Others, however, function better at other firms. Stanford, the University of Michigan and other well-known schools will be the best fit for some students, yet there are hundreds of lesser known schools that will be a better fit for other students.
One reason some students don’t succeed is they are in the wrong place. High school students face pressure from family, friends, guidance counselors, and others to choose certain schools because of proximity, family ties, finances, or other reasons not necessarily related to what the student wants or needs.
PICK THE RIGHT SCHOOL FOR YOU
A student who went through the process said, “I should not have been so anxious about who picked me: I should have been anxious about whom I picked.”
7 Some students get so wrapped up in what school they think they should attend that they don’t pick one that is the best for them. If you have not chosen a school yet, select carefully. If you are already attending college and are absolutely certain that this is not the place for you, transfer to one that is a better fit.
IF YOU ARE ATTENDING A SMALL COLLEGE, ENGAGE IN ACTIVITIES THAT MAKE IT SEEM LARGER. Join clubs, get involved in extracurricular activities and study abroad. You will meet different people and do things that will broaden your college experience.IF YOU ARE AT A LARGE UNIVERSITY, MAKE IT SMALLER. Ironically, the same advice holds, join groups and get involved. This way you will meet students with similar interests, making the university less daunting.
TYPES OF POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS
The Integrated Post-Secondary Education Data System (IPEDS) defines a postsecondary institution as an organization that is open to the public and has as its primary mission the provision of post-secondary education or training beyond the high school level.
8 Colleges and universities provide post-secondary education and while often used interchangeably are different. Officially a college is an educational establishment for higher or professional education. A college is also an independent part of a university. A university is an educational institution, composed of one or more colleges and graduate schools that provides instruction and facilities for research in many branches of advanced learning and awards degrees.
9To make it even more confusing, in some cases a school is called a college but is more like a university. This information follows the Carnegie Classification because it is the system that colleges and the National Center for Educati