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Four-year colleges & universities
Four-year colleges and universities are a direct route to a bachelor’s degree, and have many majors and fields of study to choose from. You may be wondering, what’s the difference between a college and a university, aren’t they the same? Not quite. Liberal arts colleges are usually private and have more limited degree options, mainly history, language, literature, math, and life sciences. Universities, however, provide a wide array of options for majors and tend to be much larger. They also offer opportunities beyond a bachelor’s degree such as master’s, doctorate, or specialist degrees such a juris doctor (law) or medical degree. Both types of four-year schools can be private or public.
For more information about the different types of colleges, take a look at Types of College: The Basics, from the CollegeBoard.
There are many options when it comes to four-year colleges and universities, but generally they are divided into two categories. Learn more below.
PUBLIC COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
Funded by the state where they’re located, and tend to be more affordable than private colleges, especially if you live in-state. Public Illinois universities are:
Northeastern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana
Curious about admission requirements or the likelihood of acceptance into any of these schools? Check out this admissions insight tool provided by CollegeSimply.com:
PRIVATE COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES
Not run by the state, so they rely more heavily on tuition and fees and tend to be more expensive. Some private colleges offer generous scholarships to students, funded mostly through donations.
The list of private schools in Illinois is HUGE. CollegeSimply.com has put them together in a list for you along with admission requirements. If you’re interested in private colleges or universities in Illinois check it out:
How do I choose?
Between public and private schools both inside and outside of Illinois, you have a TON of options. We understand how overwhelming and just plain confusing this can be. A few basic things to consider are:
Does this school have my major, or what I want to study?
How much does this school cost? (Click here to learn more about paying for your education)
Do I want to commute to school or live on campus?
Does this school help with job placement after I graduate?
Is this school responsive to students who are on financial aid?
Do I want small or large lecture sizes? How do I learn best?
For more ideas on what to look for in a college or university, and choosing a school that is right for you, check out this video of two college sophomores chatting about what led them to their current schools.