• Arts vs Science: Some degrees are offered as both, say a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS). Arts degrees will focus more on the humanities, while Science degrees will have more STEM courses.

• Prerequisites: To enter a Graduate Program, you first need to complete a Bachelor's Degree, and potentially additional requirements.

• Stackable Degrees: Some degrees can be a continuation of already completed degrees or credits, giving students more options for how they navigate college. 

⚠️ Not all programs have the same requirements across colleges and degree levels. This can result in completed courses not satisfying the new requirements, requiring additional time and money after transferring. 

How is a university different from a college?

There really isn't much difference; just like how a square is a rectangle, but a rectangle isn't a square. 

For a college to earn the university label, it must offer graduate-level degrees; Olivet College recently became The University of Olivet.

What is the difference between public and private?

Colleges and universities can be either public or private (or tribal); it really just means how they are funded and managed. 

Private colleges tend to charge higher tuition but offer larger academic and athletic scholarships, often making them comparable to some public colleges. 

Michigan has three tribal colleges!

🚩Another category, private for-profit colleges, are technically businesses and are often known for over-promising employment outlooks and having high dropout rates. 

What is a community college?

Community colleges offer more affordable classes for residents of the area and provide certificates and associate degrees. 

In special cases, some community colleges also offer specific bachelor's degrees. Alpena Community College currently offers one Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Systems Technology.

⚠️Most community colleges do not offer on-campus housing. 

What about trade schools?

Still college! 

In Michigan, most hands-on trade programs are offered through local community colleges, which account for the majority of certificates. 

Students interested in working on the corporate side of their trade can easily continue on to earn an associate's degree from the same community college.

The word college is used a lot.

You will also hear the terms 'two-year' and 'four-year' to distinguish community colleges from universities and other four-year colleges. These terms stem from the fact that attending full-time (30 credits per year), an associate's degree will take two years to complete, and a bachelor's degree will take four. 

⚠️Current statistics say the average student now takes 5-6 years to complete a bachelor's degree.

Program and major get used interchangeably, referring to the subject you are studying; my major was Astrophysics. 

You will also hear the term minor, which is like a mini major and is usually closely related to your major, but doesn't have to be. Minors are generally 16 - 30 credits; my minor was Mathematics.

How do you satisfy credits and requirements?

Every program has specific course requirements in addition to reaching the minimum credit count for the degree type. Courses can satisfy multiple program requirements, allowing students to easily attain a minor that is similar to their major with only a few additional courses.

How can I know what courses a degree requires?

Every college has its own way of organizing and naming (and hiding deep in its website) the list of required courses for each major. Once enrolled in a program, you will have a student portal to track requirements as you complete them.

Is there a system to course numbers?

Yes, course numbers actually tell a lot about when you take the course and in which order. 

The first digit corresponds to the year it is usually taken; your first year will have mostly 100-level classes. The next two digits show sequence; 120 and 121 would be something like chemistry 1 and 2, and 130 would be a more advanced class.

Since community colleges are two-year schools, you likely won't see any 300+ courses in their catalog.

What are General Education Courses?

Gen. Ed. Courses are the core subject classes that everyone has to take for an Associate's or Bachelor's degree, regardless of the chosen major. 

Can I transfer credits?

Yes, well, most of the time, classes can be transferred between institutions, but there are restrictions like GPA minimums, and some classes just aren't accepted.

For various reasons, some students will start their college journey at their local community college with plans to transfer to a four-year college. 

This is a great way to save money, but it can also cause setbacks if not properly planned, as requirements vary from school to school. 

Boost Grades (and therefore Scholarships)

If your high school GPA wasn't too great or you didn't get accepted to your first-choice college, completing a year of community college can give you a second opportunity for scholarships and acceptance.

University Mindset

The key is to think of yourself as a university (or other 4-year school) student who is completing courses at a more affordable location. 

While attending community college, they may enroll you in an associate's program, but you are not required to follow that course list or complete a full associate's degree before transferring.

Different Roles, Different Degrees

⚠️ Not all programs are designed to have associate's degree students continue onto a bachelor's degree. 

Two great examples are Veterinary Technicians and Physical Therapist Assistants; the associate degrees for these programs are very specific to those roles. The courses completed to become a Veterinarian or Physical Therapist are not a continuation of those associate's degrees, but rather their own set of unique requirements.

This is why it's essential to research and map out your complete college plan.