| Praveena Lakshmanan takes you through the A to Z of applying for US undergraduate education Students are increasingly being hit by the US virus every year and there are no immunizations! It begins when you consider pursuing a Bachelor's degree in the US. The hustle bustle of the SAT and TOEFL tests are soon followed by the application process, admissions, visas, etc. And the roller coaster ride is just beginning! Undergraduate education in the United States are Bachelor's degrees at colleges and universities and associate degrees at community colleges. Bachelor's degrees in the US are generally for four years and Associate degrees span over two years. Students pursuing a Bachelor's degree are called freshmen in the first year, sophomores in the second, juniors in the third and seniors in the fourth year. Due to its quality, flexibility, diversity, hands-on experience and opportunities, the US undergraduate
degree is gaining popularity. THE 'LIBERAL ARTS' PHILOSOPHY US undergraduate education is based on the liberal arts philosophy, which believes in providing a well rounded academic education that develops the student's verbal, written, and reasoning skills. The essence of this philosophy is that education begins with a breadth of education in your field of choice initially and then it gradually acquires depth in your area of interest as you progress. TYPES OF INSTITUTIONS Public Universities: Public universities obtain a part of their support from the state in which they are located and the tuition they charge from the students is often lower than that charged by private universities. However, international students as well as those from other states are considered out of-state residents and therefore do not benefit from reduced tuition at state institutions.
Private Universities: Private institutions are funded by a combination of endowments, tuition fees, research grants, and gifts from their alumni. Tuition fees tend to be higher at private universities than at
state universities, but there is no distinction made between state and non-state residents.
Community colleges: Community colleges provide two-year associate degree programs, usually called the associate of arts (AA) or associate of science (AS) degrees, as well as excellent technical and vocational programs. Community colleges can be public or private institutions and are sometimes called junior colleges or two-year colleges.
Technical and Vocational Colleges: These institutions specialize in preparing students for entry into, or promotion within, the world of work. They offer certificate and other short-term programs that train students in the theory behind a specific vocation or technology, as well as in how to work with the technology. These institutions may be private or public colleges. ACCREDITATION Unlike most countries, there is no centralized ministry of education in the US that dictates requirements to US colleg... | 