Choosing a College:

2-Year vs. 4-Year Schools

Things to Look for:

Courses offered Housing options Cost Type of degree What you can do after college Other learning opportunities Who typically goes there

Courses Offered

2-Year College

General pre-requisite classes so that you can transfer to a 4-year college

Classes that prepare you for a specific job

ESOL, Writing, Pre-College Math

4-Year College

Anything: Biology, Math, Literature, Foreign Languages, Art, Music, Economics, etc.

Spend the first 2 years taking general requirements in lots of areas, then years 3 and 4 in an area of your choice

Housing Options

2-Year College

School doesn’t have any housing available, or any housing requirements

4-Year College

Most have housing available for students. Rent is included in the cost of the school (called “Room and Board.”)

Some require students to live on campus for their first two years

Cost for Classes (Tuition)

2-Year College

National average cost for 1 year: $2,963

4-Year College

Cost depends on many factors, including public vs. private and in-state vs. out-of-state

1 year at an in-state, public college average: $8,244 + more for Room & Board

1 year at a private college average: $28,500 + more for Room & Board

Type of Degree

2-Year College

Associate’s Degree

Certification for a job (ex: CNA, HVAC, etc)

4-Year College

Bachelor’s Degree (BA or BS)

Other Learning Opportunities

2-Year College

Internships and on-the-job trainings

Some clubs and extra-curricular programs

4-Year College

Attend performances and speeches by famous writers, politicians, and academics

Lots of student-run clubs

Study abroad (Spend a semester at a college in another country)

Fraternities & Sororities

Who Goes There?

2-Year College

People who want to go directly into a job such as nursing, dental assistant, medical billing, fire management, etc.

People with low GPAs and SAT scores who want to raise their grades then go to a 4-year college

4-Year College People who want to

study a wide range of topics

People who are unsure of what job they want

People who might want to further their education and become a lawyer, doctor, scientist, psychologist, teacher, etc.

How do I decide which is right for

me?For some people, the choice will be obvious,

but for others, it is difficult to decide.

If you are unsure, you should keep all your options open. Learn about several different 2-year and 4-year colleges.

Apply to all different kinds of schools. When it gets close to decision time, go there for a visit. Talk to students about how they chose the school.