College/Career Exploration

TYPES OF COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES

Community College

• NC has 58 community colleges throughout the state. Any NC student that graduates high school is accepted to a commnuity college (there are execptions with certain programs). Community Colleges are public and receive funding primarily from state or local taxes, with some money from tuition and endowments. Community colleges are commuters, not residential campuses, which means that students travel to and from class each day instead of living directly on the campus. Tuition is considerably lower than four-year public or private colleges and universities. Community colleges offer three types of programs: certificates, diplomas, and associate’s degrees. Certificates and diplomas demonstrate you have developed a set of skills for a specific occupation.  The length of time required to earn either varies by occupation, ranging from six months to two years. Examples of skills you could develop include auto mechanics, welding, cosmetology, web development, medical technology, practical nursing (LPN), and electrical maintenance. With successful completion, you can get a license in your chosen field, enabling you to work in North Carolina. Community colleges also offer two-year associate’s degrees to prepare you for a career or transfer to a four-year college or university. With an associate’s degree, you could become a dental technician, teacher’s assistant, or electromechanical technologist, for example. Or you may choose to earn an associate’s degree and then transfer to a four-year institution to finish up.  A number of students decide to earn their two-year associate’s degree in a community college’s college transfer program and then go to a four-year college or university for a bachelor’s degree since this approach can be cost saving.

Public college/university

• North Carolina has 16 public universities that are part of the University of North Carolina.  These universities receive funding from tuition and endowments, but a large portion of their funding comes from State tax dollars, reducing the cost of tuition and fees at a public university. State residents also receive a lower tuition rate than out-of-state students at these schools.  Some examples of the public four-year institutions in our state are N.C. State, East Carolina, N.C. A&T, and UNC Pembroke. Since the public universities are part of a state-wide system, transfers between them can be easier. Public colleges and universities generally have larger enrollments than private colleges and universities.

Private college/university

• There are 36 private (or independent), non-profit colleges and universities in North Carolina. Bennett, Campbell, Duke, Elon, and Meredith are just a few examples.  Whether students attending a private institution in North Carolina are in-state or out-of-state residents, they pay the same tuition.  Tuition and fees are higher at private colleges and universities than at public ones; however, scholarships, grants, and work-study opportunities may make the overall cost affordable. Private institutions tend to be smaller than public ones, with the average enrollment at private schools less than 2,000 students.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities

• HBCUs are a source of accomplishment and great pride for the African American community as well as the entire nation. The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.” HBCUs offer all students, regardless of race, an opportunity to develop their skills and talents. NC is home to 11 (including the nation's first!) HBCUs.