Guide to Types of University in the US
美国大学的类型指南
If you’re not familiar with the US university system, things can get a little confusing, particularly when it comes to working out how much your studies are likely to cost. Here’s a quick overview of the main different types of university you can expect to encounter in the US. For more information about studying in the US, visit our country guide, or ask a question in the comments section below.
如果你不熟悉美国大学系统，这些事可能会有点令人困惑，尤其你要计算你的留学将花费多少。下面是出国留学网www.liuxue86.com为大家整理的在美国可能遇到的大学主要的不同类型概述。有关在美国留学或其他国家留学的详细信息，请浏览出国留学网www.liuxue86.com
Public (state) universities
Public universities in the US, also often called state universities, receive some level of public-sector funding, via the state government. You may also find them alluded to as public or state colleges or schools, though both “college” and “school” are also used when referring to a single department or faculty within the university, such as the Law School or College of Engineering.
State universities are often (but not always) part of a state university system. This is a collection of public universities which operate separately, in different locations of the state, but with some shared management and administration. An example is the State University System of New York (SUNY), one of the largest state university systems, which comprises more than 60 campuses spread across the state of New York.
As state universities are supported by public funding, they usually charge lower tuition fees than private universities – though the actual amount students pay can vary vastly, especially once financial aid is considered. You’ll find two bands of fees listed: a lower rate for “resident” or “in-state” students (students from within the same state), and a higher rate for “non-resident” or “out-of-state” applicants. International students either pay the same fees as out-of-state students, or a separate international rate.
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公立(国立)大学
在美国的公立大学通常也被称为国立大学，学校通过州政府接受某种程度的公共部门资金。你也可以在包含公立或国立大学、学校找到他们，虽然学院和学校都是指的在大学中的单个部门，比如法律学院或工程学院。
国立大学通常 (但并非总是)是州大学系统的一部分。是分开运营的公立大学的聚集，在州的不同位置，但有部分共享的管理和行政。例如纽约国立大学系统 (SUNY)，最大的国家大学系统之一，包括整个纽约有超过60个校园。
国立大学是由公共资金支持，所以他们通常收取比私立大学低的学费 — — 虽然每个学生的具体学费会发生不同，尤其是有金融援助的情况下。你会发现有两种不同的费用:"居民"或"本州"学生的相对较低的费用 (在同一州内的学生)，和"非居民"或"非本州"的申请人的相对较高的费用。国际学生的学费要么同非本州居民，要么有单独的国际学生费用。
Community colleges
Also referred to as junior colleges, community collegesare also supported by state funding. They typically offer the chance to complete an associate’s degree, an undergraduate-level qualification which takes two years to complete. For this reason, community colleges are also often called “two-year colleges”, while other types of university in the US may be referred to as “four-year colleges”.
An associate’s degree can be beneficial and career-boosting in its own right, and can often also be used as the foundation for a bachelor’s degree, by completing a further two years’ study at another US university or college.
Community colleges tend to be on the smaller side, and their tuition fees are typically much lower than those at other types of university in the US. Like public universities, they’re sometimes grouped into state “systems”. The largest of these is the California Community Colleges System (CCCS), which governs more than 100 community colleges across the state.
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社区大学
也称为初级大学，社区大学同样也有国家资金支持。他们通常提供一个完成学士学位的机会，一个本科水平的人需要两年时间完成。因此，社区大学也通常被称为"两年制大学"，而其他类型的美国大学可能被称为"四年制大学"。
一个副学位是有益并促进职业发展的，也经常用于学士学位的基础，再通过在另一个美国大学或学院完成为期两年的学习。
社区大学往往规模较小，社区大学的学费通常远远低于美国其他类型的大学。像公立大学一样，它们有时被分为州"系统"。其中最大的是加利福尼亚州社区学院系统 (CCCS)，全州有超过 100 的社区大学。
Private non-profit US universities
While the majority of students in the US attend public universities and colleges, private universities account for a significant proportion of enrolments – and many of the country’s most elite and globally famed institutions. This includes the likes of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Caltech, Columbia, Cornell, Johns Hopkins, and many more.
