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Four Year Colleges: Private Colleges and Universities

Types of Colleges: Four Year Colleges


Private Colleges and Universities

Among the 200 colleges and universities in the state of California, there are approximately 60 private schools. These colleges do not have direct financial support from and control by the state of California. This independence means that they have greater freedom in designing programs, defining admission criteria and procedures, and determining the focus and culture of the school. Because of this self-direction, you will find great diversity among the private colleges. They are large, medium, and small; nonsectarian and religious; greatly selective to very modestly selective; traditional to innovative; specialized and liberal arts. Some are for women only or men only. Some are nonprofit; some are for-profit businesses. Campuses vary widely in location, environment, goals, admission requirements, and programs and degrees offered.

There are four types of private, four-year colleges:

    • Research institutions such as the University of Southern California or Stanford University.
    • Small, comprehensive universities such as the University of the Pacific or Loyola Marymount University.
    • Small specialized schools such as Cal Tech and the California Institute of the Arts
    • Small liberal arts colleges such as the University of Redlands, Occidental College, and Claremont colleges.

logo californiacolleges.eduFor more information on California Public Colleges (Community Colleges, CSU and UC) and Independent Colleges, go to: www.californiacolleges.edu.