There are over 75 private colleges and universities in California. These institutions are nonprofit, and unlike the UC and CSU systems, each one is run by its own governing board. This gives the colleges freedoms to set their own admissions criteria, curricula, and mission.
Smaller Class Sizes & Personalized Attention
Private colleges often offer small class sized which will allow a better student to teacher ratio.
Specialized Programs & Focus
Private colleges offer unique programs, research opportunities, and internships tailored to specific majors.
Strong Alumni Networks & Career Connections
Networking in a private campus allows you to connect with similar career collogues which can open the gates to internships and employment.
Generous Financial Aid & Scholarships
Private Colleges often offer higher financial aid through their campus and scholarship opportunities.
Higher Tuition Cost
Private colleges typically have higher tuition fees compared to public colleges. This can lead to long-term financial stress.
Limited Diversity
Some private colleges have smaller student populations and may lack multicultural experience.
Smaller Campus Size
Student seeking a more vibrant campus community may find public colleges more appealing.
Smaller Range of Majors
Larger public colleges tend to offer more in terms of majors and programs than their private counterparts.
Out of state universities are a great way to explore and still accomplish your goals of achieving a degree. There are over 6,000 colleges and universities in the U.S. Private nonprofit institutions make up the largest percentage of four-year schools.
Unlimited Options
Opening your pool of schools allows you to consider institutions and programs that may not have been on your radar.
Specialized Programs
Specific majors and specialized programs may be what you are looking for in you college journey.
Building Independence
Adapting to being independent allows you to gain a new experience which can lead to further personal growth and opportunities.
Career Opportunities
Just as certain schools may offer better programs in your specialty, your college's location may have more career opportunities for you upon graduation.
Cost Of Tuition
Public schools are less expensive to in-state students because these institutions are funded by the states-and the taxpayers who live in them. Out-of-state students are welcome, but in some cases, it's more difficult and more expensive for them to attend for this reason.
Distance From Home
Whether you need to buy a plane ticket or several tanks of gas, the farther away you are from home, the more expensive it will be to visit. If you get homesick, which is not uncommon, you may want to make it easier to visit your family.
Comfort
While being on your own can be exciting, moving around in a place where you feel like a tourist might take a heavy toll on your mental and emotional state.
The Common Application is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to any of more than 800 colleges and universities in 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as in Canada, China, Japan, and many European countries.
The first thing you have to do is create a profile on commonapp.org, then search for colleges you’re interested in applying to and add them to your list. Once you have narrowed down your list of schools, figure out the different application requirements each college expects, and complete all of the necessary tasks before you apply. Here is a comprehensive overview of the Common App you can use as a guide to better understand the process before you jump in.
There are nearly 900 colleges and universities that accept the Common App. You can explore these “member institutions” by location, campus setting, enrollment size, financial aid offerings, and specialized missions (i.e. religious affiliations). This is a good way to learn about schools, but if a college you want to attend isn’t on the list, don’t let that discourage you from applying.
The Common App is a free service, but every college has their own application fees and requirements. Some colleges charge an application fee, and some don’t. You can search for colleges that don’t require an application fee using the Common App explore page. In some cases, eligible applicants can request a fee waiver through the Common App platform.
A new version of the Common App is released on August 1 every year. If you already have an account, your information is rolled over into the new app when it’s released. So, if you’re a junior and want to get a head start on collecting ideas and information for your applications, you can create an account and then transfer it to the new app when it opens during your senior year.