College or University
Juniors! You may be hearing your senior friends talk about their college lists and starting to make your own. It’s common to focus on schools whose names you’ve heard before, but that’s not an ideal way to choose a college. Beyond name recognition, then, where do you start? Let’s break down one essential concept.
Do you know the difference between a college and a university? No shame in the game if you don’t. The terms are often used interchangeably in the U.S. where someone might say they’re “going to college” even if they’re attending a university. When it comes to selecting the right school, however, the distinction is essential and a far more significant consideration for you than the specious big school/small school binary.
So what’s the difference? Colleges offer only undergraduate degrees whereas universities offer undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees. In general, college students are taught directly by professors who place an emphasis on teaching. The classes are small and the choices of classes and majors are limited.
University students are often taught by graduate students and/or in large lectures. Universities tend to have more resources, majors, and niche minors. They usually house schools (sometimes called colleges just to make your head spin) within the university. Sometimes these schools award undergraduate and graduate degrees (e.g. a fine arts or business school) and sometimes only advanced degrees (e.g. a medical or law school). All universities will have a college of arts and sciences, which is where you will apply unless you want a specialized degree from one of the university’s schools.
Usually, we can tell by the institution’s name whether it is a college or a university, but not always. For example, Boston College is a university. If you go to Yale University as an undergrad, the only undergraduate degree you can get is from Yale College, but at BC, you can get an undergraduate degree from several colleges, including the Carroll School of Management and the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences.
Juniors, you want to understand the implications of these differences when creating your college list. Neither choice is better, but I encourage you to keep an open mind and check out both colleges and universities, just to get a sense. One of our matchers can help you understand how you learn best and discuss the pros and cons.
Of course, at the end of the day, each school is unique. Visit campus, speak to students, talk to people in majors that interest you. This is a big decision. And remember, colleges genuinely want to fill their campuses with students who will contribute, not just sit in class. Keep doing what you love, like playing saxophone, planting your garden, or attending Model UN.
Bonus Tips for Seniors
Track all deadlines carefully! Submit rolling applications ASAP as they often fill up.
If you missed an October 15 deadline, don’t worry. It’s worth waiting and submitting a stronger RD application.
You can submit your application even if recommendation letters/test scores haven’t been uploaded. Colleges will hold your file until all materials arrive.
Check your college portal after submission to make sure nothing is missing!
Note whether schools require official score reports or allow self-reporting.
Review your entire Common App from the perspective of an admissions officer. Look for any red flags. After reading your essay, ask yourself: would the reader like you? Would they want you on campus?
Use a range of Activity Types in your Activities section.
Hang in there!!
