Questions

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 328.

What information should you get when you select a university or college?

How does a university differ from a college?

How is a university faculty usually organized?

In what three ways are school-year programs divided?

What opportunities does a university or college offer?

What is the oldest university in the United States? In Canada?

From what sources can a student obtain financial aid?

What kinds of courses did the first universities and colleges in the United States offer? Why?

Why has specialization developed in higher education?

What is the largest university in the United States? In Canada?

Additional resources

Barron's Profiles of American Colleges. 19th ed. Barron's, 1992.

Dennis, Marguerite J. Complete College Financing Guide. 2nd ed. Barron's, 1992.

HEP Higher Education Directory. Higher Education Pub., published annually.

Lunenfeld, Marvin and Peter. College Basics: How to Start Right and Finish Strong. Semester Pr., 1992.

Ordovensky, Pat, and Thornton, Robert. Opening College Doors: How to Make the Admission Process Work for You. HarperCollins, 1992.

Paige, Michele A. After the SATs: An Insider's Guide to Freshman Year. Barron's, 1991.

Sowell, Thomas. Choosing a College: A Guide for Parents and Students. Perennial Lib., 1989.

Liberal arts are the organized bodies of knowledge considered essential for a free human being. They originated in ancient Greece and Rome and included two groups of studies. One group dealt with the correct use of language (grammar), thinking clearly (logic), and expressing one's ideas persuasively (rhetoric). The second group included the branches of mathematics and music. Originally, these branches were arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and harmony. Out of these traditional studies came the curriculum of the liberal arts and sciences, which is grouped into the natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities. Colleges in the United States that concentrate on these studies are usually called liberal arts colleges.

Contributor: Gerald L. Gutek, Ph.D., Prof. of Education and History, Loyola Univ. of Chicago.

Community college is an institution that offers additional training beyond high school. Community colleges, sometimes called junior colleges, offer a variety of programs. Most of the programs take two years to complete. Some students take the first two years of a program leading to a bachelor's degree. Others take technical education programs that prepare them for semiprofessional jobs. Still others take courses in what are usually called "adult education programs." Most community colleges also offer courses for students who need additional preparation in basic skills. Community and junior colleges grant associate's degrees for completion of two-year programs, and certificates for some specialized programs.

Most of the institutions called community colleges get financial support from local or state governments. Most of the institutions called junior colleges are privately supported.

The first junior colleges in the United States were established in the late 1800's. By 1900, eight private junior colleges were operating. Joliet Junior College, established in 1901 in Joliet, Ill., is the oldest public junior college still in operation.

By 1950, there were about 600 community and junior colleges in the United States. More than half of the colleges operated as part of the local public school system and shared financial support with all other schools in the system. Many of them used high school classrooms and equipment and offered limited educational programs because they lacked sufficient funds. As businesses and industries began searching for better educated people in the 1950's, many states and local communities increased their support of community and junior colleges. In the 1960's, from 30 to 50 new community and junior colleges were established each year. In the early 1990's, there were about 1,150 community and junior colleges with about 6 million students in the United States.