U.S. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

"Higher education" is the term that is used in the USA to describe any schooling after secondary or high school education. The US higher education system, like the American educational system in general, is highly decentralized because the US Constitution's Tenth Amendment reserves all non-enumerated powers (one of which is education) "for the states respectively, or to the people." Thus, except for the United States service academies, the federal government does not directly regulate universities. Such a degree of autonomy in higher education is rare.

Higher education can take the form of a university, college, technical school, vocational school, or professional school. Americans generally use the words "college", "university" and "school" interchangeably. There are over 3,100 accredited colleges and universities in America, including large, comprehensive land-grant institutions of 40,000 students to small traditional liberal arts colleges of less than a 1000 students. Distinctions among these academic institutions are in size, level and competitiveness of education offered, social/residential atmosphere and the time required to complete a degree. Because the United States is a large country with a variety of climatic and living conditions, schools vary greatly due to their location. Since academic levels and quality of instruction are comparable at most accredited institutions at the undergraduate (bachelor's degree) level, students' personal preferences as to size, climate and location, play a key role in what school they choose. Getting admission in the right school is the major hurdle that most students must face in pursuing a degree program in America. It takes careful planning, research and counseling. Students often begin study at one institution, then transfer after two years to complete their degree at another institution.

There are many types of colleges and universities in the USA, and several different ways in which Americans classify them. Classification can be based on whether a school is financially supported by a state or not, the history of a school, how and when it was first established, or how the school is primarily functioning now.

"Public" universities are state-affiliated institutions that are publicly-supported (financed by public taxes) and they're usually large in size. They normally offer all levels of degrees and many different fields of study. Public colleges and universities are relatively inexpensive for residents of the state where the schools are located (since they're funded in large part by state tax revenues). Foreign students pay "out-of-state" tuition, which is higher, often significantly so. International students may find it hard to gain admission to these schools at the undergraduate level, because preference is often given to state residents. This is especially true in the fields of engineering, business, and computer science. Many state university systems have a number of different campuses situated all around the state. Sometimes one campus will be the preeminent one in terms of research and graduate study – this school is sometimes referred to as the "flagship" campus of the system. There are many notable public universities across the country, including Pennsylvania State University, Ohio State University, the University of California, the University of North Carolina, and the University of Texas.

There are hundreds of small liberal arts colleges throughout the United States enrolling anywhere from fewer than 1,000 students to several thousand. They are usually dedicated primarily to the undergraduate study of the traditional arts and sciences disciplines: the humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Liberal arts colleges are often quite old (by U.S. standards, anyway!) and are usually private schools (meaning they're supported by tuition fees, private donations, and grants). Many of these colleges were traditionally single-sex (all-men or all-women) but that's only true these days in a handful of cases, usually exclusively women's colleges. Sometimes these schools were founded with a religious affiliation, but the overwhelming majority of them don't take this into account any more in terms of admissions or day-to-day student life. These colleges are usually highly-rated institutions because they stress small classes, individual attention to their enrollees, and a close relationship between the faculty and students. Many of them also generally have stringent admissions standards. Among these schools are: Amherst, Williams, Swarthmore, Bowdoin, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Vassar, Bryn Mawr, Oberlin, Grinnell, and Pomona College.

The Ivy League: Although these schools are among the oldest and most famous in the country, the Ivy League itself was not officially formed until the 1950s – as an athletic conference! Members of the Ivy League are Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Brown, Dartmouth, Cornell, Columbia, and the University of Pennsylvania (a private college, not to be confused with Penn State University). All these schools are in the Northeastern US. Ivy League colleges stress undergraduate liberal arts education, but they also have noted graduate and professional schools. Tuition at these private schools is among the highest in the country, and admission is generally highly competitive. Sometimes you'll find the term "Ivy League" also applied, somewhat inaccurately, to any top-notch private liberal arts college. And despite the cachet of the term "Ivy League," there are many other colleges and universities, both private and public that are just as highly rated and as difficult to get into, Stanford being just one example.

Denominational or Religiously-Affiliated Schools make a large number of colleges and universities in the United States that were formed by religious groups and organizations and which continue this active affiliation. Most church-related colleges except seminaries are not limited in admission, however, to members of one religious group. However, they are administered by members of their religious group and are often run in line with their religious precepts. Some of them expect all students to attend chapel exercise and to study some religious courses. But most church-related colleges apply these rules only to students of the same religious faith. Among well-known schools in this category are: Notre Dame and Georgetown (both Catholic), Brandeis and Yeshiva (Jewish), Brigham Young (Mormon), Southern Methodist University, (Methodist) and Earlham (Quaker).

Technical institutes are schools specializing primarily in engineering and science and particularly noted for their research and graduate programs. Most international students who attend these schools are admitted at the graduate degree level. The undergraduate colleges of these schools also offer a variety of liberal arts courses along with their technical subjects. Undergraduates admitted to these schools usually have especially strong backgrounds in math and sciences, as witnessed by grades and standardized test scores (e.g. SAT or GRE). M.I.T. (the Massachusetts Institute of Technology), Cal Poly (California Polytechnic Institute), Georgia Tech (Georgia Institute of Technology), and W.P.I. (Worcester Polytechnic Institute) are a few of the noted schools in this category.

Community or junior collegesoffer a degree after the completion of two years of full-time study. They frequently offer technical programs that prepare you for immediate entry into the job market. Some students take the first two years of a program leading to a bachelor's degree. Others take technical education programs that prepare them for semiprofessional jobs. Still others take courses in what are usually called "adult education programs." Most community colleges also offer courses for students who need additional preparation in basic skills. Community and junior colleges grant associate's degrees for completion of two-year programs, and certificates for some specialized programs. Most of the institutions called community colleges get financial support from local or state governments. Most of the institutions called junior colleges are privately supported. One of the most attractive features of many community colleges is their wide range of technical training programs. Less than a third of the community college graduates continue their studies for bachelor's degrees. Special occupational programs allow students to take only those courses that interest them or that qualify them for better jobs. Many community colleges try to provide educational programs that will benefit local business, industry, and government. They may conduct surveys to determine what types of trained personnel the community needs most. They may also ask community leaders to help plan courses of study. For example, colleges located in resort areas may offer courses in restaurant and hotel management, and colleges in rural areas may emphasize agricultural training.

Most US universities are campus-based. Campus is the land on which a college or university stands. The main buildings on a campus usually include classroom buildings, an administration building, a library, laboratories, a gymnasium, an athletic field and stadium, and dormitories. Many institutions have a building, often called a union, where social gatherings, plays, and dances may be held. The campus fosters the students' community spirit and organizes a convenient academic environment.

Most colleges that offer bachelor's degrees have residence halls or dormitories. Dormitory life offers many opportunities for students to make friends. Community colleges generally do not have dormitories. Many schools also have student-run residences called cooperatives. In these, the students can cut expenses by doing their own housework. Students may also live in private homes or apartments. Many students live with their parents and commute between home and campus. Some colleges and universities whose campuses are in large cities provide commuter centers, where students who commute may spend free time while on campus.

All universities and colleges receive funds from a variety of sources. Private colleges depend primarily on student fees and on endowments and gifts for their operating income. Public institutions also have these sources, but depend mainly on state and local taxes for operating funds. Both public and private institutions may receive federal funds for research activities. The federal government distributes aid among colleges and universities according to various formulas. These formulas are based on the number of students in scholarship and loan programs, and on the enrollment of graduate students and veterans.

1.b Explain the following concepts from the text.

Поиск по сайту: