What types of colleges are there?
How can I find the colleges that are right for me?
What types of colleges are there?
Four-Year Colleges or Universities will open the MOST pathways to opportunities for students! Graduates of a four-year university will earn a Bachelor’s Degree, and can go on to highly qualified careers such as teaching, engineering, nursing or business! After college, students can also go on to law school, medical school, or graduate school to pursue a more advanced career.
Community College will prepare a student for a specific career (such as in medical billing or HVAC). Community college graduates will earn an Associate’s Degree. Some students choose to begin their education at community college and then transfer to a four-year institution to earn a higher credential! This is a great choice for students looking to save money, who aspire to a career that requires higher qualifications. Click for tips on transferring from a two-year to a four-year college.
For-Profit Vocational or Technical Colleges offer certifications or Associate’s Degrees that prepare students for a certain career. These are the schools that you will typically hear advertisements for on the radio. Their marketing might be appealing, but unfortunately, they are usually expensive and students end up graduating with lots of debt. Furthermore, the training is so specific that students will often find that they have fewer job opportunities actually available to them than they anticipated.
It is almost always a better choice for students to attend a 4-Year University or Community College for their degree, where they can receive financial aid, and more support and attention from their teachers.
How can I find the colleges that are right for me?
We recommend using the free search tools on the CollegeBoard website!
- Try their Step-By-Step Search if you don’t know where to begin.
- Click here if you already have some ideas about what is important to you when choosing colleges to apply to.
- Want to find colleges that are close to home? Use the College Locator to search for schools near your zip code.