What is a “College?”

/kɒlɪdʒ/Noun (US)

An institution of higher education teaching undergraduates and/or graduates. Nearly synonymous with university, with less emphasis on research and may, or may not, have graduate or doctoral programs.

California State University, Chico

Chico StateFounded September 3, 1889, California State University, Chico is the second-oldest campus in the twenty-three-campus California State University system. It is located in Chico, California, about ninety miles north of Sacramento.

Chico State

Chico State

How about you?

• Which college or university did you attend?• When did you go there?• What is your college known for? What majors

does your college specialize in?

Top Ten U.S. Universities

1. Harvard UniversityCambridge, MA

Harvard University is a private institution in Cambridge, Mass., just outside of Boston. This Ivy League school is the oldest higher education institution in the country and has the largest endowment of any school in the world.

2. Princeton UniversityPrinceton, NJ

The ivy-covered campus of Princeton University, a private institution, is located in the quiet town of Princeton, N.J. Princeton was the first university to offer a “no loan” policy to financially needy students, giving grants instead of loans to accepted students who need help paying tuition.

3. Yale University – New Haven, CT

Yale University, located in New Haven, Conn., offers a small college life with the resources of a major research institution. Yale students are divided into 12 residential colleges that foster a supportive environment for living, learning, and socializing.

4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (M.IT.) – Cambridge, MA

Though the Massachusetts Institute of Technology may be best known for its math, science, and engineering education, this private research university also offers architecture, humanities, management, and social science programs. The school is located in Cambridge, Mass., just across the Charles River from downtown Boston.

5. Stanford University – Stanford, CA

The sunny campus of Stanford University is located in California’s Bay Area, about 30 miles from San Francisco. The private institution stresses a multidisciplinary combination of teaching, learning, and research, and students have many opportunities to get involved in research projects.

6. California Institute of Technology (CalTech) – Pasadena, CA

The California Institute of Technology focuses on science and engineering education and has a low student-to-faculty ratio of 3:1. This private institution in Pasadena, Calif. is actively involved in research projects with grants from NASA, the National Science Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

7. University of Pennsylvania – Philadelphia, PA

Founded by Benjamin Franklin, the University of Pennsylvania is a private institution in the University City neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pa., near Drexel University. Undergraduates can study in four academic departments: Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Engineering and Applied Sciences, and Wharton.

8. Columbia University – New York, NY

Columbia University has three undergraduate schools: Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), and the School of General Studies. This Ivy League, private school guarantees students housing for all four years on campus in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights neighborhood in New York City.

9. Duke University – Durham, NC

Located in Durham, N.C., Duke University is a private institution that has liberal arts and engineering programs for undergraduates. The Duke Blue Devils sports teams have a fierce rivalry with the University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill Tar Heels and are best known for their outstanding men's basketball program.

10. University of Chicago – Chicago, IL

The University of Chicago, situated in Chicago’s Hyde Park community, offers a rich campus life in a big-city setting. Since 1987, the private institution has hosted the University of Chicago Scavenger Hunt, a four-day event that is regarded as the largest scavenger hunt in the world.

What are the best Chinese schools?

• What are the top five universities in the People’s Republic of China?

• If you had more money than you could ever spend, where would you send your child to study?

• Would you prefer to study at a local university, or abroad?

College Parties

Beer Bong

Body Shots

Keg Stand

What do you think?

• What kinds of bad behavior do college students get up to in China?

• Do you think it is dangerous for people to do these types of things?

• Some people think that college parties are an excellent way for people to learn how to socialize and make valuable connections. What do you think?