Centers of higher education in the United States are variety of institutions with a strong research base and funding that have led them to develop as among the world’s most prestigious institutions which are not only of vital importance to local students from within America but also a great attraction for students around the globe. American universities and colleges are throng by international students, professors and researchers in the pursuit of academic excellence. Public universities, private universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges all make a significant role in higher education in the United States. Colleges and universities in the America are also differentiated on the basis of their goals like emphasizing a vocational, business, engineering, or technical curriculum while others may emphasize a liberal arts curriculum. Many combine some or all of them.
According to an UNESCO report America has the second largest number of higher education institutions in the world, amounting to total of 5,758, with an average of more than 115 existing in each state. The US also has the highest number of higher education students in the world, 14,261,778, that is about 4.75% of the entire American population.
In an American Community Survey done by the United States Census Bureau the facts emerged that 19.5 percent of the population in US have attended college but has no degree, 7.4 percent has an associate’s degree, 17.1 percent have a bachelor’s degree, and 9.9 percent have a graduate or professional degree. The survey further stated that the best percentage of people 25 years and above with percentage in states in America follows as below.
- District of Columbia (45.9 percent),
- Sates of Massachusetts (37 percent),
- Maryland (35.1 percent),
- Colorado (34.3 percent),
- Connecticut (33.7 percent).
- West Virginia (16.5 percent),
- Arkansas (18.2),
- Mississippi (18.8 percent),
- Kentucky (20 percent),
- Louisiana (20.3 percent)
However, for proper regulation of Universities there are the accreditation agencies that rate universities and colleges on criteria like as academic quality, quality of their libraries, the publishing records of their faculty, and the degrees which their faculty hold. Whereas non-accredited institution and agencies are considered to be as lacking in quality and providing better educational opportunity thus are named as diploma mills.
