Education

Introduction:

There are several types of universities and colleges in the U.S.:

  • public universities: these include government or state-funded schools
  • private universities: these are privately-funded universities and colleges
  • community colleges: primarily two-year institutions; students often transfer out of these colleges to receive their four-year degree at another university. Most students at community colleges are commuters, meaning that they do not live on-campus
  • institutes of technology (also called “polytechnic”): focuses on vocational and professional skills related to engineering, science, and technology
  • liberal arts college: primarily focuses on undergraduate study with an emphasis on a generalist curriculum, small school size, and primarily residential campuses where students live on or near campus.

Are universities in your country mostly private, public, or both?

Many American students receive financial aid in the form of federal loans. Some students also get work-study jobs and/or scholarships as part of their financial aid package.

How is education paid for in your country?

Most undergraduate degrees in the U.S. can be completed in 3-5 years of full-time study. However, some students also work part-time or full-time while getting degrees.

Is it common for students to work and study simultaneously in your country?

Reading Activity

Can you guess these acronyms for different degrees and what they mean?  Which degrees are undergraduate and which ones are graduate level?

B.A.

M.F.A.

B.S.

M.S.Ed.

M.B.A.

J.D.

Ph.D.

M.D.

M.S.W.

RN

Key Vocabular

Word Meaning Context
Student body The whole population of students Temple has a diverse student body.
Campus-wide Across or including the whole campus Football games are an example of a campus-wide event
Class-related Verbs    
Audit To attend a class without receiving a grade You usually need to get permission from a professor before auditing a class.
Transfer To change or move Transfer credits; transfer schools
Drop (drop out) To exit or leave I dropped the course because it was too difficult.

She dropped out of school to pursue acting.
Pass/fail    
Cram To study for a test (usually at the last minute) I am cramming all night for a big test that I have tomorrow.
Public school    
Private school    
Boarding school A school where students live on-campus She is from New York, but she went to boarding school in New Hampshire.
Homeschooling A student goes to school at home; usually a parent teaches the child based on a required curriculum Homeschooling is a popular option for families who move or travel a lot.
Goals    
Long term Near future  
Short term Distant future  
Titles and other abbreviations Abbreviation for:  
Grad Graduate  
Post-doc Post-doctorate fellow  
Pre-med Pre-medicine  
Adjunct A professor who does not hold a permanent or tenure-track position at that university  
Expressions    
All-nighter Studying (or staying awake) all night without sleeping

 

 I pulled an all-nighter to prep for this test.
Cram to study something very quickly, usually at the last minute  
Pre-req abbreviation for pre-requisite I’m taking all my pre-reqs this semester.
Fluff course A course that is easy or used just to fill space on a class schedule This class is a fluff course since my other classes are hard.

Additional Resources: