University education in the USA

A guide to universities in the USA

This section provides a basic outline of the structure of university education in the US along with a brief overview of the facilities for overseas students in colleges and universities in the USA.

Education in the USA

From small institutions with a few hundred students to large government-supported colleges and universities teeming with thousands of students and from vocational colleges to privately sponsored research institutions, universities in the USA cater to a wide variety of educational needs of overseas students. The vast range of options, not only on the academic front but also in matters of financing structures, career choices and employment opportunities there is a greater possibility of the right fit for international students in line with their expectations.

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Structure of the education system in the USA

Certain practices or traditions of colleges and universities in the US, at least in the public domain, differ quite markedly from those in other countries. For example, the responsibility of formulating policies with regard to higher education rests solely with the state and not a central authority. Also, private sponsorship plays a dominant role in funding scholarships and research projects in the US. The broad categorization of the different types of institutions for higher education is as follows:

• State College or Universities (of which there is at least one in each U.S. state): As the name suggests, these universities are funded by the states.
• Private College or Universities (which are normally smaller in size than government-run institutions):.These are generally more difficult to get into, with the tuition fee also being on the higher side in comparison to the state schools.
• Professional Schools (that impart training in professional fields such as art, music, business, engineering etc): Some of these schools offer graduate programs as well. These may be attached to a university or function as separate colleges.
• Institutes of Technology (which conduct courses of study of at least four years' duration in the fields of science and technology): These institutes too may offer graduate programs.

A majority of the colleges and universities in the US adhere to either a quarter-based, (with three quarters in a year lasting 12 weeks each), or a semester-based system which comprises two semesters of 16 weeks each, with an optional quarter or semester in the summer. Typically, the value of a course is assessed in terms of units or 'credits' which correspond to the number of hours or classes a student attends of that particular subject. In order to maintain visa status, it is mandatory that overseas students register for at least 12 credits.

A particularly distinguished group of universities comprise what is known as the 'Ivy League'. The League is a group of eight colleges and universities situated on the east coast, which are world renowned for their excellent academic standards. These rank among some of the earliest established American institutions.

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The table below gives the pertinent information about the Ivy League members.

Name	Year of establishment
Harvard University	1636
Yale University	1701
University of Pennsylvania	1740
Princeton University	1746
Columbia University	1754
Brown University	1764
Dartmouth College	1769
Cornell University	1865

The intensity of research activity varies greatly across public universities in the USA. Institutions with large research budgets receive roughly 30 per cent of their funding from the state government, the rest being made up by grants, allocations and tuition fees. In this matter, the private colleges generally enjoy greater flexibility as they do not depend on the government, instead relying on philanthropic and professional organizations and their alumni for a large part of their funding.

Unlike quite a few other countries, reviews of the quality of higher education in the U.S. are carried out by private, non-profit organizations specifically designed for this purpose. Besides helping top U.S. colleges and universities maintain quality, professional accreditation of this sort also helps in determining qualification to avail of state funding and fosters confidence in prospective employers in the degree or credentials obtained from the universities.

Student comfort - financial aid and other aspects

There is not much financial aid for students from sources within the US itself. International students must rely on their own sources or turn to their local governments and organizations in their own country for sponsorship. Although state universities are now seeking greater funding to support international study programs, financial aid for overseas students in US colleges and universities remains limited to research grants or allocations. Graduate students can avail of this by applying for teaching and research assistantships or even for administrative positions. In addition to international students can also apply for fellowships from both state and private universities.

The choice is much greater in matters of housing and accommodation, starting from a decision to live on campus or off it. On-campus options include 'residence halls', where typically 2 students share a room, or apartment living where 4 students generally share two rooms and a kitchen. An advantage of living on the premises is the accessibility to all the facilities - sports fields, libraries, computer centers, cafeteria etc. - which will be of walking, or at the most cycling, distance. Another major benefit is safety, not only because of the universities' own security forces but also because of always being in a group. It is best to know and arrange for housing on campus in advance so that any rush at the last minute can be avoided.

Universities that do not have sufficient accommodation on campus have offices to help students find apartments outside the campus and give them information on the local neighborhood. Many overseas graduate students prefer living off-campus, since there are lesser distractions and it affords them greater privacy. Also, the living and food costs might be lower when doing your own cooking in a separate kitchen. It is advisable for those who wish to live off-campus to wait until reaching the U.S. before deciding on an apartment or signing a lease.

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US universities: admission and beyond

Once the personal application forms have been filled out and sent along with the test scores of the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) and other exams like the GRE (Graduate Research Examination), the admission office of the university applied to usually intimate the student of their acceptance through a letter.

The candidate is asked to comply with various requirements, including the provision of proof of financial ability more than once. It is also possible that the preferred university may offer only waiting list status to the applicant, in which case it is prudent to accept the offer but confirm a place at a second or third choice university, though one risks losing the initial deposit.

Most of the colleges and universities in the USA offer separate orientation or briefing sessions for foreign students upon arrival on campus. It is important to attend these sessions to get a sense of not only the academic structure of the university but also know one's rights under immigration regulations.

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