Classification of Colleges - Essay Example

ification of Colleges United s has provided for its higher education sector a structure that tends to cater to the maximum number of potential students from all over the world. The colleges, typically community, liberal arts, public and private university colleges, function uniquely in certain aspects (Aldrich, pp. 19-20). The types of colleges differ in the degrees they offer, the subjects they cater to, and the fees they charge. A community college, as the name suggests seeks to facilitate people by having flexible functions. Even in terms of finances and tuition fees, it is much cheaper than any other kind of colleges. Moreover, it only offers a two-year associates degree after the completion of which, it is to the discretion of the student to transfer to another college or work based on the degree provided by the community college. However, many students have been opting for a baccalaureate degree after completing a two-year program at the community college (Bridget, & Kurlaender, pp. 1-5).
However, a liberal arts college is different. The basic focus is to polish the students’ abilities in terms of writing and analysis. It does not delve too much into the intricacies of specialized teaching or learning. Liberal arts colleges offer a bachelors degree at the completion of the four-year program (Aldrich, pp. 29-35). The college does not offer any program beyond the bachelors level, but it creates too interactive an environment for the limited population of students it caters to.
Side by side, the United States offers public as well as private colleges. The local governments run public colleges by the taxes they collect. This is their major source of funding, and by virtue of it, they can afford a significantly lower fees than privately run colleges. Moreover, due to the lower cost it accrues to the student, it attracts many people and public colleges generally have a bigger student body than state colleges.
Private colleges, on the other hand, depend on self-generated money for operating and so have a higher cost. However, the higher cost is often associated with better facilities for students and staff as well (Aldrich, pp. 49-58). Moreover, public and private universities offer courses ranging from sciences to liberal arts. Students from a broader background tend to attend these due to the diversity of offered courses at the institutions. In addition, the degrees offered are of Master’s and PhD level too. The different types of colleges discussed have been unique in one aspect or the other. The system of education flourishes by making sure all these colleges work efficiently as they all target very diverse group of students. Sometimes, it is an observation that the diversity is in social backgrounds, while at other times it is in geographical locations and/or interests.
In this regard, the United States of America offers a wide-ranging platform of education in the form of public, private, and community colleges that are playing a crucial role in spreading education in the country. In specific, it is anticipation that this paper will be beneficial for students in better understanding of classification of the colleges in USA.
Works Cited
Aldrich, Richard. Public or Private Education? Woburn Press, 2004.
Bridget, Terry Long, and Michael Kurlaender. "Do Community Colleges Provide a Viable Pathway to a Baccalaureate Degree?" Education Evaluation and Policy Analysis. Volume 31, Issue 1, 2009: Read More