U.S.
Education System
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The U.S.
educational system is very different from its Indian
counterpart. U.S.A. has more than 3,300 accredited colleges and
universities, which offer a wide range of graduate and
undergraduate programs. |
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Undergraduate
programs (Bachelor degree) :
This is the first level of post-secondary education that begins
after 12 years of primary and secondary schooling. It
includes at least 4 years of education and earns a bachelor�s
degree (Most Indian graduation courses are of 3 years duration).
There are also two-year programs which earn an Associate degree.
A student who has an associate degree has to study further for a
minimum of 2 years to earn a bachelor�s degree.
Graduate Programs (Master�s & Doctorate degree) :
This is the same as post-graduate education in India. It
usually involves one year or more of education depending on the
subject or course, and earns a master�s or doctoral degree
like MBA, MS or PhD. Admission to a graduate program usually
requires a minimum of 16 years of formal education. That is, 12
years of primary and secondary schooling and further 4 years of
college education. |
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There is
no central ministry of education in the U.S. and each
institution can determine its own programs and admission
standards. There are private as well as state funded colleges.
Universities are academic institutions that
include one or more undergraduate colleges, as well as any
number of graduate and professional schools, i.e. schools
offering study for a single profession such as law.
Four year colleges are undergraduate
institutions offering academic programs leading to a
bachelor�s degree. Community colleges or junior colleges are
undergraduate institutions offering upto two years of academic
instruction beyond secondary school at a relatively low cost.
These offer certificate programs that last for a few months to a
year as well as associate degrees.
Institutes of technology or polytechnic
institutes offer specialized programs in sciences and
engineering, in addition to basic sciences, humanities and the
social sciences, at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. |
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Accreditation
is a process by which universities and their programs are
recognized for maintaining a certain level of performance and
quality. Accreditation is usually done by non-governmental
agencies called accreditation bodies. There are two types of
accreditation : regional & professional.
Regional bodies ascertain whether colleges and universities as a
whole meet certain standards of educational quality.
In addition, certain professional accrediting bodies evaluate
the quality of education in specific fields like Business, Law
etc.
Importance of Accreditation : |
- Ensures that
universities meet minimum standards.
- Only national and
international form of evaluation for US universities.
- Increases the
recognition of degree by employers and schools.
- Helps in case the
student wishes a transfer to another university.
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To check out
the list of accredited US universities, go to www.chea.org
NOTE : Government of India recognizes only
accredited U.S. universities
It is advisable to apply to only accredited
universities.
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US
universities offer two main semester intakes: Fall
Semester (September/October):
This is the main intake and almost all programs are offered at
this times. More financial aid is also available for this
semester and as funds are allocated for the entire year during
this time. Spring
Semester (January/February):
This is the mid-year intake. There is limited financial
assistance available for this semester as most universities
allocate funds to projects in the Fall semester. Some
universities also have a Summer intake around July.
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