Understanding the Worldwide Concept of College
Education is considered a fundamental right of everyone. Through education, not only will they be equipped with the necessary knowledge for the future but education will also provide them the tools to survive in today’s environment. Education is necessary for getting a better understanding about the world and learning how to harness that understanding to personal advancement will require some form of education. This is the reason why parents spend thousands of dollars just to get their kids to school as this is considered the strongest tool kids will have for a better future.
While there are four stages of education; pre-school, elementary, high school and college, the most relevant stage in terms of preparation for a career is college. This is the last stage as an undergraduate that usually dictates what type of job or business a person will consider. In this stage, the fundamental and some of the advanced tools related to the chosen career is learned and practiced. After college, a person will earn a degree which is a stepping stone for a particular career or could be used as eligibility for state exams required for some jobs. College is also a prerequisite for post-graduate studies.
Varying Concepts of College
College is known as a stage where a person learns the fundamental skills for a specific degree. However, the concept of college is not necessary on the final stage of the undergraduate studies. Countries have different interpretation on what a “college” is in terms of education.
College in United Kingdom
The idea of “college” in UK is very loose. It could be applied to a high school with preparation for university-level education, university education itself or simply a collection of professors on a particular subject. There are students who undergo “college” within in a university first before going to a more formal and specific training that the university offers. Some also undergo “college” within high school after undergoing the requirements for secondary education.
College in USA
The idea for colleges in US is straightforward. This refers to tertiary education after high school. College is associated with universities who offer undergraduate studies are referred to as college. Even schools offering post-graduate studies are sometimes referred to as college.
College in Australia
College in Australia could mean three things. First, college could mean tertiary education offered by universities. There used to be colleges independent of universities but they were incorporated to various universities since the country went through a reform during the 80s. The second application for college in Australia is TAFE or Technical and Further Education which could be a short term technical course, “Bible Colleges” and other specialized training useful for a career or a job. The third application is the secondary colleges – a term applied to most private high schools.
College in India
India’s definition of college starts when a student enters their Year 12 of education. This is referred to as the “Junior College” and this is often considered as preparation for specific degrees on universities. College is also applied to independent schools and universities that grant degrees to successful students.
College in Singapore
Singapore’s concept of college studies is only limited to pre-university education. This means college is only applied as “Junior College” where students prepare for a more formal education. More often than not, this is a preparation for admission to various colleges and universities around the country.
Admission to Colleges
Like the concept of colleges, admissions to specific institutions vary per country. But since the concept of college in some countries could also be on junior high school level (Year 12), admission requirements are often for university admissions only. Each country has a specific rule on what a school could require before admitting someone as a student.
Countries often have national examinations for seniors as a way of gauging their knowledge. This type of examination is not necessary an admission test in itself but universities will only accept students who can attain a specific score in the national examination. A good example is the Scholastic Aptitude Test in USA.
Another format for college admission is direct application for specific colleges and universities. In countries that offer aptitude exams for seniors, universities and colleges will require a specific score and admission evaluation at the same time. For countries that do not practice aptitude examination for students, universities conduct their respective admission process.
The admission processes for universities vary. Some colleges only conduct examination to students as a way of gauging their readiness for school. Others combine examination and interview especially on a specific department. Other schools require display of actual skills and knowledge (such as music). There are also universities that visit the homes of their prospects to learn more about their background.
There are also smaller colleges who do not observe strict admission requirements. There are public colleges that will only require minimal admission requirements because the country wants to extend their college education and training to everyone interested. There are also small private colleges who offer minimal requirements for admission although a person has to be careful in choosing these colleges since small private colleges are “for profit institutions”.
For short term courses or specialized training often do not require admission requirements although like small private colleges, they will require some payments. It is important then to scrutinize these schools to make sure that the degree they offer for short term training will match the quality of their training.