myUface Blog

A great benefit of the studying at a U.S. university is that you’re sure to find one that very closely matches your interests.  How do I know?  Because there are 4,314 degree granting institutions in the United States, and surely at least one of them has a program that would interest you.

Astonishing Variety

Nowhere else are you going to find such a vast number of educational institutions from which to choose. Some other quick stats:

• Of the 4,314 institutions mentioned above, 643 are “public” and 1,640 are “private.”
• 2,629 offer four-year degrees; 1,685 offer two-year degrees
• In California alone there are 412 institutions; for those of you who like tropical climates, we note that Hawaii has 23, Florida 174; for those who like the cold, Alaska has 8 and North Dakota 22.
• There are over 1,600 different educational programs offered by U.S. universities, covering everything from Construction to Library Science to Public Administration to Indian Studies to Theology and Pastoral Ministry.
• The length and cost of degrees differs as well.  There are at least 23 different kinds of Associate’s degrees, most of which take two years to complete; and there are at least 38 different bachelor’s degrees, most of which take four years to complete (with some exceptions).
• The same degree at two different universities will be a very different learning experience.  This is because, as we talked about in yesterday’s post, most universities try to give their students practical experience with organizations and businesses in the surrounding community.  If you got a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Michigan, for example, you might spend a lot of time learning about the Manufacturing sector; whereas the same degree from a university in Silicon Valley would give you more background and experience in IT.

Diversity Again

The secret to the astonishing number of universities and programs is, again, diversity.  The U.S. has such a diverse country, not only in terms of its ethnic makeup, but also in terms of its geography and economy.  The degrees that are most needed in Boston, Massachusetts are not going to be the same as the degrees that are most needed in Fargo, North Dakota.  And since universities in the U.S. aren’t controlled by the central government, they’re free to determine – independently – the programs that will most likely serve their community.  That’s why you’ll find more universities and more programs in the U.S. than anywhere else.  That’s a huge advantage if you know exactly what it is you want to learn.

But aren’t all those options confusing?

They don’t have to be.   Services like myUface can help you find a university that fits your needs.

For Your Consideration:

What exactly do you want to study in the U.S.?  Have you identified any programs that match your goals?

SERIES:  Why study in the U.S.?

• April 20 – Introduction
• April 21 – Diversity at U.S. campuses
• April 22 – Value of U.S. degrees
• April 23 – The Facilities
  
• April 24 – Practical focus of U.S. education
• April 25 – Variety of U.S. programs
• April 26 – The supposed disadvantages of study in the U.S.: visas
  
• April 27 - The supposed disadvantages of study in the U.S.: cost
  
• April 28 - Some real disadvantages of study in the U.S.:  it might not help in your profession
• April 29 – Some real disadvantages of study in the U.S.: will you fit in “going back?”
• April 30 – Other disadvantages
• May 1 – So, should you study in the U.S.?

Here’s a great benefit of going to university in the United States: your studies are generally going to be focused on practical, real-world applications. What does this mean?

• it means you will graduate not only with theoretical knowledge of a subject, but also with experience of using that knowledge in actual, real-world situations.
• it means that when a prospective employer asks about your “work experience,” you’ll have a good answer – even though you just graduated!
• it means that employers will value your degree more than degrees from universities in other countries, because they know you’ll need less training to adapt to the workplace.
• it means that you’re going to spend a lot of time in university actively implementing what you’ve learned.  For many students this aspect of their education is the most rewarding.

Why are U.S. universities more focused on the practical applications of knowledge? Well, there are many reasons.  Here’s a few:

• Historically, universities in the United States have received more of their funding from private sources – from students themselves, from corporations looking for specific research, or from philanthropists (generally men and women who had made a lot of money in the business world).  These private funders have been more interested in education that yields practical benefits.
• American culture generally places a higher value on practice than it does on theory.  Americans are more interested in whether something works than in why it works.
• Americans have developed educational methodologies that suggest that the most effective way to learn about a theory is to implement it.   One popular practice, called “Service Learning,” assigns students real work with groups that aren’t able to pay for it.  In a marketing class, for example,  you might help a local non-profit organization design its web page.  In other words, American universities do teach theory – they’re just more likely to teach it via practice, rather than via textbook.

The combination of practical experience with “book learning” is one of the most unique and fascinating aspects of the U.S. higher-educational system.

For Your Consideration:

What do you think?  Do you think students should go outside of the classroom and do “real-world” activities as part of their education?

SERIES:  Why study in the U.S.?

• April 20 – Introduction
• April 21 – Diversity at U.S. campuses
• April 22 – Value of U.S. degrees
• April 23 – The Facilities
  
• April 24 – Practical focus of U.S. education
• April 25 – Variety of U.S. programs
• April 26 – The supposed disadvantages of study in the U.S.: visas
  
• April 27 - The supposed disadvantages of study in the U.S.: cost
  
• April 28 - Some real disadvantages of study in the U.S.:  it might not help in your profession
• April 29 – Some real disadvantages of study in the U.S.: will you fit in “going back?”
• April 30 – Other disadvantages
• May 1 – So, should you study in the U.S.?