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What are 4 Year colleges or universities?
What are 4 Year colleges or universities?
Four-year colleges and universities are exactly what they sound like: schools where you earn a bachelor's degree in a major you choose, usually over four years. But "four-year college" is a huge umbrella — it includes massive state universities, small liberal arts schools, HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), HSI (Hispanic-Serving Institutions), and for-profit schools. The vibe at each is very different, so it's worth knowing what kind of school fits you before you start applying.
See a full breakdown of the types of 4-year colleges →
Use the following resources to do a college search:
Use the following resources to do a college search:
College Majors
College Majors
Picking a Major
You don't have to choose a major when you apply — most colleges let you apply undecided, and plenty of students change their minds once they get there. But if you have an idea, choosing one upfront can give you an edge.
Here are some ways to figure out what fits:
Start with what you already know about yourself. Which classes do you actually enjoy? What are you good at? Do any of your activities outside school point toward something? You probably already have more clues than you think.
Use the tools you already have access to:
The District 214 Academic Programs and Pathways Booklet — connects majors to career paths
SchooLinks — review your career assessment results
College Board — explore careers, majors, and how they connect
Get specific about majors that interest you. Once you have a few in mind, head to the Academics tab on a college's website and look at the four-year plan for that major. Reading the actual courses you'd take is the fastest way to know if it sounds exciting — or like a slog.
Try things out in real life.
Get an internship, apprenticeship, or job in a field that interests you
Take a senior-year or summer course in something new
Join a club or activity connected to a possible major
Testing (ACT, SAT, AP)
All colleges that require test scores accept either the SAT or ACT equally.
Some students choose to take both an SAT and ACT to see whether they score better on one. The SAT/ACT Concordance can be used to compare scores on these two tests.
All juniors will take the state ACT, a graduation requirement, in school in the spring.
Juniors may want to sign up for an additional national ACT or SAT test on their own.
Test Optional
Test Optional
A test optional college lets students decide whether they want to submit ACT or SAT test scores with their application. Most test optional schools will consider scores if they are submitted, but focus on other factors they believe are stronger predictors of a student's potential to succeed in college. CLICK HERE for the list of over 1,600 four-year test optional schools. Please note, some are test optional temporarily due to Covid-19 and may require ACT/SAT scores in the future.
Superscoring
Superscoring
Some colleges will superscore when the student submits multiple ACT or SAT scores. Superscoring averages the highest section scores from each test to obtain a new composite score that may be higher than any individual composite score.
AP Tests
AP Tests
Your AP test scores could earn you college credit. Use the College Board's AP Credit Policy Search to look up credit by school or by test.
BGHS and D214 Assessment Center Websites
BGHS and D214 Assessment Center Websites
Check these websites for the most up-to-date information about testing within D214:
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