Basics You Need to Know About College

What is the difference between a college and a university?
1. A college is an institution of higher learning which offers courses of general study leading to either an associate's degree or a bachelor's degree. An associate's degree is usually granted after the successful completion of two years of study at a two-year college. A bachelor's degree is usually granted after successful completion of four years of study at a four-year college.
2. A university is an institution of higher learning made up of an undergraduate division offering associate or bachelor degrees and a graduate division offering master or doctoral degrees. A master's degree is usually granted after the successful completion of 30-40 hours of study in one particular field. The number of hours required for graduation will vary according particular fields of study. A doctoral degree is usually granted to a person who has attained the highest level of learning in some special field of knowledge or science.
What kinds of schools are available at which a student can study after high school?
1. A two-year community or junior college - public or private
2. A four-year college - public or private
3. A four-year university - public or private
4. A four-year military academy -- A military academy prepares young men and women for service to their country as professional officers in one of the military services: Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Merchant Marine. It also provides the essential academic core of knowledge in the areas of mathematics, science, engineering, social science, and humanities.
What is considered to be a large college or a small college?
1. A large public college or university is usually made up of 15,000 students or more. An example might be the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (approx. 27,000 students) or Arizona State University (approx. 45,000 students).
2. A large private college or university is usually made up of 5,000 to 12,000 students. Examples here might include Vanderbilt (approx. 7,500 students) or Emory University (approx. 6,500 students).
3. A small public college or university is usually made up of less than 10,000 students. An example might be Tennessee Tech (approx. 7,000 students) or College of Charleston (approx. 8,600 students).
4. A small private college or university is usually made up of less than 5,000 students. Examples would include Samford University (approx. 3,000 students) or Belmont University (approx. 2,600 students).
What is considered when a student applies for acceptance to a college or university?
Most schools list admission requirements in their individual catalogues or on their websites, but each school varies. It is important to check the individual school in which you are interested. In general, most schools consider the following:
1. completion of the courses required for admission
2. the high school transcript
3. meeting that school's admission deadline
4. formal tests needed (ACT, SAT, SAT IIs, etc.)
5. recommendations from counselors, teachers, etc.
6. essays
7. interviews
Some schools, especially private colleges or universities, still have three or four years of foreign language requirements that must be completed in high school in order to be admitted to that college. Before it is too late, make sure to check-out the schools in which you are interested so that you can fulfill any requirements such as these.
What is the difference between a quarter, a semester, and a trimester?
1. A quarter is approximately eleven weeks long. The normal school year is made-up of three quarters in this system. If you choose to go into an accelerated program in order to graduate early or take more courses than normally required, you would take four quarters of work in a calendar year.
2. A semester is approximately 18 weeks long. The normal school year is made-up of two semesters. The only way to accelerate this kind of program is to attend summer school for one or two summer sessions, each lasting approximately. 5 to 6 weeks.
3. A trimester is approximately 15 weeks long. The normal school year is made-up of two trimesters per year. An accelerated program is made up of three trimesters per year.
What expenses should be considered when deciding where to go to college?
Expense has to be considered because it varies for every school. College catalogues can help you estimate the expense of each school under consideration. Expenses will include:
1. tuition (based on the cost per semester, trimester, quarter, or credit hours taken)
2. room and board
3. books
4. activities fees (which normally include such things as athletic events, the school newspaper, the school yearbook, etc.)
5. living expenses above and beyond room and board
6. travel costs (back and forth from home as well as around the campus and town)
7. social costs (sorority and fraternity), weekly spending
What are the possible degrees to be earned by attending college?
The first degree is the Associate in Arts or Science, AA or AS, representing two years of college study, and normally taken only by graduates of junior colleges who go no farther. The Bachelor's degree represents four years of study, and is given by both colleges and universities. The most common such degrees are:
- BA (or AB) Baccalaureas in Artibus, Bachelor of Arts
- BS - Bachelor of Science
- BBA - Bachelor of Business Administration
- BFA - Bachelor of Fine Arts
- BArch - Bachelor of Architecture
- BE - Bachelor of Engineering
- BS in Ed - Bachelor of Science in Education
- The master's degree requires one or two additional years of study at the graduate level, and often requires comprehensive exams and the writing of a research paper. A bachelor's degree is a prerequisite, and a Masters indicates that the holder has specialized in his field.
- MA - (or AM) - Magister in Artibus, Master of Arts
- MS - Master of Science
- MS in Eng - Master of Science in Engineering
- MAT - Master of Arts in Teaching
- In law and theology, you generally have to earn a bachelor's degree first, and then a second bachelor's degree which is equivalent to most doctor's degrees.
- LLB - Bachelor of Laws. Many law schools are now granting the JD, Doctor of Jurisprudence, instead.
- BD - Bachelor of Divinity. Many ministers also earn a master's, which is not called MD, but STM, for Master of Sacred (or Systemic) Theology.
- The Doctorate - Everywhere, this requires at least two years of residential study (usually more) beyond the baccalaureate, plus the passing of comprehensive exams and the preparation of a book-length work of original scholarship (except in the medical fields). The principal doctoral degrees are:
- PhD - Doctor of Philosophy - includes all the liberal arts and, at most universities, the sciences as well. The most common degrees outside the medical sciences are listed below.
- EdD - Doctor of Education
- MD - Doctor of Medicine
- DDS - Doctor of Dental Surgery
- JD - Doctor of Jurisprudence
- ScD - Doctor of Science
- MusD - Doctor of Music
- LittD - Doctor of Letters
- LHD - Doctor of Humane Letters
NOTE: In the United States, the last four degrees listed are usually given as honorary degrees. The last two are always given as honorary degrees, awarded not as the result of study, research, and examinations, but in recognition of distinguished public or professional service of some sort.

Almost all financial aid is based on need. Information about scholarships awarded for merit is posted frequently in the hallway outside the college Counseling Offices. While the college counselors will help as much as possible, you and your parents are ultimately responsible for finding scholarships at the schools you hope to attend, and for knowing specific details about the nature of the awards, how to apply (nominations, automatically considered, etc.), and other steps necessary to ensure your consideration.

If there is reasonable doubt that you can meet the costs of higher education, you should apply for aid. Colleges dispense aid and have several ways of helping students, but they expect each family to pay what they can reasonably afford by drawing on income and assets. Detailed information about a family's financial situation must be supplied directly to an agency and is held confidential.

Financial aid is generally received as a package which may be made up of part grant, part loan, and part employment. The greater the family assets, the smaller the grant portion of the package. No one should hesitate to apply to an expensive college because of a lack of funds. Many schools have resources which allow them to offer more help than less expensive schools.

The best way to request aid is to write directly to the financial aid offices of selected colleges and to read their catalogs, which list the kinds of aid available and the requirements for obtaining funds. Be sure to observe their deadlines. Applying for financial aid does not normally affect an applicant's chances of admission to college.