While private universities do tend to dominate at the top of national (and international) rankings tables, it’s worth pointing out that they don’t have a complete monopoly. Leading public universities in the US, such as the University of Michigan and University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) are held in equal esteem and are just as competitive when it comes to gaining admission.
Overall, fees at private universities tend to be higher than those at public universities and colleges. However, the initial “sticker price” is often significantly lower once financial aid is factored in, and the most prestigious institutions tend to also have the largest budgets available for providing scholarships and other funding.
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私立非营利的美国大学
虽然在美国的大部分学生参加公立大学和学院，私立大学也占很大一部分入学率 — — 以及许多国家的大多数精英和全球著名的机构。这包括麻省理工学院 (MIT)、 哈佛大学、 耶鲁大学、 普林斯顿大学、 斯坦福大学、 加州理工学院、 哥伦比亚、 康奈尔、 约翰 · 霍普金斯大学，等等。
而私立大学往往占国家 (和国际) 排名表前列的主导地位，但值得指出的是他们没有完全垄断。顶尖的美国公立大学，如密歇根大学和加利福尼亚大学洛杉矶分校(UCLA) 也获得了同样的尊重，并且争取学生入学的时候也很有竞争力。
总体来看，私立大学的费用往往要高于公立大学和学院。但是，一旦有金融援助，最初的"标价"往往是显著降低，而最负盛名的机构往往也拥有最大的预算，可用于提供奖学金和其他资金。
Liberal arts colleges
A type of university which is especially prevalent and popular in the US, liberal arts colleges focus on teaching undergraduate-level courses in the liberal artsand sciences (although some also offer graduate-level programs and more vocational subjects such as medicine, business administration or law). They tend to be fairly small in terms of both overall enrolments and class sizes, and allow students to choose a subject to specialize in (a “major”), while also taking courses in a range of other fields.
Historically, liberal arts colleges have been known for their strong focus on teaching, individual student development, and the more academic (as opposed to vocational) side of higher education. The majority are run privately (as non-profits), though there are a few examples of public universities which are essentially liberal arts colleges, such as the University of Mary Washington, in the state of Virginia.
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文理学院
是美国特别是普遍和流行的大学类型，文理学院集中在文科与科学的本科课程 (有些也提供研究生水平的课程以及更多的职业专业，如医学、 工商管理或法律)。他们倾向于少的总入学率和小的班级规模，让学生选择一个专业来专攻 ，同时也考虑一系列其他领域的课程。
从历史上看，文理学院众所周知，他们把重点放在教学、 学生个体发展和高等教育的学术方面 (而不是职业)。大多数为私人运作 (非盈利组织)，有少数几个公立大学其本质是文理学院，如在弗吉尼亚州玛丽.华盛顿大学。
For-profit US universities and colleges
While most of the best-known universities in the US are classified as either “public” or “non-profit” organizations, the past few decades have seen a growth in the number of for-profit private universities and colleges. Unlike other types of university, for-profits operate as business ventures, aiming to make money for their shareholders as well as providing a good education for their students.
The trend towards more for-profit universities has generated significant controversy, with critics calling for stricter regulations to ensure students and families are ensured a good return on their investment. In the past few years, a stream of negative publicity has been followed by a decline in enrolments at for-profit universities, but they continue to play a significant role in the US higher education sector.
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以营利为目的的美国大学和学院
在美国，绝大多数著名大学被列为"公立"或"非营利"的组织，过去几十年营利性的私立大学和院校的数量得到增长。不同于其他类型的大学，就像生意经营一样，致力于为股东赚钱，以及为学生提供良好的教育。
更多的营利性大学的趋势产生了重大争议，批评人士呼吁更严格的规定，确保学生和家庭良好的投资回报。在过去的几年中，营利性大学的入学率下降带来了一连串的负面宣传，但他们继续在美国高等教育部门中发挥着重要的作用。
有关在美国留学或其他国家留学的详细信息，请浏览出国留学网www.liuxue86.com
