Two-year colleges in Canada

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 335.

Canada has about 200 two-year colleges and institutes. They are called regional colleges, institutes of technology, colleges for general academic and vocational education, or colleges of applied arts and technology. These colleges are organized much like U.S. community colleges. They offer job training and technical training programs, and academic programs like those that university students take during their first two years. Some programs take over two years to complete. The Canadian schools grant diplomas of technology or applied arts. They get funds from provincial or local governments, or both. Most of these colleges have been established since the early 1950's.

Contributor: Terry U. O'Banion, Ph.D., Executive Director, League for Innovation in the Community College.

College entrance examination is a test or a series of tests that helps determine whether a person meets the admissionrequirements of a college or university. Most colleges throughout the world require applicants to take some kind of entrance examination. Colleges that require these tests also have other standards for admission, such as good high school grades and strong personal recommendations.

Many nations have established one examination that all students must pass to qualify for admission to a university. The United States has no such test. Instead, many universities and colleges in the United States require applicants to take examinations given by the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB). Others require tests prepared by the American College Testing Program. Many schools accept scores from either of these agencies. Each agency's examinations are given several times each year throughout the United States and other countries.

Most students who plan to attend college take a college entrance examination during their junior or senior year in high school. A student may take the test as many times as he or she wishes.

The College Entrance Examination Board gives two types of entrance examinations, known as the SAT's. These tests are the SATI: Reasoning Test and the SAT II: Subject Tests. Information about the CEEB tests is available from the College Entrance Examination Board, 45 Columbus Avenue, New York, New York 10023.

The SAT I consists primarily of multiple-choice questions and has two sections: (1) verbal and (2) mathematical. The verbal section of the test measures reading comprehension and the ability to understand word relationships. The mathematical section of the test measures the ability to understand mathematical concepts and to use them in solving problems.

Students can prepare for the SAT I by taking the CEEB's Preliminary SAT (PSAT). Most high schools give the PSAT to 11th graders each October. The PSAT is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarships.

The SAT II tests measure a student's knowledge in specific subject areas. The CEEB gives 16 one-hour tests in such areas as foreign language, mathematics, science, and writing. Some schools that require applicants to take the SAT I do not require them to take any of the SAT II's. Many schools that require SAT II's ask their applicants to take tests in three subjects. Most SAT II's consist of multiple-choice questions. However, the writing test also requires a 20-minute writing sample.

The American College Testing Program examination, known as the ACT test, has two parts. The major part consists of four tests: (1) English, (2) mathematics, (3) science reasoning, and (4) reading. These tests also use multiple-choice questions. The second part of the examination is the Student Profile. Students complete this section by answering a series of questions about their achievements, goals, and special interests. Information about the ACT tests can be obtained from the American College Testing Program, Box 168, Iowa City, Iowa 52243.

Scores on the SAT I and SAT II's are reported on a scale ranging from 200 to 800 points. There is no "passing" grade, and each college has its own standards for interpreting the scores. The CEEB helps students interpret their test results by providing a percentile rank for each score. The percentile rank shows how a student's score compares with the scores of others who took the test. For example, a score of 500 on the verbal section places a student at the 50th percentile compared with a national sample of high school juniors and seniors. In other words, the student scored higher than 50 percent of the sample group.

The ACT tests are scored on a scale that ranges from 1 to 36. In addition, the ACT provides a percentile rank for each score.

Both the American College Testing Program and the CEEB send score reports to the student's high school and to the colleges to which the student is applying. A student can request as part of his or her CEEB score report a listing of percentile ranks for three specific colleges. This listing shows how the student's scores compare with the scores of the members of the freshman class at those schools.

Some educators criticize the emphasis placed on test scores. They believe that the tests measure only a few of the many abilities necessary for success in college. Also, they claim that use of the tests does not change many admission decisions. Some educators say that the tests may discriminate against disadvantaged and minority groups.

The Advanced Placement Program (AP) is a CEEB testing program that allows high school students to earn college credit for knowledge that they have gained in high school. Each May, the AP offers college-level examinations in many high school subjects. A sufficiently high score on one of these tests may qualify a student to receive credit for college work in the subject. A student who scores well on several tests may be given sophomore instead of freshman status.

