Difference Between a College and a University


While looking at your post-secondary education options, you may be wondering if you should go to a college or a university. If have these thoughts on your mind, you need to understand the difference between a college and a university. According to most people, college is an institute run by someone in the private sector. On the other hand, a university is funded by the government. The reality is different. It's not that easy to draw a differentiating line between the two institutes. Read on.

What is a College?
Usually, a college is a not-so-big institute and doesn't offer post-graduate degrees. In fact, some colleges may offer some two-year degrees. At the majority of colleges students can earn only bachelor's degrees. At very few colleges, students can pursue associate degrees. (If you want a deep insight into the difference between the two institutes, you may want to refer to the Federal Student Aid of the US Department of Education.)

What is a University?
A university, on the other hand, offers both graduate and undergraduate study programs. In other words, universities allow students to sign up for graduate programs. With these programs, students can pursue master's degrees or higher with tons of other students.

As a matter of fact, these institutes may have law or medical schools for students. At some universities, students can avail special programs to earn a graduate as well as an undergraduate degree in a short period of time. Usually, universities offer a lot of programs and classes unlike a college.

Do Colleges Offer Graduate Degrees?
At times, the difference between the two institutes is not clear at all. For instance, some colleges offer graduate degrees in law, business, marine science, education, and creative writing, just to name a few. Why are the institutes that offer these degrees called colleges? Well, the answer is that they are called colleges because of the tradition. Some universities are called colleges and their name can't be changed because the modification may cause confusion among students.

Choosing the Right Institute
So, after all this explanation, you may be wondering if you should go to a college or university. In simple words, it won't matter if you sign up with a college or a university since both of the institutes are the same as far as academics is concerned. Based on the needs of students, they can go to either a college or a university. For instance, if you want to go to a school offering different classes and programs, we suggest that you opt for a university. On the other hand, if you want to attend small classes and have a closer relationship with your teachers, you should go to a college.

Moreover, if you want to pursue a bachelor's degree, the name of the school doesn't matter. Actually, it is based on your personal preference and you should choose an institute that will meet your expectations.

Hopefully, this article explains the difference between a college and a university. Hope you will find this article helpful enough.

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