Universities and Colleges are institutions that provide undergraduate study opportunities leading to the award of Bachelor’s degrees. American institutions of higher learning (colleges and universities) are founded on the ideals of liberal education which is geared towards providing a broad-based knowledge and training to the individual in a in a specified field such as business, humanities or the natural sciences at the undergraduate level. Typically, freshman classes begin with broad-based general knowledge courses in the chosen discipline. Students drop some of the more general knowledge courses as they progress through the sophomore and junior years to the senior class and concentrate mostly on their intended major and associated minor towards their two final years of study. Undergraduate study takes approximately four years of study and terminates with the award of Bachelor’s Degree. Four-year universities admit students either directly from the high school or through transfer from other four-year universities or from community colleges. Cost and reputation are two key factors that influence the choice of universities for most international students. Generally, public funded universities (sometimes referred to as state universities) and community colleges tend to be less expensive compared to private universities. Some top private universities such as Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, and so on are more expensive than public universities but they are in most cases more preferred due to their good reputation and prestige. Choose a university and find out it’s cost and reputation4. Another important factor to consider in choosing a school is the availability of your intended major (program). Studying abroad is a great investment that requires a strategic career plan. Again, it’s important to ensure that such a career plan takes into consideration, the job potentials and opportunities available in your home country. Once that is done, it’s easy to determine a suitable academic program and courses that will match your career interests and personal circumstances. Whatever your educational goals and aspirations, IEP Study Abroad will think along with you. Choose a program and preview possible universities5.
