Those dreaming of getting a higher education in America have a lot to choose from. There are a huge number of universities in the country and each of them offers training at the highest level. In addition to the prestige of the educational institution, the location of the university is also important for applicants. Whoever of us dreamed of living for several years in sunny California, in one of its beautiful cities.
California is one of the most developed and prosperous states. There are more than three hundred universities in the region. Tens of thousands of people come here every year for education and job search.
How the higher education system in the States works
In the United States, as in any country in the world, a university, college, or institute can be public or private. Each university must undergo compulsory accreditation for both teaching activities and training programs. A foreign applicant will have to pass serious entrance tests in order to receive the coveted title of “student of an American university”. A US diploma is a magic key that helps open the door to the largest companies in the world.
No wonder American education is considered one of the best and most prestigious. The country’s universities employ exclusively professionals in their profession. This is confirmed by any university from the famous Ivy League, which are considered the standard of quality.
The higher education system consists of three standard stages: undergraduate, graduate and doctoral studies. The first stage lasts 4 years, the second 2, and to obtain a doctorate degree you will have to study for another 3 years.
There is another step between school and higher education institution – Community colleges. After two years of study, the graduate receives a specific profession and associate degree. Further, the young specialist has a choice: to start work in junior positions or go to university. At the same time, the credits received during the training will be credited to the university. Such professional institutions should not be confused with universities, which also often have the word college in their name.
A distinctive feature of US universities is that during the first two courses a student has the right to choose what specialty he wants to study in. Sometimes you can add one more to the basic direction to get two professions at once. The exceptions are those specialties in which from the first year they begin to give specialized disciplines.
A student’s progress is measured by the number of credits earned. According to the number of credits collected, the minimum amount of which each university determines independently, the student receives or does not receive a diploma.
After receiving a bachelor’s degree, many continue their studies in a master’s degree. A master’s degree gives more chances for successful employment with subsequent career growth, in contrast to a bachelor’s degree, after which you can only apply for junior positions.
The US Master’s degree has already a practical focus, which is more valuable both for students and for future employers who will receive an employee not just with a theoretical base, but a practicing specialist. There will no longer be superfluous general subjects, but only specialized disciplines. Most of the time is devoted to independent research, and very little is devoted to the theoretical part. All two years of study, students work on a research project, which is presented by the court of the attestation commission.
Foreign students wishing to enroll in a master’s program after receiving a bachelor’s degree at home need to pass the GRE or GMAT test, as well as have a university diploma and a TOEFL language certificate.
For future managers in America there is a special type of master’s degree – MBA. It is the United States that is the ancestor of this trend. The admission requirements are different from the standard Master’s degree. Students with existing work experience come here. Although education is not cheap, it will pay off quickly. a specialist with such a diploma can easily get a job in a large company for a high position.
The final stage of US higher education is doctoral studies. For three years, the aspirate conducts scientific research, which at the end will be presented for defense before the commission. Foreigners wishing to enroll in graduate school must complete compulsory preparatory courses, have a language certificate, recommendations from the previous place of study and research work (for some specialties).
Admission procedure
Education in the United States is expensive. But for talented students there is always the opportunity to receive a university scholarship or a grant from any fund. The registration procedure will take a long time, therefore it is recommended to submit documents one year before the expected date of enrollment.
For those wishing to enroll on their own, you need to familiarize yourself with the requirements of universities. There are general provisions that are standard for all universities. These include an application, passing tests, SAT and SAT Subject tests, recommendations, a motivation letter. An additional bonus will be the presence of volunteer activities or achievements in the field of sports. Documents can be submitted both online and by mail. The procedure contains many details, and it will be difficult to do without the help of professionals. Therefore, in order to prepare a package of documents for admission, it is better to contact the Capital Study company. Our consultants will tell you about all the intricacies of the enrollment procedure in each case.
California: features of the local education system
Another feature of US higher education is the independence of the canons of each state. That is, the educational policy in each region is different. California’s education structure and principles are based on the California Master Plan for Higher Education. This system has existed for more than half a century and has become a benchmark for other regions of the country.
Thanks to this strategy, it has become easier for American school graduates to get higher education, the native residents of the state study almost free of charge, and the quality and quantity of programs have also increased. Higher educational institutions began to be united into single holdings, creating extensive networks with one main control center.
The state’s private institutions operate according to their own programs and standards, which is in line with the program’s idea of diversity, and also contributes to the all-round development of students.Every university in California is required to be accredited.California’s higher education system includes over a hundred Community colleges. Thanks to partnerships with universities, after graduating from such an educational institution, you can easily enter a state university.
