College vs University vs Community College
College vs University vs Community College Heading link
The meaning of “college” and “university” in the U.S. can be confusing. What’s the difference? Is there a difference? And, what is a “community college”?
Generally, when speaking, Americans use “college,” “university” and even just “school” to mean the same thing: a higher education institution that offers 4-year bachelor’s degrees.
Some examples:
If someone asks, “Where did you go to college? Where did you go to school?” you can answer “the University of Illinois Chicago.”
Or, if they ask, “Where are you?” you can answer, “Oh I’m at school. I had a meeting with my Tutorium advisor.”
Some exceptions:
For many, (but not all) higher education schools in the U.S., the words “university” or “college” in their names do have a special meaning.
“University” means the school awards bachelors, master’s, and PhD degrees. “College” means the school awards only bachelor’s degrees. In addition, if a school is called a “Community College,” it usually means the school awards associates degrees which only take two years to complete.