Whether you’re starting college, want to fill some gaps before going back to school, or just want to explore your options, How to College is meant to help get learners of all ages and backgrounds to and through college, with helpful tips on how to apply, succeed and graduate.  Check out the VIDEOS HERE.

4 Year Colleges grant bachelor’s degrees to their students over the course of 4 years. After a bachelor’s degree some students will enter the workforce directly and others, depending on their field of choice might need to pursue a graduate degree or professional degree.

2 Year Colleges (includes community, junior, trade, or technical schools) grant associate’s degrees and are usually less expensive than 4 year colleges. Graduates of these programs can pursue employment directly or transfer to a 4 year college to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Public Institutions are state funded and usually cost less for students that are residents within their states or tax base areas.

Private Institutions are privately funded but structured as non-profit organizations. They usually cost a similar amount regardless of a student’s location but tend to be more expensive than public institutions.

For Profit Institutions are organized as businesses. If you are interested in attending one of these institutions be sure you have done your research. It’s important to understand historical graduation rates and statistics about the employment rate of their graduates to make sure the schools will serve your long term goals.