It is not necessary to graduate from community college to apply. Yesterday’s students can apply directly to the university to study for a bachelor’s degree or receive a specialist diploma. Those who choose scientific activity continue their educational path in master’s and postgraduate studies.
In the USA, a system of transfer from one educational institution to another without additional exams (transfer) is widespread. This opportunity can be used not only by US citizens, but also by international students.
Studying programs
Each state has its own main industries that shape the region’s economy. Depending on this, a list of demanded specialties is formed. In California, the main areas include: oil production and refining, the agricultural sector, IT technologies and, of course, show business.Therefore, the most popular programs among local students and international students are:
- theater and cinema, television industry. This is not surprising, since it is in California that the heart of the world film industry is located – Hollywood. University of Southern California Film School, UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, Film & Media Department at University Of California at Berkeley – the region’s leading film education institutions;
- engineering direction and specialties related to information technology. In the world-famous Silicon Valley, there are offices of the largest corporations;
- medicine and veterinary medicine, economics and entrepreneurship. Quality education in these areas is offered by Davis University, which is part of the University of California.
Prices per year of study range from $ 25,000 to $ 65,000. But a diploma from one of the universities in California will allow you to apply for high positions with more than decent wages, which will pay off the costs in just 1-3 years of work.
Of course, not all of the time will be spent learning. California is rich in natural beauty, amusement parks, world-renowned attractions and sports opportunities, including surfing and diving. People also travel to California to get to the center of cinematic life.
Where to go to study in California
The largest number of foreign students in the world study at American universities. More than 700,000 students annually study in only 2 universities of California.In total, there are more than 100 universities in this western state of the country.
The most prestigious public universities include:
- California State University. It is the largest and most famous university in the state. He manages 23 campuses and eight research centers. About half a million students study here annually, but the choice of programs is not so great.
- The University of California includes 10 campuses. 250,000 students study here annually. The range of directions and specialties is very wide; the university is engaged in research activities. The departments of the university confidently occupy high lines not only in California, but also in world rankings.
Among private educational institutions, the following California universities can be noted:
- Elite Stanford University in California. It is one of the three most prestigious and richest universities in the world. The leading areas are computer technology and entrepreneurship. The educational institution is located in the world center of IT-technologies – in Silicon Valley. This creates an excellent opportunity to find work in one of the world’s largest companies in California. The work will not keep itself waiting long, tk. a Stanford University diploma is guaranteed employment.
- California Institute of Technology closed the top 5 in the international rankings last year and the year before. The high quality of education is evidenced by the fact that more than 30 graduates of this educational institution have won the prestigious Nobel Prize. The priority areas are medicine and technical specialties. The University is actively involved in scientific research, presenting fundamental developments.
Doing it yourself is not easy. One preparation will take about a year. In order to quickly adapt to the new cultural environment, improve the language and prepare for the entrance tests, it is better to seek help from one of the major international educational centers. They cooperate with many universities, and during the preparatory courses, students will have the opportunity to choose a university and visit various educational institutions. As a rule, the preparatory department is located directly on the territory of the university, which helps to quickly adapt to new conditions.
Shorelight Education is one of these language education centers. He assists in enrolling foreign applicants for the first year of an American partner university. The center provides curatorial support to its wards throughout the entire period of study. An individual approach helps to make the best choice of an educational institution, based on the language level and the average grade of the school certificate.
One of the universities Shorelight Education partners with is the University of the Pacific. It is located in California near San Francisco. The university was founded in the middle of the 19th century, then it was located in Santa Clara and had the title of a college, and since 1923 it has finally moved to Stockton. Two more campuses are located in Sacramento and San Francisco. During its long history, it has changed its name several times. It is the state’s first independent college. He opened the first conservatory of music and medical school on the West Coast (California). You will find the name University of the Pacific at the top positions in various rankings. The university is accredited by WASC.
The higher education institution has several colleges and high schools. The Eberhardt School of Business implements an MBA program in business administration, accounting and management.
All subjects are taught by highly qualified teachers. But most of all, the university is famous for its engineering direction. Of course, as in any educational institution in the United States, student life is not complete without sports, creativity and socially useful activities, to which much attention is paid.
Foreigners can enter both directly and after completing a special preparatory course, where future students will be able to adapt, improve their language and gain new knowledge in their future specialty. Study lasts only 2-3 semesters, after which students are immediately enrolled in the second year. Support centers and career centers operate to help foreign students.
Studying abroad is a long and difficult process of preparation for admission. In order to meet the deadline and not make mistakes in the process of collecting documents, contact Capital Study for help. Our many years of experience will help you prepare without unnecessary hassle, and most importantly, meet the deadline. Through our strong partnerships with leading overseas education centers, you can be confident that you will receive quality education and support throughout your study in California.