Contributor: James Crouse, Ph.D., Prof. of Educational Studies, Univ. of Delaware.

Fellowship is a sum of money given to scholars so they can continue their studies. Some fellowships are for specified periods of time, but others are for life. Fellowships have been made since the Middle Ages.

Fellowships are usually given by universities, foundations, learned societies, corporations, and governments. Universities give fellowships for graduate work. Sometimes fellows teach classes. Foundations and learned societies give fellowships for graduate study and individual research in such areas as education, medicine, and international relations. Large foundation and learned society fellowship programs in the United States include those of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, and the Social Science Research Council. Corporation fellowships often encourage research in fields of interest to the sponsoring corporation. The U.S. government conducts fellowship programs in the arts, humanities, and sciences through the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Science Foundation.

In the United States, fellowships are usually granted for one or two years. The amount of money given may vary from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. In the United Kingdom, the grants are often given for three to five years.

Contributor: Joseph C. Kiger, Ph.D., Author, Operating Principles of the Larger Foundations.

Scholarship is a grant of money or free tuition awarded to a student on the basis of achievement, ability, or financial need. People usually consider a scholarship an honor in recognition of outstanding academic work, as well as financial aid to those who need it. Scholarships are generally awarded as a means of selecting and training capable people so that they may become assets to the community and nation.

Endowed foundations and government agencies often grant funds for advanced study and for research. Such grants are called fellowships. Most scholarships are awarded by universities and colleges, businesses, industries, labor unions, and government sources. See FELLOWSHIP; FOUNDATIONS (Education).

The United States government provides billions of dollars in scholarship aid each year in the form of Pell Grants and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. These awards are based on financial need.

Private colleges and universities establish scholarships to attract students of outstanding intellectual ability or academic achievement. Scholarships also help promote particular fields of study, such as engineering or nursing.

Many scholarships are founded for personal reasons and carry the name of the donor. Some of these scholarships are funded by alumni of the institution or by prominent citizens in the community.

State scholarships are available in various forms for people with special abilities, disabilities, or needs. State colleges and universities grant fewer scholarships than private institutions because the state schools have lower tuitions. However, numerous states establish legislative scholarships for students from various regions of the state or for out-of-state residents. In addition, many states provide special scholarship aid for students with various disabilities, through their vocational rehabilitation programs.

Merit scholarships for students with exceptional ability have been awarded annually since 1956 by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) of Evanston, Ill. NMSC is a not-for-profit, independently financed organization.

The Merit Program is NMSC's major activity and is supported by grants from corporations, private foundations, colleges and universities, and other organizations. Students enter the annual Merit Program by taking the Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), usually during their junior year in high school. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of test scores, academic and extracurricular accomplishments, personal characteristics, and other information submitted by the candidates and their schools.

Private-sector scholarships are awarded by such entities as corporations, foundations, trusts, and religious groups. Students may be required to show financial need or academic achievement to qualify for these scholarships.

However, some recipients may just need to promise to work for the donor organization after completing their studies. Many organization scholarships are reserved for members or their children. Many others also have no age requirement and are awarded to students over the age of 25.

Grants to veterans. Federal grants were given to veterans of World War II for study in any approved college, university, or vocational or trade school. To be eligible, veterans must have had at least 90 days of service and an honorable discharge. Similar grants were made to veterans who served in the Korean War and to all veterans who served after Jan. 31, 1955, and before Jan. 1, 1977, including Vietnam War veterans.

Veterans who have begun active duty after Dec. 31, 1976, receive grant money for education if they have had a certain amount withheld from their pay. The sum that each veteran receives is significantly larger than the amount withheld. Veterans receiving such grant money include those who served in the Persian Gulf War. Some veterans of the Reserves and the Army and Air National Guard are also entitled to receive educational benefits. See VETERANS AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF (Benefits and other services).

International scholarships. Organizations in the United States and in many other countries around the world award scholarships to allow foreign students to study in the United States. Such organizations also award scholarships to send American students and teachers overseas. The purpose of these scholarships is to promote better international understanding and cultural relations.

The oldest and most famous of the international scholarships are the Rhodes Scholarships (see RHODES SCHOLARSHIP). The newest and most numerous are the Fulbright Scholarships, supported by the federal government (see FULBRIGHT SCHOLARSHIP). They provide a year's schooling in the United States for students from other countries, and a year of study abroad for U.S. students and teachers. The United States also exchanges several international scholarships with Latin-American countries. The U.S. clearinghouse for exchange scholarships and fellowships is the Institute of International Education in New York City. Many colleges and universities offer scholarships to returning volunteers from Peace Corps or other government service.

Applying for scholarships. Here are some tips for people applying for scholarships: (1) write the school or organization that awards the scholarship to obtain a list of requirements; (2) enclose a short letter and a self-addressed, stamped envelope when requesting information; and (3) apply for as many scholarships as possible while still being selective.

Contributor: Daniel James Cassidy, M.S., Founder and President, National Scholarship Research Service.

Additional resources

Cassidy, Daniel J., and Alves, M. J. The Scholarship Book: The Complete Guide to Private-Sector Scholarships, Grants and Loans for Undergraduates. 4th ed. Prentice-Hall, 1993.

Deutschman, Alan. Winning Money for College: The High School Student's Guide to Scholarship Contests. 2nd ed. Peterson's, 1987.

Feingold, S. Norman and Marie. Scholarships, Fellowships and Loans. Bellman, frequently updated.

Goeller, Priscilla S. The A's and B's of Academic Scholarships. Octameron, frequently updated.

Coeducationis the teaching of males and females together in the same class or school. In many countries, coeducation is uncommon, especially in high school. In the United States, however, most schools are coeducational. A few private schools admit students of only one sex. Most of these schools are operated by religious groups.

Most early schools in the United States enrolled only boys and men. Many people thought women had weaker minds than men and would be disturbed by too much education. During the 1800's, however, new educational opportunities opened up for girls and women. Oberlin College, founded in 1833 as Oberlin Collegiate Institute, became the first coeducational college in the United States. Several women's colleges also were established. Mount Holyoke Female Seminary (now Mount Holyoke College) opened as a school for women in 1837. By 1850, it offered a curriculum similar to that of men's colleges. Vassar College, another early women's college, was founded in 1861. By the mid-1800's, a number of high schools had become coeducational. By 1882, public elementary schools had begun to admit both boys and girls.

During the mid-1900's, most private men's and women's colleges became coeducational. They did so primarily to attract more students but also to meet demands made by the women's rights movement. In addition, government regulations cut off federal funds from schools that discriminated on the basis of sex. However, some women's colleges, including Mount Holyoke and Smith, chose to remain all-female schools. Officials of these colleges believed women could better develop leadership and other abilities if they did not have to compete with men.

Contributor: Helen S. Astin, Ph.D., Prof. of Education, Univ. of California, Los Angeles.

Graduation. Schools and colleges usually award a diploma or certificate in recognition of achievement to students who satisfactorily complete a regular course. Most institutions present their diplomas at special ceremonies, called graduation exercises.

Graduation exercises were first held by European universities of the Middle Ages. American educational institutions still have many of the European graduation customs. Usually there are two special graduation ceremonies--baccalaureate and commencement. The baccalaureate service is a religious service, usually held on the Sunday before commencement. The diplomas are given out in the commencement exercise.

In most colleges, graduates wear academic gowns and caps to the ceremonies. By tradition, gowns are long and black. The tasseled, flat black caps are called mortarboards. Both cap and gown are patterned after European academic dress. The color of the tassel shows the kind of degree the graduate is receiving. Graduates may wear colored hoods on their backs to show the highest degree they already hold, and the institution which conferred it. In some colleges, they wear colored caps and gowns as well as hoods.

It is a custom at many high schools and some colleges for the valedictorian and salutatorian of the graduating class to make speeches. The valedictorian is the graduate with the highest marks. The salutatorian is the graduate with the second highest marks.

