750 Ridge Road | Monmouth Junction, NJ | 08852 | 732-329-4044

Two-Year and Four-Year College In our modern world, most high school graduates find it essential to continue their education and training beyond high school. The average annual income for individuals with an Associate's Degree (two-year) is almost twice what someone with only a high school diploma can earn. The earnings for a Bachelor's Degree (four-year) can be three times more. Some students who begin their college studies at a two-year college go on to earn their Bachelor's Degree. Regardless of your future goals, planning is essential. The following information should be considered as you select your high school courses.


Two-Year Community or Junior College Some students find that their plans to attend college are better fulfilled at a two-year college which fall into two categories:

• Colleges which generally do not provide housing (Community Colleges)


• Colleges that usually have dormitory facilities (Junior Colleges)

Study at a Community or Junior College can lead to a certificate or an Associate's Degree in a specific career field, or it can be used as a stepping stone to a four-year college. Careful selection of and success in courses at the Community or Junior College allow students to transfer into four-year colleges as juniors, so that a Bachelor's Degree can be earned after four years of study. Many two-year colleges have articulation agreements with four-year colleges so that students can transfer easily. For example, Middlesex County College has articulation agreements with four-year colleges such as Rutgers, Penn State, Kean, and New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Generally, Community and Junior Colleges do not require 16 academic units, nor do they require SAT or ACT scores for admission. Depending upon the program of study, there may be specific course work required at the high school level, or special entrance tests for particular programs (e.g. Nursing at Middlesex County requires that you have taken Lab Biology and Chemistry).

At many schools a Minimum Basic Skills Test is required for placement into college level courses. It is recommended that students research schools and programs of interest to them, and consult with their guidance counselors.


Four-Year College or University Four-year colleges and universities fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Liberal Arts colleges are usually smaller schools which emphasize undergraduate studies in the liberal arts.


• Pre-Professional colleges and universities generally offer a significant number of courses and majors in business, technology, and engineering, as well as graduate degrees in fields such as medicine, law, pharmacy, business, engineering, etc.


• Technical colleges primarily offer majors in technical fields such as engineering, computer science, mathematics or other sciences. They generally offer relatively few majors in the liberal arts.


• Research I and II universities receive significant federal funding to conduct research and have a commitment to offering doctoral programs.


• Honors Programs and Honors colleges are offered by some colleges and universities to provide a greater academic challenge to selected students. Honors programs may include smaller class sizes, honors housing, a senior capstone project or thesis, or special elective courses. Some colleges require an additional application to the Honors Program while others consider students automatically. Departmental honors may be offered by individual departments to students within that major who achieve a minimum required GPA.

Students planning to apply to four-year colleges / universities will want to develop the strongest possible academic record. There is not one program that is right for everyone, but you should keep the following information in mind.

Admission to college is based on a picture of the applicant obtained from the examination of:

• The scholastic record (rigor of courses taken, final grades earned, grade point average, and number of academic units accrued)


• Results of college admissions tests, such as the ACT, SAT, and SAT (II) Subject Tests


• Recommendations written on behalf of the student


• The quality, not quantity, of participation in extra-curricular school and community activities


• Personal interviews


• Content and presentation of the written application, including any required essays

As part of the high school record, colleges look for courses that are college preparatory in content including the level of work required. Such courses are considered academic units. A total of sixteen units taken from grades 9 - 12 is generally the minimum required for college entrance. While each college prescribes the number and character of the academic units it will accept, the following are the usual requirements for entrance to four-year colleges:

• English: 4 units


• College-Prep Mathematics: 3 - 5 units


• Science: 3 - 5 units (at least 2 lab sciences)


• Social Studies: 3 - 5 units


• Foreign Language: 2 - 5 units (of the same language)