questions & answers

What’s the Difference Between a College and a University?

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on September 24, 2025

Key Takeaways: A college is generally a higher education institution that only offers up to bachelor’s degrees. A university offers bachelor’s degrees in addition to postgraduate degrees, such as master’s or doctorates. Experiences can vary depending on the type of school, so students should compare college vs. university before applying. In the United States, “college” …

questions & answers

Are There Any Resources for First-Generation College Students?

By Liz SkogerboeLast updated on December 22, 2022

The answer is yes! In the world of higher education, about 30% of all students are first-generation, meaning they are the first in their family to attend a college. Because they are a large portion of students today, colleges and universities need to have resources available for them. First-Generation Scholarships There are many scholarships out …

questions & answers

What are Sun Grant Colleges?

By Liz SkogerboeLast updated on December 22, 2022

The United States Congress passed the Sun Grant Research Initiative Act of 2003 in an effort to pair land-grant universities with national laboratories and other groups to work towards creating a more sustainable country with domestically produced energy. The Sun Grant Centers are the land-grant university representatives for their regions of the United States. The …

questions & answers

Better Grades or Better Reputation: Which is More Important in College?

By Liz SkogerboeLast updated on December 22, 2022

For many students applying to college, a concern is how the institution they attended and the grades they received will impact their success later on. Would you rather get better grades at a state university? Or will you be just as fine with lower grades from a higher-ranked university? Better grades or better reputation? No …

questions & answers

What is a flagship university?

By Hilary CairnsLast updated on December 18, 2025

Key takeaways Flagship universities are public schools in the United States and are often the oldest and largest institutions in the state. These schools are classified as Doctoral Universities with high or very high research activity. Each state has at least one flagship university. Some states like New York, Indiana, and Texas have two or …

questions & answers

What is a Space Grant College?

By Kali SlaymakerLast updated on December 22, 2022

The National Space Grant College and Fellowship Program was created by NASA in 1989. It is now referred to as the Space Grant. It is a national network of colleges and universities aimed at promoting space projects through engineering education, research, and public outreach events. There are 850 affiliates including schools, museums, science centers, and …

questions & answers

Is it Better to Live On-Campus or Off-Campus? The Pros and Cons of Each

By Nick RandleLast updated on December 22, 2022

To live on-campus… or to stay at home; that is the dilemma. Choosing is often easy, most of us know the answer from the start. But once in a while, it becomes a big decision for incoming freshmen or even for current students who want to revisit their decision—which is completely normal. In order to …

questions & answers

How are College Discussion and Lecture Classes Related?

By Kali SlaymakerLast updated on December 22, 2022

You may have questions about lecture and discussion classes in college. When I was registering for my very first college schedule, I would add a discussion class section and automatically another class populated onto my schedule. I was confused at first, why do I have an extra 3-5 hours of class a week? That doesn’t …

questions & answers

What is a Land-Grant College?

By Allison WignallLast updated on December 22, 2022

All the way back in the 1850s, there was a growing need for agricultural-based colleges. There was a political movement in which the government would essentially donate land to each state in order to have an agricultural college established there. However, the bill went through several reforms and was even vetoed by President James Buchanan. …

questions & answers

Does the Size of a Class in College Matter?

By Kali SlaymakerLast updated on December 22, 2022

A large deciding factor for many students when choosing a college is size. Do they want to go to a small or big school? As a student, you find your perfect college match in terms of the community it is located, a top-ranked program for the major you choose, a generous financial aid package, but …