Undergraduate Admission FAQ's
Q1. What is an undergraduate degree?
Q2. What is the difference between an undergraduate and a graduate degree?
Q3. How long do undergraduate degrees take to earn?
Q4. What are typical undergraduate courses required for college?
Q5. What are the general requirements for undergraduate admissions?
Q6. Where can students find undergraduate school details?
Q7. Why is an undergraduate degree important?
Q8. What can students expect in an undergraduate interview?
Q9. What are early admission plans?
Q10. Who makes undergraduate admission decisions?
Q11. Campus or online education- which is better?
Q12. What is the difference studying in a community college vs a university?
Q13. Applying to colleges in Spring vs Fall semester -which is better?
Q14. If accepted into college, can a student defer admission?
Q15. How can students change their major in college?
Q16. Guidelines for Recommendation Letters, Application Essays and Statement of Purpose.
Q1. What is an undergraduate degree?
An undergraduate degree may refer to a bachelor's degree, as well as an associate's degree. Students generally take up an Undergraduate degree after high school at institutions of higher learning.
In general, Associates and Bachelors degrees are considered undergraduate course work, while the Masters and Doctoral degrees are considered graduate course work. An associate degree is awarded to students who complete 2 years of schooling. Graduate course work - in most cases - is very specific and is much more advanced toward a particular field of study. An Undergraduate coursework on the other hand, consists of basic educational foundation within a given program of study following high school. A graduate degree is a masters degree, which generally takes 2-3 years of graduate school after college. Students looking to embrace specialized careers should invest in taking up graduate degrees.
Q3. How long do undergraduate degrees take to earn?
It generally takes full-time students four years to earn a bachelor's degree assuming the typical course load of 5 courses (15 credits) per semester for two semesters per year. The length of time to earn an undergraduate degree depends on the level of degree students wish to pursue and whether they plan to attend college part-time or full-time. Degree completion for part-time students depends on the number of courses taken per semester. Some colleges also offer fast-track and online programs which is often targeted toward working students and enables them to earn their degrees in an accelerated time period.
Q4. What are typical undergraduate courses required for college?
Colleges require undergraduates to take several general education classes covering many broad topics. However, the exact classes required depend on the school and the students' major. Among the general topics that undergraduates must study include:Natural sciences, Mathematics, Foreign language and English language.
Q5. What are the general requirements for undergraduate admissions?
Applicants who have a high school diploma or the equivalent are eligible to be admitted and register for undergraduate courses. In general educational institutions need the following from students looking to pursue an undergraduate degree:
a.Graduation from a regionally accredited or state-approved high school;
b.A total score of at least 225 on the General Education Development (GED) examination and no score below 40 on any of the five tests;
c.An overall grade point average of at least 2.00 on a 4.00 scale and a composite score of at least 19 on the ACT or a combined score (critical reading + math) of at least 910 on the SAT; OR an overall grade point average of at least 3.00 on a 4.00 scale and a composite score of at least 16 on the ACT or a combined score (critical reading + math) of at least 780 on the SAT;
d.Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States or hold an approved, valid visa in the United States;
e.Not have been expelled from a previous institution;
f.Complete all required forms for admission in select schools as well as submit official test scores and official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended;
g.Furnish appropriate health insurance/ immunization documents and three letters of Recommendation from professors.
h.International applicants must pass the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of English as an International Communication (TOEIC), the Berlitz Online Proficiency Test, the Pearson Test of English Academic or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
Q6. Where can students find undergraduate school details?
Students can visit our college search category to obtain listings and comprehensive information on different types of schools, colleges, universities and institutes. Information such as: College location, housing, learning environment, student profile, campus life and more is available on each school to help students make the right choice before getting enrolled. Also, listings include: Allied Health, Art, Architecture, Business, Language, Law, Religion, Sports, Community Colleges, Online, Graduate, Undergraduate Schools and more.
Q7. Why is an undergraduate degree important?
Undergraduates with a university degree are often offered opportunities for better occupations and higher pay. It is easier to enter many careers these days with a degree and even if students wish to work in an area where a vocational qualification is sufficient, a degree will help them progress, especially if they are interested in management level jobs. An undergraduate degree validates a person's knowledge and skill in a specific field and helps convince potential employers that the candidate has capacability to work hard and advance in their career.
Q8. What can students expect in an undergraduate interview?
Most college interview questions are meant to help prospective students and the interviewer find out if the particular college is a good match for them. Most common interview questions include:
Tell us about yourself?
What do you do best?
Why are you interested in our college?
What can our college offer you that another college cannot?
What do you hope to do after graduation?
What are your career goals?
What high school experience was most important to you?
So far, what has been your greatest achievements and challenges?
As a student, what can you contribute to our campus community?
Does your high school record accurately reflect your effort and ability?
Interviews generally take place after an applicant submits their application, but before a final admission decision is made.
Q9. What are early admission plans?
