Colleges and Universities can be categorized into different types. It is important that you know the differences between these types. Continue reading to find out about the options you have for choosing a four year institution.
National vs. Regional
National
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Regional
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Public vs. Private
Public
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Private
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Athletic Divisions
NCAA Division I
Central Michigan Eastern Michigan University of Michigan Michigan State University Oakland University |
NCAA Division II
Examples: Grand Valley State Ferris State Saginaw Valley State Wayne State |
NCAA Division III
Examples: Adrian College Albion Alma College Kalamazoo College |
NAIA
Concordia Madonna Siena Heights Spring Arbor U of M Dearborn |
*NCAA= National Collegiate Athletic Association
*NAIA= National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
*NAIA= National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
Other Types
Religious Affiliations
Some private colleges are connected to a religious faith. The connection may be historic only, or it may affect day to day student life.
It's important to find out how pervasive the religious affiliation is and what you are looking for in a religion affiliated school. One type of religious schools are seminaries which prepare students for life in the clergy. |
Single Sex Colleges
These are schools that only allow admission for a single sex. Only a handful of all male colleges remain, but there is still a large demand for all women's colleges.
50% of women graduating from an all women's college attend graduate school (compared to 33% for coed schools) 43% of alumnae are employed in male-dominated professions |
Historically Black Colleges
Colleges where the majority of students are African American. These can be private of public, many of which are supported by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Admission requirements vary. Historically they started as the only schools which African Americans could attend because of segregation laws.
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Selectivity Levels
Colleges vary on their selectivity levels. This means that some colleges are pickier than others in the admission process. Selectivity is based on various factors including class rank, ACT and SAT scores, GPA, strength of curriculum, extracurricular activities, and more. To keep things simple, one way to look at selectivity is the percentage of applicants accepted into the school. Please see the descriptions below to determine the type of selectivity you are looking for. For a more detailed description of these levels, view the College Selectivity Chart.
Most/Highly Selective
30% or less of applicants accepted
Examples: None in MI These are Ivy league schools like Harvard, Columbia, Yale, and Cornell. |
Very Selective
31-50% of applicants accepted
Examples: University of Michigan Kalamazoo College Kettering University Hillsdale College |
Moderately Selective
51-70% of applicants accepted
Examples: Adrian College Central Michigan University Eastern Michigan University Madonna University Michigan State University Oakland University Western Michigan Spring Arbor University |
Minimally Selective
More than 70% of applicants accepted
Examples: Cornerstone University Davenport University Ferris State University Grand Valley State Northern Michigan University Wayne State University |
Open Admission
All applicants accepted
The following Community Colleges: Henry Ford CC Lansing CC Schoolcraft CC Washtenaw CC Wayne CC |
www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges/college-101/types-of-colleges-the-basics
Ch 12: Options in Higher Education and How Counselors Can Learn More About them of The Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling
www.collegetoolkit.com/colleges/browse/selectivity.aspx
www.michigancap.org/College/Search
www.ncaa.org/
www.naia.org
www.exactsports.com/blog/ncaa-and-naia-scholarships-know-the-difference/2011/02/05/
Ch 12: Options in Higher Education and How Counselors Can Learn More About them of The Fundamentals of College Admission Counseling
www.collegetoolkit.com/colleges/browse/selectivity.aspx
www.michigancap.org/College/Search
www.ncaa.org/
www.naia.org
www.exactsports.com/blog/ncaa-and-naia-scholarships-know-the-difference/2011/02/05/