II. Reading. The system of higher education in the USA consists of four categories of institutions: universities
The system of higher education in the USA consists of four categories of institutions: universities, four-year colleges, technical training institutions and two-year community colleges. In their last year of high school, students often apply to more than one college or university. Each college or university in the USA has its own requirements for admission. Most colleges and universities require applicants to take a standard entrance exam: the American Collegic Test (ACT) or the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT). SAT must be taken in your senior year in high school. It is given on a certain day in December or January at a local college. The test takes a whole day. There are three parts: Math, English and Logic. Every student gets a book with questions. The book is divided into sections, with about 70 questions each. Each of the three The University Admission Office takes into consideration: 1. The applicants’ high school grades (transcripts). 2. Recommendations from high school teachers. 3. Applicants’ scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) and ACT. 4. The impression they make during interviews at the university. Depending on the source of financing higher education institutions may be either public (state-supported) or private. The amount of money you have to pay depends on whether you go to a private college or a state university. At a private college the tuition is higher. Overall they are much the same as state universities. The subjects are divided into compulsory and optional. The subject the student specializes in is called a «major». Optional subjects are called «electives». Every student is assigned an «academic adviser» or a «faculty adviser» who will help the student decide on a plan of study based on his/her goals and the requirements for Four years of undergraduate study at a university’s «undergraduate schools» or colleges lead to a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree. «Graduate schools», which are part of a university or are separate institutions, offer advanced programs which lead to a master’s (M.A. or M.S.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree. Junior colleges, technical colleges, and community colleges are two-year institutions, usually public, offering technical training and a basic academic program. Some junior and community colleges award only an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree without specifying a major. Other junior, technical and community colleges award A.A. degrees to liberal arts students and A.S. (Associate in Science) or A.A.S. (Associate in Applied Science) degrees to students who major in science or practical technology. After receiving an A.A., A.S. or A.A.S. degree, many students transfer to four-year colleges or universities to complete the requirements for a bachelor’s degree. Note: American Collegic Test (ACT) (originally an abbreviation of American College Testing) is a standardized test for high school achievement and college admissions in the United States produced by ACT, Inc. Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) is a standardized test for most college admissionsin the United States. The SAT is owned, published, and developed by the College Board, The current SAT Reasoning Test, introduced in 2005, takes three hours and forty-five minutes to finish, and costs US $51 (US $91 International), excluding late fees. Possible scores range from 600 to 2400, combining test results from three 800-point sections (Mathematics, Critical Reading, and Writing). Taking the SAT or its competitor, the ACT, is required for freshman entry to many, but not all, universities in the United States. The Associate of Arts (A.A.) is a two-year undergraduate degree offered by many community colleges or junior colleges in the United States. Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) is a technical degree designed to prepare the student in a specific occupational area. Persons receiving the A.A.S. normally enter directly into employment in the area of speciali-zation.
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