The time as come when you need to make a choice about further education. In the UK that is a big question, as there are hundreds of colleges and universities that combine for thousands of courses. So, how can you possibly choose which one is best for you? What even is the difference between college and university? Is one better than the other? Well, if you carry on reading you are about to find out.
College vs University: The differences
It isn’t easy to find a clear difference between the two, because they often merge and cross lines. One major difference is what is expected of you at college and at the university. At university, there is a large expectation for you to work on your own with less reliance on the teaching staff than at college. And university essays are longer and require more research. This links to another difference. Universities have been described as the institute you go to achieve a degree. Whereas a college is an institution that will place you on the right path to earning a degree.
This isn’t completely true, as a lot of colleges work in partnership with universities to offer you a better education. So, the easiest way to differentiate between the two is their size, universities being the larger institution. And the courses they offer. A university has the means to offer you far more courses, whereas a college can specialise in a certain study area but cover it thoroughly.
For more information, you can check out this by The Infographics Show. Which will give you a good understanding of the differences between college and university.
Things to consider when choosing
There are a few things you should think about and consider before making your choice of college or university.
Career path: What is it you are looking to achieve with further education? The college will give you focused training for a certain trade or job. Whereas in university you can access a course that will open many doors in your career path or open one higher up in your desired trade or job.
Your academic record: Entry to universities and some colleges are result based, so you need to look at yours and consider wThe collegeu can realistically get in. College has a more open doors policy.
What do you want to experience: If you want to know what it’s like to live in student accommodations and enjoy learning on your own time, then university is the place for you. However, if you prefer to be local and maybe a more hands-on approach with help from teachers, then college would be the way forward. That is not to say that you can’t go to a local university or find a hands-on course. But colleges don’t offer help for accommodation.
Financial situation: While you can get loans and bursaries and grants for both college and university, college is a lot cheaper.
Final thoughts
It does seem like there is a lot to consider when choosing college or university. But you don’t need to worry. If you are sure about what you want to do, there is a course for you and help available to get on that course. University is not better than college, or the other way around, it all depends on what you want to achieve.