Terminology

American universities differ from those in the UK, and the variety among their unis can be daunting. Lots of terms maybe unfamiliar to you, and it is hard to find easily understood explanations. We know, because we’ve been there! Our Academic Goal Setting services included in the Pro and Pro+ Packages will help you find the best academic match out of the hundreds of excellent schools in the States. Below is a quick guide to get you going.

College or University?

We use the words ‘school,’ ‘college’ and ‘university’ interchangeably during the application process. A university offers postgraduate degrees as well as bachelor degrees. Universities often have several thousand students seeking bachelor’s degrees (called ‘undergraduates’) as well as thousands of postgraduates. Colleges offer 4-year bachelor’s degrees but have no postgraduates; generally students at colleges have more direct contact with professors. A junior college is a 2-year institution that offers an associates degree (more comparably to college here). You can transfer to a 4-year university or college for the final 2 years and gain your bachelor degree.

Public vs Private

Private

• Tend to have a more expensive ‘list price,’ but often offer larger scholarships
•  Colleges tend to have fewer students–so smaller class sizes  
• Facility quality for athletics and academics can differ immensely: make sure you do your research on facilities 
•  Some have religious affiliation, but generally they do not require students to be religious  

Public

• Most large universities are public (primarily state-funded) and tend to have good athletic facilities (big sports programs generate good income)  
• Some smaller universities are public, but facility quality varies
• Larger schools usually mean larger class sizes 
• Living facilities and student services may not as good as at private institutions 
•  ‘List price’ costs usually cheaper for public schools, especially for ‘in-state’ (e.g. Kentucky, Michigan) residents. Fees for international students can be much higher than for in-state students. 

These are generalisations, so you have to do your homework! Better yet, let us help you. For example, Harvard and Stanford are private, large institutions, but they offer (some) smaller classes and great athletics facilities. The Ohio State University is a huge public university some of the best facilities in the world, not just for a university, and it is much cheaper to attend. Which suits you best? We can help you decide.

NCAA vs NAIA vs NJCAA

What do these mean? Which one is best for me?

NAIA: National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics
NJCAA: National Junior College Athletic Association
NCAA: (Divisions I, II and III): National Collegiate Athletic Association

The NAIA includes over 60,000 men and women playing 13 sports at nearly 300 institutions. They receive over $450 million in scholarships each year. All athletes must be accepted to the university on academic ability with the same requirements as a non-athlete. Depending on your sport, there is a maximum amount of scholarships the institution can offer. For example, a school can offer tennis players up to 5 full scholarships in various combinations (for instance, 2 full scholarships and 6 half scholarships). Rules about contact between players and coaches in the NAIA are much less strict than in the NCAA, so applying is much easier.

The NJCAA consists of 525 member institutions that are all 2-year colleges. Athletes can compete for a maximum of 4 semesters. Since only 50% of a team can be international, colleges in the NJCAA are not normally one of the best choices an international athlete. However, the NJCAA is an option if you cannot meet the eligibility requirements for the NAIA or NCAA.

Division I, II or III?

The NCAA is the largest and most well-known college sports associations. The NCAA has three divisions which roughly match school size: the biggest universities tend to be Division I. Bear in mind that entire university is part of a division. Also, school preferences for Division I competition for certain sports (like American football or basketball) may mean that tennis players at a Division I enjoy fewer resources at a large university than at a Division II school. Some schools could compete at the Division I level in terms of athletes’ abilities, but lack the financial backing or do not want to devote the funds that Division I athletics need. Others may not have enough enrollment to be allowed in Division I.

Below is some general information, from the NCAA website, that outlines requirements for Division I and II:

Division I

•  Offer at least 7 sports for men and 7 sports for women 
•  Offer 2 team sports for each gender 
•  Have male and female teams or participants for each sports playing season 
•  Offer a certain amount of financial aid award packages without going over the maximum 
• Play at least the minimum amount of contests against opponents in Division I. This number varies for each sport and is a good question to ask the coaches when applying 
•  Meet attendance requirements for basketball and football. 
  

Division II

•  Offer at least 5 sports for men and 5 sports for women 
•  Offer 2 team sports for women and 2 for men 
•  Have male and female teams or participants for each sports playing season 
•  Have at least the minimum amount of contests and participants in each sport.