Getting a degree

There are over 28,000 recognized universities all over the world. The United States alone has over 4000 of them. You want to get a degree but how do you find the right fit with so many choices and options? Most importantly how do you get accepted into one of these institutions? 

This article focuses mostly on the US but many countries around the world follow a very similar structure. If you are planning on getting a degree in the United States you have two choices as far as what type of schools are available.

1. Public Colleges/Universities
   Public universities and colleges rely on federal, state and local funding. Historically, states have carried the bulk of funding responsibilities, but in recent years, state funding has declined and federal spending on public colleges and universities has surpassed state funding. These institutions are supported by taxpayers and often offer discounted tuition rates for residents of the state. Public schools can be much larger and have multiple campuses throughout the state.
2. Private Colleges/Universities
   Private colleges are privately funded, with much of their funding coming from donors and tuition dollars. These institutions can range from liberal arts to fine arts colleges, as well as religious colleges and schools dedicated to a specific field such as medicine or business.

How do you get into one of these Universities?

Here in the US you typically make a list of the schools that appeal to you. Then, while in high school you take the SAT/ACT tests. The difference between the two other than the time of the year they are taken is mainly that the SAT does not include a science section like the ACT does. It tests scientific skills however through the other sections. The ACT test measures what a student already knows during high school.These tests are meant to measure the readiness of each student and through its structure and results predict the academic success of the participant. The SAT score range is 400-1600

If you get a composite SAT score of 1083 or more, you are considered above average. The ACT scoring scale is different. Scoring above average, 21 or higher, is a good score. The ACT score range is 1-36.

Grades are extremely important. Getting the best possible grades you can during all four years of high school are a major contributor to getting accepted. 

The student basically has to build up the best possible resume and present this to the school with any scholarship applications they are filling out.

All of the international applicants are required to take the TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo English test but they can bypass that if they have completed the SAT with evidence-Based Reading and Writing score of 570.

How do you pay for a college education with tuition increasing across the board at both private and public colleges?

U.S. News data shows that: “Over 20 years, tuition at national universities increased by 168% at private colleges, 200% at public colleges for out-of-state students and 243% at public colleges for in-state students.”

Paying for college is very expensive (See the VERY informative video below from the Netflix show Patriot Act about this). Many families struggle to find a way to help their children and most rely on financial aid and other loans or grants to help cover the financial burden. 

In 2020 the average cost of tuition plus fees among the ranked National Universities in the US was over $41,000 for private colleges, and over $11,000 for state and public colleges. For the out-of-state students tuition for the year was over $27,000.

Colleges, states, and the federal government give out grants, which don’t need to be repaid. Most are awarded based on your financial need. Private scholarships may also be available from companies, and nonprofits or other groups that a student can try to get eligibility to. Loans should be your last resort, but they’re often inevitable if scholarships, grants and savings don’t cover the entire bill.

Once you figure out how to pay for college then what? Your main goal is getting a degree, so let’s see what kind of degrees are offered?

There are four major categories of degrees available for post-secondary students: associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. 

Undergraduate Degrees

The two most popular types of undergraduate college degrees are associate’s degrees and bachelor’s degrees. An associate’s degree is at the shortest duration of the two as it usually takes two years to complete, while a bachelor’s degree requires four years of study. Credits obtained from an associate’s degree can normally be applied to a bachelor’s degree program.

Graduate Degrees

Graduate degrees give students the opportunity to take up advanced study which builds on their undergraduate education. There are two main types of graduate degrees in the U.S.

Master’s degrees and doctoral degrees. Master’s degrees usually have the shortest duration of study at 1-2 years, while doctoral degrees typically require five to seven years of study and research.