A significant number of colleges offer early admission plans. Under these plans, students can apply to colleges early — well before the usual deadline — and get a decision early. Some students who apply under these plans have a better chance of getting enrolled than they would through the regular admission process. Colleges benefit from the plans as well because they get students who really want to attend their college and commit early.
Applying early is a good idea for only those students who are 100 percent sure about which college they want to attend and have already researched its programs and probably visited its campus. If students are looking to make comparisons between colleges based on several key criterias then early admission plans may not suit them.
(Suggested Read: Why Apply Early to Colleges)
Q10. Who makes undergraduate admission decisions?
The Admissions Committee in most educational institutions is responsible for making admission related decisons. The committee is typically composed of representatives from admissions and career services, as well as faculty members and program directors.
Q11. Campus or online education- which is better?
In this day and age, undergraduate programs can truly be customized to suit a particular student's needs. When choosing between campus culture vs.online academia, students should take into account both their lifestyle and learning style. For instance, most working professionals looking to earn a bachelor's degree usually prefer an online option as they get the flexibility in their schedule to pursue both. Again, if students want to take up a specific undergrad program which is not available locally, an online course is their answer. Not all incoming students are willing or able to relocate. Today, a vitual classroom is as conventional as being physically on campus. However, students should research and ensure that their select online programs are accredited and reputed within academia and public/ private industry.
Q12. What is the difference studying in a community college vs a university?
Choosing a college is a complicated task involving tremendous effort and research. A major decision facing prospective college students is the choice between attending a community college or a university. Community colleges are often regarded as less prestigious than universities, although these institutions offer many of the same courses found in the freshman and sophomore curricula of universities. Generally people who cannot afford to go to college full time and therefore need an institution with a flexible schedule so that they can work may find that a community college is better adapted to suit their needs. University tuition costs vary depending upon whether they are public or private, but are more expensive than community colleges. Also, universities offer amenities like on-campus housing and other extra curricular activites, which are not provided by community colleges. Another major difference is that community colleges offer Associate of Arts degrees, nothing higher, whereas at a university students can be educated to obtain a Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degree and Doctorates.
Q13. Applying to colleges in Spring vs Fall semester -which is better?
Based on the experience and responses of students, colleges generally tend to be more selective in considsering candidates for the Spring semester because they base the number of open slots on what's left over from Fall semester. However, the advantage for students applying in Spring is that it gives them a jump-start on their classes, and they are in less competition for the classes that they need to start at the very core.
Q14. If accepted into college, can a student defer admission?
After students successfully apply to colleges and get accepted into a certain program, another opportunity may arise which they may like to pursue and still wish to take-up the college program at a later date. This is what is referred to as 'deferred admission'. Many colleges and universities allow students to defer admission for an undergraduate program for up to one year. Deferring admission usually does not cost anything, but the exact procedure depends on the educational institution students have applied to.
Q15. How can students change their major in college?
Students can change their college majors typically by completing an application form to change majors and by visiting an Assoc. Dean's Office or Academic Affairs office in which the new major is housed and request admission into the desired major. Students are then given additional instructions. However, most educational institutions do not allow a student to change a major until they have completed at least one full semester following their admission.
Q16. Guidelines for Recommendation Letters, Application Essays and Statement of Purpose-
(Suggested Read: Everything about Application Essays for College Admission)
Recommendation Letters:
Most educational institutions request prospective students for letters of recommendation from school counselors and two academic teachers, so that they can better understand applicants and their fitness within the specfic college environment. The most compelling letters of recommendation offer information that either expands upon something the admission council has learned from the student's application or informs them of something entirely new. The best recommendations are not checklists of what the student has accomplished; the best recommendations include instances where the student:
•challenged himself/herself;
•displayed true passion for an academic subject or activity;
•achieved something unprecedented in either the recommender's career or the history of the high school.
Recommendations may also include any anecdote that epitomizes the student's abilities, character, and persona. Overall, letters of recommendation should provide the admission council with a more detailed sense of the student's life in and out of the classroom.( See our sample recommendation letters to get a better idea)
Application Essays:
An essay is required as part of the application process in all universities. The admissions and scholarship committees in colleges use an applicant's essay for admission and scholarship consideration. Therefore, the essay is a key factor in college admission process. Colleges typically want to hear the applicant's individual voice in their writing. Students should write essays that reflect who they are; use specific concrete details and examples where necessary. They should start early prepartion on these essays and feel free to get input, feedback and suggestions from family, friends and teachers. A good practice is to read existing essays. Generally, each college provides it's specific list of assigned topics and word length. ( See our sample application essays and guidelines for more details.)
Statement of Purpose:
All graduate-level programs require applicants to write a statement of purpose. However, when applying to competitive undergraduate programs, such as those in the engineering field, students may also be required to write a statement of purpose. These statements basically relates to the admissions committee an applicant's character and the reason they wish to pursue their chosen academic path. As the name signifies, the statement of purpose is an applicant's personal statement about who they are; what has influenced their career path; their professional interests and future career goals. Educational institutions place a lot of emphasis on these statements so students are required to think carefully before they write.