are schools that offer a four-year undergraduate degree—either a BA (Bachelor of Arts) or a BS (Bachelor of Science). They concentrate exclusively on undergraduate, or first degree, students and do not offer graduate studies. As a result, they usually have smaller student bodies than universities do and they often offer a greater degree of personal attention from faculty, advisors, and administrators.

Many colleges can be classified as                                                         These are institutions that offer majors in many subjects, but emphasize a broad general education first. Students typically spend the first two years completing a series of requirements in subjects like history, science, philosophy, literature, and the arts. While students then choose a major area in which to focus, the emphasis remains on these areas rather than on training for a profession. Most liberal arts colleges are private.

Students can also study at                                                          sometimes called Junior Colleges. These are usually two- year institutions that offer Associate degrees. They are designed to serve local populations of students, and they often attract those who wish to study part-time, who want to receive training for a particular profession (such as a physician’s assistant or travel agent), those who are returning to higher education after many years of work, and students who want to save money or improve their grades before transferring to a four-year college.

                                are larger institutions which grant graduate as well as undergraduate degrees. Universities usually have liberal arts colleges that award BA and BS degrees. In addition, they offer advanced, post-graduate degrees (MAs, MFAs, and PhDs) in the arts and sciences. Most universities also offer professional degrees in medicine, engineering, law, and business (MDs, JDs, MBAs, etc.).