Organization
Your choice of the university or the business schools will be influenced by either the geography of the US (live by the beach or in the mountains, north in New England, south in Florida ?) on the level and type of study (undergraduate, graduate, liberal arts, medicine, law?) or the cost and financial aid opportunities. But no matter where you go in the US , education is a special part of your life. Aside from team work in the classroom, individualism is strongly encouraged through liberal curriculum that you form on your own (with the help of your advisor) and the responsibility you are taught to take and assume in work.
The smaller the institution is, the more personal the relationship is with your advisor and professors. The bigger the institution, the greater the chances for on-campus employment and career centers will be.
Different Types of Schools
Higher education in the United States is completely decentralized and is given a large amount of autonomy. Certain educational establishments are public and controlled by the state, while others are private.
The difference between "college" and "university" is not officially distinct. It is a mere question of organization and scope. Universities tend to be divided into colleges, while colleges tend to be divided into departments. Colleges tend to only offer undergraduate programs usually with emphasis on the social sciences, arts and letters, and natural sciences usually all under the heading of "Arts and Sciences" or "Liberal Arts". They tend not to offer graduate or postgraduate programs. Universities tend to offer undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate programs in all academic areas.
Duration
Undergraduate: 4 years- rewarded by a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Sciences (BS) at the end of the program.
Graduate: 1-2 years in addition to an undergraduate degree- rewarded by a Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MS) or Master of Business Administration (MBA).
Postgraduate: 3-8 years in addition to the undergraduate degree- rewarded by a Doctorate in Philosophy(PhD)
Community/Junior Colleges offer 2-year associate degrees that can be transferred as credit in attaining you undergraduate degree.
The three basic requirements for admission to educational institutions in the U.S. are:
- A strong academic background
- Adequate financial resources
- A command of the English language
True to the tradition of freedom and diversity in the United States , each institution sets its own admissions standards. Almost all colleges and universities, however, require the following for academic admission:
- Twelve years of education with the appropriate high school diploma or secondary school certificate
- Academic achievement level sufficiently high to enter a university in your own country
- Any academic entrance examinations required by the institution(i.e. SAT, GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT)
Academic Credentials
In the United States , students complete 12 years of primary and secondary education to begin higher (postsecondary) education. Most U.S. students complete secondary education at about age 18.
Students with fewer than 12 years of preparation cannot expect to be admitted, unless they have an outstanding academic record and have already completed a year or two at a university abroad. The level at which you are admitted to a given institution depends on the policy of that institution, as well as the equivalence between the educational system in the U.S. and that in your country. U.S. colleges, universities and technical institutions vary in the requirements they set for previous academic achievement. Some have very high and exacting standards, while others are more flexible.
