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Why attend college?
A college degree can provide your child with many
opportunities in life. A college education can mean:
Greater Knowledge
A college education will increase your child's
ability to understand developments in science and
in society, to think abstractly and critically,
to express thoughts clearly in speech and in writing,
and to make wise decisions. These skills are useful
both on and off the job.
More Money
A person who attends college generally earns more
than a person who does not. For example, in 1997,
a person with a college degree from a four-year
college earned approximately $18,000 more in that
year than a person who did not go to college. Someone
with a two-year associate's degree also tends to
earn more than a high school graduate.
Greater Potential
A college education can help increase your child's
understanding of the community, the Nation, and
the world -- as he or she explores interests, discovers
new areas of knowledge, considers lifelong goals,
and becomes a responsible citizen.
More Job Opportunities
The world is changing rapidly. Many jobs rely on
new technology and already require more brain power
than muscle power. In your child's working life,
more and more jobs will require education beyond
high school. With a college education, your child
will have more jobs from which to choose.
Some of these benefits of college may not be obvious
to your child. Even though he or she has to make
the final decision to attend college, you can help
in the decision-making process by learning about
all aspects of college yourself and sharing what
you learn with your child.
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What types of colleges* exist?
*Throughout this document, the word "college"
is used to refer to all postsecondary institutions--technical
colleges, junior colleges, community colleges, other
two-year colleges, and four-year colleges and universities.
More than half of all recent high school graduates
in the United States pursue some type of postsecondary
education. In many other countries, a smaller percentage
of students go on for more schooling after high
school. However, in America, recent surveys show
that most parents want their children to get some
college education. There are many higher education
options in the United States. For this reason, your
child is likely to find a college well-suited to
his or her needs.
There are two basic types of post-secondary education
institutions:
Community, Technical, and Junior Colleges
Many kinds of colleges offer programs that are
less than four years in length. Most of these schools
offer education and training programs that are two
years in length or shorter. The programs often lead
to a license, a certificate, an associate of arts
(A.A.) degree, an associate of science (A.S.) degree,
or an associate of applied science (A.A.S.) degree.
Four-Year Colleges and Universities
These schools usually offer a bachelor of arts
(B.A.) or bachelor of science (B.S.) degree. Some
also offer graduate and professional degrees.
Community, Technical, and Junior Colleges
Colleges with programs that are less than four years
in length are often called community colleges, technical
colleges, or junior colleges:
Community Colleges: These are public, two-year
colleges. They mostly serve people from nearby communities
and offer academic courses, technical courses, and
continuing education courses. Public institutions
are supported by state and local revenues.
Technical Colleges: These are generally colleges
that have a special emphasis on education and training
in technical fields. However, although some technical
colleges offer academic courses and programs, not
all technical colleges offer two-year programs that
lead to an associate of arts or science degree.
Technical colleges may be private or public. Junior
colleges and community colleges that offer many
technical courses are often called "technical
colleges."
Junior Colleges: These are generally two-year colleges
that are private institutions. Some junior colleges
are residential and are attended by students who
come from other parts of the country.
Some programs at two-year colleges lead to an A.S.
or A.A. degree in an academic discipline. These
academic programs are often comparable to the first
two years of a general academic program offered
by a four-year college or university. In many cases,
students who earn two-year degrees may enter four-year
schools and receive credit toward a B.A. or B.S.
degree.
Many junior and community colleges offer technical
and occupational training, as well as academic courses.
For example, many cardiovascular technicians, medical
laboratory technicians, and computer technicians
received their education and training at junior
colleges, community colleges, or technical colleges.
Many junior, community, and technical colleges
offer technical programs in cooperation with local
businesses, industry, public service agencies, or
other organizations. Some of these programs are
formally connected to education programs that students
start in high school; they are often referred to
as "tech-prep" or "school-to-career"
programs. [Footnote: These "school-to-career"
or "tech-prep" programs often provide
students with an opportunity to learn new skills
by working for a local employer and by taking high
school courses that link with courses offered at
local colleges.]
Two-year colleges such as community colleges often
operate under an "open admissions" policy
that can vary from school to school. At some institutions,
"open admissions" means that anyone who
has a high school diploma or GED certificate 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 colleges with two-year
programs and shorter programs may include a high
school transcript -- a list of all the courses your
child took and grades earned in four years of high
school -- and college entrance 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. Because
requirements vary widely, it is important to check
into schools and programs individually.
Four-Year Colleges and Universities
Students who wish to pursue a general academic program
usually choose a four-year college or university.
These institutions may be either public or private.
Such a program lays the foundation for more advanced
studies and professional work. These colleges and
universities primarily offer B.A. and B.S. degrees
in the arts and sciences. Common fields of study
include biology, chemistry, economics, English literature,
foreign languages, history, political science, and
zoology.
Here are the main differences between four-year
colleges and universities:
Four-Year Colleges: These are post-secondary schools
that provide four-year educational programs in the
arts and sciences. These colleges confer bachelor's
degrees.
Universities: These are postsecondary schools that
include a college of arts and/or sciences, one or
more programs of graduate studies, and one or more
professional schools. Universities confer bachelor's
degrees and graduate, master's and Ph.D. degrees.
Many universities also confer professional degrees,
for example, in law or medicine.
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 graduate degree.
A graduate degree is usually earned through two
or more years of advanced studies beyond four 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.
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What kinds of jobs are available to college graduates?
Certificates and degrees earned by graduates of
two-and four-year colleges or universities lead
to different kinds of professional opportunities.
Many professions require graduate degrees beyond
the traditional four-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 four-year degree in economics may prepare a student
for any one of several jobs in a bank or a business.
A four-year degree in English may serve as background
for elementary or secondary school teaching or for
work as an editor with a magazine.
In Chart 1, below, there is a partial listing of
different occupations and the educational background
generally required or recommended for each. Some
people who go on to acquire jobs in the four-year-college
column 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 four-year
college education. For more information on the educational
requirements of specific jobs, contact a guidance
counselor or check the latest copy of the Occupational
Outlook Handbook, published by the U.S. Department
of Labor, in your library. (See the last section
of this handbook for information on this book and
other publications that discuss jobs.)
