The American system of higher education is represented by universities and colleges.
Americans colloquially refer to all institutions of higher learning as colleges, even when they mean universities.
The U.S. system of higher education includes many different types and types of institutions and is based on the following principles:
Flexibility of curricula, their mobile adaptation to pressing social needs.
Diversity of educational forms, courses, and programs.
High democracy of the educational process.
Decentralized management of the institutions.
Freedom of student’s choice of form and program of study.
In addition to public universities, private universities also operate in the country, which play a not insignificant role in the U.S. system of higher education. Education is expensive in both of them, but there are special scholarships for especially gifted students.
There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the U.S., of which 65% are private. The faculty-student ratio at U.S. institutions of higher education is about 1 to 7.5 (2 million and 15 million, respectively).
Each institution has its own admission process, which varies depending on the level and prestige of the individual college or university. Some colleges and universities require entrance exams to gain admission, while others require interviews, tests, or a high school diploma competition. There are also some where it is sufficient to present a high school diploma (these are usually colleges). Additional advantage will be letters of recommendation from public and religious organizations, evidence of active participation in festivals, competitions, sports, etc. Importance is given to the motivation of the applicant in relation to his/her professional choice. The most prestigious universities have competitive selection procedures, as the number of applicants far exceeds the number of places available.
The U.S. student may apply to more than one U.S. university at a time to increase his or her chances of admission. Entrance tests – tests or examinations – are administered by specialized services, not by the professors at that university or college. Each university determines for itself the number of students that will be accepted – there is no single plan in the country. Curiously, there is no limit on the length of the course, either, since all students have different financial means and life circumstances.
Interestingly, each student at a U.S. college is taught according to an individual program, rather than in the traditional academic grouping of our institutions.
Colleges, in most cases, offer a four-year degree course culminating in a bachelor’s degree. To earn a bachelor’s degree, you must take the appropriate examinations and earn a certain number of points. You can earn a master’s degree by adding a year or two more to your bachelor’s degree and by doing a research project.
The highest level of graduate study is in doctoral programs, which focus on independent work in science. To enter a doctoral program, a candidate needs a master’s degree in most cases.
In sum, we can say that the U.S. education system is perfectly adapted to the ever-growing needs of society and is ready for flexible changes to match the directions of scientific and technological progress