Compare Colleges

Have you ever wondered what type of colleges suits your educational and personal goal best? What are the differences between public and private schools? Why do liberal arts colleges seem so unique?

Most of us are familiar with, or have heard of, University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU), the two popular public university systems in California--they are also among the best, largest public school systems in the US. But what separate them from Stanford or University of Southern California (USC)?

By definition, public universities are funded by the government whereas private colleges usually rely on tuition and fees, donations, and endowments. But this is not the whole story. The factors that will really influence your decision are:

Tuition at private colleges is definitely much higher; however, many private colleges are quite generous when it comes to financial aid and merit-based scholarshop--do you know that at Stanford, families earning less than $150,000 with assets typical of that income level pay no tuition. Moreover, if you like large, diverse campus, then public schools might be a better option for you. And if religion matters a lot to you, then you will want to look into private colleges.

Another way to differentiate colleges is by their curriculum emphasis. We have national universities that focus on reasearch and specialization, and there are also about 200 liberal arts colleges (LAC) focusing on well-rounded undergraduate education. The pros of going to a research-oriented university include a wide range of major choices and name recognition; you'll enjoy your college life if you are a big sport fan. On the other hand, LAC provides a close-knit community and more attention from faculty, making it a great opportunity to build relationship and network.

When you start your college search, don't let the type of college get in your way too much. Try to evaluate as many aspects as you can:


And be open!