Systems of Higher Education

There are four systems of higher education institutions:

• 2-year institutions
• Public 4-year institutions
• Private 4-year institutions
• Vocational/technical schools

There are thousands of colleges across the nation with varying degrees and programs of study. These are offered at community colleges, state universities, and research institutions. Liberal colleges aim to provide a broad exposure to ideas and help build a well-rounded skill set that can be applied to many professional pursuits, while professional/technical schools focus on more narrow areas of study to prepare you for a specific career or pathway. When considering which institution to attend you have to think about your own goals and the experience that you want to have once to get there.

Do you want to attend a large campus? Do you prefer smaller classroom sizes? Do you know what kind of job or career you want to pursue? Are you interested in studying abroad? Do you want to be close to home or would you prefer to be further? Answering these questions and other can help you figure out what kind of institution you want to attend.