College

College is an institution of higher education, essentially composed of a Faculty and Students. A College can be a part of a University or affiliated with a University. A College is governed by set of rules and regulations and functions under a body of authority which can be either governmental or non-governmental. The term College has been derived from the Latin word 'Collegium'. A Collegium was a club or society composed of a number of  people living together, under a common set of rules. These Institutes provided facility of libraries and scientific instruments. They also offered salaries to tutors who prepared students to appear for examination and acquire a degree. That was then, Colleges today have a multitude of meanings.

• Colleges of the World
• Types of College
• Importance or Role of College
• Indian Colleges

Definitions of a College:

An institution of higher learning, providing a general or liberal arts education rather than technical or professional training.

A constituent unit of a university, furnishing courses of instruction in the liberal arts and sciences, usually leading to a bachelor's degree.

An institution for vocational, technical, or professional instruction, as in medicine, pharmacy, agriculture, or music, often a part of a university.

An endowed, self-governing association of scholars incorporated within a university, as at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge in England.

A similar corporation outside a university.

The building or buildings occupied by an institution of higher education.

The administrators, faculty, and students of a college.

An organized association of persons having certain powers and rights, and performing certain duties or engaged in a particular pursuit.

Based on above definitions it is clear that a College is an institution imparting higher education. To a certain extent a College is also that Institute which lies between a Secondary School Education and a University Education and in that sense provides Post-Secondary Education. It is here that a candidate specialises in a certain field and acquires a degree. For some, College is a place for full freedom while for some, it is a place where one can mould his career. Colleges do provide a varied amount of freedom which is not available in a school environment but if this freedom is abused, it defeats the purpose for which a College has been set up. Irrespective of the freedom, Colleges of the World aren't uniform in their administration, purpose, curriculum, teaching methodology and other factors. Also, Colleges world over aren't uniform in their Terminology, often having several different, unrelated, meanings. This aspect is covered below.

Colleges of the World

British Education System and the U.S. Education System are the most pronounced one's in the world, therefore many nations follow one or the other or  mixture of both educational systems. This is primarily because of the influence of the British Colonial Polices in most parts of the world. Wherever, Britishers established their colonies, they introduce their own education policies in their slave countries. As a result, the British Education System became the predominate one. While some countries imitate the U.S. system of education and others see it fit to have a bit of both. 

British Colleges

• Collegiate Universities - Majority of the British Colleges are known as 'Collegiate Universities'. These are defined as 'An institution which is a part of the university, prepares students for the degree but does not have a degree-awarding powers in itself'. For example 'Collegiate Universities' exist in University of the Arts London, University of Cambridge, University of London and University of Oxford. Some like the University of Durham, University of Kent, University of Lancaster, University of St Andrews and University of York also have Collegiate Universities but they provide accommodation and basic care.
  
  
• University Colleges - University Colleges are not to be confused with 'Colleges in University' or 'Colleges named as Universities'. UC's are independent higher education institution which have the power to award degrees, but do not have a university status. These Colleges provide degree programmes within a specialist field and may indulge in research activities. Some of these are - Arts University College at Bournemouth, Harper Adams University College and Royal Agricultural College.
  
  
• Secondary Schools as Colleges - There are some secondary state and private schools which are known as Colleges. For example Eton College, Hurstpierpoint College, Ivybridge Community College etc. are secondary schools known as Colleges.

• FE Colleges - FE stands for 'Further Education'. This college is an institution which lies between a secondary school and a university. These offer a wide range of vocational courses and adult education. FE are managed by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) which is the 'Largest Government Agency funding Education'. Most students studying in these are aged 16 with a few exceptions. Some of these are Aquinas College, Blackburn College, City and Islington College etc.
  
  
• Organisations named as Colleges - There are other Institutes which are known as College. Some of these are Royal College of Organists, Royal College of Surgeons and various other Royal Colleges which are professional associations. Similarly, the 'College of Justice' refers to the Supreme Courts of Scotland and its associated bodies.

United States Colleges

• Community Colleges - Community Colleges are those colleges which provide education to the students of a local community. These colleges offer 2 year courses in higher education, lower-level tertiary education, certificates, diplomas, and associates degrees. These are mostly managed by the state. Some Community colleges are also known as Junior Colleges, Technical Colleges or City Colleges.

• Junior Colleges - A Junior College is a 2 year post-secondary school which provides academic, vocational and professional education. These are similar to Community Colleges, with a minor difference, that some of these are private with majority being run by the state. Just because these are named 'Junior' has made them appear to be managed by private organisations, although it's not true. Another cousin of  'Junior Colleges' are 'Military Junior Colleges'. These colleges provide education to students for becoming commissioned officers in the armed forces reserve in two years, rather than the conventional four years. There are about 5 such colleges in U.S.