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

Degree, College. A university or college awards a degree to a person who has completed a required course of study. The institution presents the degree in the form of a diploma, a document certifying the award. The four basic kinds of degrees are called associate, bachelor, master, and doctor. An honorary degree may be awarded for an outstanding contribution in a field.

The associate degree is awarded by many U.S. colleges and universities and most community, or junior, colleges (see COMMUNITY COLLEGE). An associate degree usually indicates completion of two years of college work. The most commonly awarded associate degrees are the Associate in Arts and the Associate in Science.

The bachelor's degree. In the United States, a college student normally receives a bachelor's degree after four years of study in a university or college. Most students specialize in a field of study called a major subject. Many institutions require other types of study outside a major to ensure a liberal education. There are many kinds of bachelor's degrees, but the two most common are the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.). The B.A. usually includes majors in such subjects as history, literature, and fine arts, and, in certain cases, science and mathematics. The B.S. usually includes majors in the physical and natural sciences. Most engineering students receive B.S. degrees. Many colleges offer specialized degrees, such as the Bachelor of Education or Bachelor of Architecture. Law students obtain the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) after more training. Outstanding achievement in a bachelor's degree may be designated by the Latin phrases cum laude (with praise), magna cum laude (with great praise), or summa cum laude (with the highest praise).

British colleges and universities offer two types of bachelor's degrees, an ordinary, or pass, degree and an honors degree which requires more extensive and more advanced work. Canadian colleges and universities usually follow British or French tradition in their systems of degrees. See CANADA (Education).

The master's degree. In the United States, students who desire a master's degree must complete one or two years of advanced study beyond the bachelor's degree. Many institutions require a thesis, a written report of a special investigation in the student's major field. The two most common master's degrees are the Master of Arts and the Master of Science.

In Britain, the master's degree is usually considered the highest requirement for an academic career, but a number of British universities also offer the doctorate. In Scotland, a student proceeds directly to the master's degree without taking a bachelor's degree.

The doctor's degree is the highest earned degree in the United States, France, Germany, and many other countries. There are two distinct types of doctor's degrees. One is a professional degree required to practice in certain professions, such as medicine. The other is a research degree that indicates the candidate has acquired mastery of a broad field of knowledge and the technique of scholarly research.

In the United States, the research doctorate requires at least two or three additional years of study beyond the master's degree. Most doctoral students are expected to have a reading knowledge in two foreign languages. The candidate must also complete examinations and present a written thesis or dissertation. The doctoral thesis represents an original contribution to knowledge, and is a more detailed study of a research problem than that required for the master's degree.

The Doctor of Philosophy degree is the most important research doctorate and may include specialization in almost any academic subject. The Doctor of Education, Doctor of Medicine, and Doctor of Dental Surgery degrees represent advanced professional training. Students in such professions as medicine and dentistry can obtain a doctor's degree without first receiving a bachelor's or master's degree. But most acquire a bachelor of science degree before entering medical training.

Honorary degrees. Many award honorary degrees to people for achievement in their chosen fields. Chief among these are the Doctor of Letters and the Doctor of Laws. These are given to prominent authors, scholars, and leaders in the professions, business, government, and industry.

History. College degrees date from the 1200's when schools in Europe won the right to examine and license their graduates. The system of degrees, which took form by the 1300's, was modeled on the guild system. A student spent a sort of apprenticeship as a candidate for a bachelor's degree. Receiving the bachelor's degree resembled becoming a journeyman in a craft. The master's degree represented the status of a master craftsman, and served as a license to teach. The student's thesis was his "masterpiece," just as a journeyman submitted an example of his work to become a master craftsman. If the student continued to study and teach in law, medicine, or theology, he might earn the title of doctor. The medieval system remained largely unchanged until the impact of science on education in the 1700's and 1800's. During the last hundred years, college degrees in the United States have been extended to include many new fields of knowledge.

Contributor: Douglas Sloan, Ph.D., Prof. of History and Education, Teachers College, Columbia Univ.; Editor, Education and Values.