There are many misconceptions regarding colleges and universities, many of them revolving around the idea of which one is better. Well, simply put, it depends on the student, YOU . Before deciding on which one is the right choice, it is better to understand what each of them are, and what they offer you for your higher studies.
A university is a large education provider, with many versatile courses and generally large number of students. There are currently 43 universities in Australia that provide Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral Degrees as degrees for higher education. Universities are prestigious, which are accredited based on the quality of research produced by its professors and alumni. Generally, universities have a more diverse offering of classes and programs than a college because of the larger number of enrolled students.To be enrolled in a university, you generally need higher English proficiency test results and a higher average GPA. Universities are generally funded by many investors and well wishers so scholarships and financial aids are given to students in an annual basis based on a students performance, need or skill.
Colleges are similar in the sense that they too prepare a student for higher education, but they are smaller institutions than universities focusing on technical and further education(TAFE), which offers certificate and diploma vocational courses under the Australian Qualifications Framework. A college may be an independent institution or a part of a university. They are generally small, have smaller classes, lesser number of enrolled students and rarely give aids or scholarships. While university courses tend to have an academic focus, TAFE courses are typically more hands-on and are focused on providing students with the necessary workplace skills and training needed by employers.
Now you may have a question in your mind. Which one is better, a university or college? Well, it is better to focus on which one suits you the best. Some may like the environment of a college while some might enjoy that of a university. Colleges generally are easier to get into, so if you want to fast track your first year courses then join a university, you might want a college.
A college, which generally takes up a year worth course corresponding to a university, prepares you for a certain career in a short time while universities take a broader and a fundamental approach. So if you are already sure of your career choice, you might lean more towards selecting a college but if you wish to have more options to choose from, you’d be wanting a university. Further, college class sizes are small so professor interactions will be more frequent, so you are more prone to soak up what is being taught in a class. But universities have a greater resource to dig from, and generally have a more grand way of learning pattern. College educations on the other hand are very career oriented and are “straight to the point.”
Also, there is a much wider range of diversity in lifestyle in universities as compared to colleges. This helps in exploring ones interests and expands their skillset tremendously while studying. Many universities allow students to change and adopt new classes to learn additional skills as per their interest. A student studying in a college may not have such possibilities available to them. Note this however, students studying in a university get a higher exposure to the various academic and professional fields as compared to a college. This is why a student who completes their education from a deemed university, get a higher preference and larger number of job opportunities from employers over candidates who complete their education from a college.
In addition to advantages during job search, many universities which are accredited by an authority having universities in various countries of the world, allows students to explore more job opportunities in different countries of the world. If you are a student considering your life and career, your institution name is less important than whether or not the institution is a good fit for you. Think about what you want your educational experience to be like, and choose the college or university that meets your expectations. At the end, it is upto you to decide which path you want to take.
