WHAT TYPES OF COLLEGES EXIST?

More than a third of all recent high school graduates in the US have had some type of post-secondary education. One reason so many students seek post-secondary education is because of the wide choice of colleges now available. For this reason, your child is likely to find a college well suited to his or her needs.

In recent years former polytechnics and colleges of technology have attained university status, so there is perhaps less distinction between academic and trade or technical courses than their once was.


There are two basic types of colleges:

Technical and Community Colleges

These schools offer programs, full- and part-time, of varying lengths, ranging from 'A' level courses through trade and technical certificate courses to degree courses in association with a university.

Universities

These schools usually offer a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree. Some also offer graduate and professional degrees.

TECHNICAL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGES

For students who want a practical education aimed at a specific career in such areas as bookkeeping, dental hygiene, etc., a technical college is probably the answer. In many cases, these programs can be transferred to universities and credited towards a B.A. or B.Sc. degree. Programs vary from school to school, but, in general, are offered by:

Private institutions, some of which are residential and attended by students who may come from other parts of the country; and

Community and Technical Colleges: These are public institutions, mostly serving people from nearby communities.

Many such colleges offer technical/vocational training, as well as academic courses. Some may offer such programs in cooperation with local businesses, industry, public service agencies, or other organizations.

These colleges often operate under an "open admissions" policy, which can vary from school to school. At some institutions, "open admissions" means that anyone who has appropriate GCSE or 'a' level certificates can enroll. At other schools, anyone over 18 years of age can enroll or, in some cases, anyone deemed able to benefit from the programs at the schools can enroll.

Application requirements at some colleges may include a list of all the courses your child took and grades earned in secondary school -- and examination scores as well. Some schools have programs that allow "open admissions," while other programs in the same school -- particularly in scientific or technical subjects -- may have further admission requirements. Since requirements vary widely, it is important to check into schools and programs individually.

UNIVERSITIES

Students who wish to pursue a general academic program usually choose a university. Such a program lays the foundation for more advanced studies and professional work. Universities offer Bachelor's degrees (the B.A. and B.Sc.) in most areas in the arts and sciences, such as English literature, foreign languages, history, economics, political science, biology, zoology, chemistry, and in many other fields.

When a student earns a bachelor's degree it means that he or she has passed examinations in a broad range of courses and has studied one or two subject areas in greater depth. (These one or two subject areas are called a student's "major" area(s) of study or area(s) of "concentration.") A bachelor's degree is usually required before a student can begin studying for a post-graduate degree. A post-graduate degree is usually earned through two or more years of advanced studies beyond three years of college. This might be a master's or a doctoral degree in a particular field or a specialized degree required in certain professions such as law, social work, architecture, or medicine.

WHAT KINDS OF JOBS ARE AVAILABLE TO COLLEGE GRADUATES?

Certificates and degrees earned by graduates of colleges or universities usually lead to a wide range of professional opportunities. Many professions require graduate degrees beyond the traditional three-year degree, such as a medical degree or a law degree. For example:

A course of study in bookkeeping at a community college generally prepares a student for a job as a bookkeeper.

A degree in economics may prepare a student for any one of several jobs in a bank or a business.

A degree in English may serve as background for getting teacher certification in the subject or for being an editor with a magazine.

In the chart below there is a partial listing of different occupations and the educational background generally required for each. Some people who go on to acquire jobs in the university section obtain a graduate degree or some graduate education, but many of these jobs can be filled by people who do not have more than a university education. For more information on the educational requirements of specific jobs, contact a guidance counselor or check the occupational handbooks in your library.

EXERCISE

Help Your Child Think About a Career
Step 1:
Sit down with your child and a sheet of paper and make a list of jobs that sound interesting. It may help to first think about friends or people you've read about or have seen on television who have interesting jobs. List those jobs in the left-hand side of the page. If your child cannot think of interesting jobs, have him or her list subject areas of interest. Then try to help your child identify jobs in those subject areas. Depending on the job, there may be school 'work experience' courses that will give your child a preview of the type of knowledge that is needed for the particular job. On the right-hand side of the page, next to each job, write down the level of education required for that job and any school, college or university courses that may help your child prepare for such a career.
Step 2:
Take the sheet of paper to your local library and, with the help of a reference librarian, locate books on some of the careers your child has selected. Libraries usually have directories that list career requirements. It is not a problem if your child does not know what career path he/she wants to follow; his or her focus during these years should be on doing well in school.