<p>While I am searching for colleges in USNews Education(<a href="http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/search.result%5B/url%5D">http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/search.result</a>), I have stumbled upon this search criteria,</p>
<p>Ranking category : </p>
<br>
<p>All
National Universities
Liberal Arts Colleges
Regional Universities
Regional Colleges</p>
<br>
<p>What is the difference between these 4 types of institutions?</p>
<p>According to their methodology:
To sort colleges and universities into their appropriate ranking categories, we used the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education 2010 revisions to its highly respected Basic Classification. The Basic Classification is the traditional framework that Carnegie has used to classify colleges. The 2010 update was the first major category revision by Carnegie since 2006; that update was reflected in the 2008 Best Colleges rankings. </p>
<p>As a result of this latest revision, many colleges have switched ranking categories (from National Liberal Arts to Regional Colleges, from Regional Colleges to National Liberal Arts, from Regional Universities to National Universities, or from National Universities to Regional Universities, for example) and some schools have been added to the rankings for the first time. In most cases, these category changes were the main explanation for the biggest movements in this year’s Best Colleges rankings. </p>
<p>The Carnegie classification has been the basis of the Best Colleges sorting system since our first ranking was published in 1983, given that it is used extensively as the basis for classifying schools by higher education researchers. For example, the U.S. Department of Education and many higher education associations use the system to organize their data and as the basis for research studies. In addition, in some cases, Carnegie Categories are used determine colleges’ eligibility for grant money. </p>
<p>In short, the Carnegie categories are the accepted standard in higher education. The ranking category names U.S. News uses are our own—National Universities, National Liberal Arts Colleges, Regional Universities, and Regional Colleges. Which U.S. News ranking category a school appears in is based solely on its Carnegie Basic classification category. </p>
<p>[How</a> U.S. News Calculates the College Rankings - US News and World Report](<a href=“http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/09/12/how-us-news-calculates-the-college-rankings-2012]How”>http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2011/09/12/how-us-news-calculates-the-college-rankings-2012)</p>
<p>I think this “short-changes” some schools. Why should Austin College be considered a national LAC and Trinity University regional? They actually draw from the same student pool. While the rankings can provide some useful information about the individual schools, I recommend not putting too much faith in the actual rankings.</p>
<p>The regional vs. national breakout drives me to distraction. For two years West Point and Annapolis were in the National LAC pool while the Air Force Academy was considered Regional. Why?</p>
<p>So far what I read the get the following, </p>
<p>The national universities offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and Ph.D. programs, and emphasize faculty research.</p>
<p>The national liberal arts colleges focus almost exclusively on undergraduate education. They award at least 50 percent of their degrees in the arts and sciences. </p>
<p>The regional universities offer a broad scope of undergraduate degrees and some master’s degree programs but few, if any, doctoral programs. </p>
<p>The regional colleges focus on undergraduate education but grant fewer than 50 percent of their degrees in liberal arts disciplines.</p>
<p>@sadilly I am an international student. So it not easy for me to go to any university and talk to students/admin to see how it fits me. Aside form, size, climate, location…how to get if a particular institute fit me?</p>
<p>How to get the inside review? Where can I get students review of a particular institute?</p>
<p>Any heads up would help.</p>
<p>Baseline fit should be on cost and academic offerings. If the school is too expensive, or does not offer the academic majors and courses you are interested in, it is not suitable.</p>
<p>Some schools are “liberal arts college (LAC) model”, while others are “research university (RU) model”.</p>
<p>“LAC model” schools are typically small, and have small faculty led classes at all levels, often intended to increase interactiveness of the classes. Their common disadvantages are limited offerings in upper level courses, especially in areas that are not their primary focus.</p>
<p>“RU model” schools may be small or (often) large. Lower level courses are commonly taught in huge lectures by faculty members, supplemented by smaller discussions with graduate student teaching assistants. In some cases, they may be small classes led by graduate students. Upper level and graduate level classes are more likely to be small faculty led sessions with greater interactivity. The larger “RU model” schools tend to have a broader range of subjects offered, with more upper level courses offered in most subjects. Graduate level courses are available for graduate students and advanced undergraduates.</p>
<p>The “LAC model” is likely best for someone who is not super-advanced in his/her fields of interest, and chooses a “LAC model” school whose primary focus includes those fields of interest, so that there is a decent selection of upper level courses available.</p>
<p>The “RU model” is likely best for someone who is super-advanced in his/her fields of interest, because s/he will likely skip some or all of the lower level huge lectures and go directly to the upper level classes. It may also be more suitable for someone who is very undecided about what to major in if s/he cannot find a “LAC model” school with good offerings in all of the possible majors.</p>
<p>I want to study computer science, where the computer science is under ‘College of engineering’, not under ‘College of Science’.</p>
<p>I am really advanced in my field. I am been with this subject for the last 15 years, programming since my 3rd grade.</p>
<p>I have some financial constrains, but I am pretty sure if that University offer merit(class performance) based scholarship I am gonna get that. But, still I can afford mid-range universities.</p>
<p>The current institute I am in, my freshman and sophomore year was frustrating. I haven’t learned anything in the last 2 years. I got demotivated, and stopped attending classes and as a result GPA dropped down, and now its around 3. I thought of starting all over again to a good university, but my family suggested me to go for transfer.</p>
<p>Now I am planning to apply as a transfer student to a good US university where I will be ale to share my passion and enthusiasm with the people around me.</p>
<p>From you post I think LAC is not for me, so I removing ‘Regional Colleges’ and ‘LAC’ from my selection criteria.</p>
<p>What else should I focus on? I was kinda hoping for some student review site that could help me out. Cause all the formal/official website reflects what the official and other distant people think and know about that particular institute, not what the students feel about it.</p>
<p>As an international transfer student with a 3.0 GPA, your chances of getting merit aid are rather slim…</p>
<p>@annasdad Not at the time of admission, but based on the class performance after I get in. For me the most important thing is picking the right institution where I will be able to fit in. Scholarship comes second. </p>
<p>From here(I am a Bangladeshi student) with some numerical figures and some filters its hard to judge and pick the right one.</p>
<p>Any additional merit aid offered after admission is usually limited to a couple of thousand dollars. High merit aid is usually limited to incoming freshmen to bring in very smart kids and bring up the general standards of the school.</p>