• Liberal Arts Colleges - There are some undergraduate institutes which are called as Liberal Arts Colleges. These lay more importance on Liberal Arts curriculum and as such, named so. The courses provided by these are generally of 4 years. These institutes are based on 'Interactive Instruction' which means that student-teacher interaction is of the highest level in the classroom. These Colleges are mostly residential and have a small enrolment, class size, and teacher-student ratio as compared to other institutes. Most of these colleges are managed by some groups or associations like Annapolis Group which manages Agnes Scott College, Colorado College etc.
  
  
• Colleges named for Historic Reasons - There are a number of institutes which are not colleges but yet retain the 'Title' of a College. This is primarily because of historical reasons. Some of these are College of William & Mary, Dartmouth College etc. These Colleges are in fact, Universities but since they have been known as 'Colleges' for a long time, have retained the title.
  
  
• Organisations named as Colleges - U.S. also has various professional organisations which are termed as 'College'. Some of these are American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, American College of Surgeons etc.

Indian Colleges

Undergraduate Institutes - There is no disparity as to 'What is a College in India?'. Barring a few minor exceptions, majority of the colleges in India are educational institutes which provide undergraduate courses in various fields. College level begins after the completion of 10+2 or after the completion of secondary education. Most Colleges offer bachelor's degree and are affiliated with Universities. However, some College do provide post graduate education as well. Programmes are provided by the colleges under the governance of their respective universities. Some of the Colleges are themselves a constituent part of the university and are placed in the campus itself, while others are not. The colleges offer programmes under that university. Examinations are conducted by the university at the same time for all colleges under its affiliation. Indian Colleges are private, government or funded by government. Colleges in India are known for conducting various Competitive examination for admission in various professional courses. Admission to these Colleges is done through all-India common admission tests of which the IIT-JEE, AIEEE, CAT and CPMT are the most popular ones.

Australian Colleges

• Secondary Colleges - Most of the secondary public schools in the state of Victoria are known as 'Secondary Colleges'. Few of these are Brentwood Secondary College and Highvale Secondary College.
  
  
• Schools named as Colleges - In many parts of Australia, various private and state high schools providing secondary education have been named as colleges.
  
  
• University Colleges - Similar to UC's of U.K., these provide courses in specialised fields such as Arts or Theology. Some 'Residential Colleges' associated with universities are also referred as UC's as they provide residential accommodation. University College, Melbourne is one such example of a University College.
  
  
• TAFE Colleges - TAFE acronym for Technical and Further Education are institutions providing vocational tertiary education courses, mostly qualifying courses under the National Training System/Australian Qualifications Framework/Australian Quality Training Framework. This vocational tertiary education is provided in the fields of construction, community work, engineering, hospitality, information technology, secretarial skills, tourism and visual arts. Individual TAFE institutions are known as TAFE Colleges. A few of these are Canberra Institute of Technology and Bachelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education.
  
  
• Organisations named as Colleges - Similar to other countries various professional and registrations are termed as colleges even though they may not be educational institutes. One of the example of this type is, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.

New Zealand Colleges

• Constituent Institutes - Quite a universal practice, Constituent Institutes as Colleges, is also observed in New Zealand. These Colleges are named after various departments they contain like Arts Department is under the Arts College. This practice is evident in the University of Canterbury.
  
  
• Halls of Residence named as Colleges - There are certain Universities which have 'Halls of Residence' associated with them. Here these are still known as Colleges, even though they aren't. One such example is that of University of Otago where the residence halls are still known as Colleges.
  
  
• Schools termed as Colleges - Secondary School for ages 13 to 17 are generally known as 'College'. Some High Schools are also termed similarly. In North Island the term 'College' is more frequently used while in South Island this term is replaced by 'High School'.

Canadian Colleges

• Community Colleges - In Canada, Colleges are generally referred as Community Colleges. Community Colleges grant certificates, diplomas, associates degree, and bachelor's degrees. These are also known as Technical, Applied Arts, or Applied Science Schools. There are about 150 such institutions in Canada.
  
  
• CEGEP - CEGEP is acronym for College d'Enseignement Général Et Professionnel, a French word which stands for 'College of General and Vocational Education'. CEGP's are equivalent of Colleges in Quebec and are not called as Colleges. These are basically 'Public Post-Secondary Institutions'. CEGEPs charge little or no tuition fee. There are about 48 CEGEPs in Quebec. Of thses 48 only 5 are of English language-medium. One requires Diplôme d'études collégiales (DEC, College Education Diploma) for university admission in Quebec.

• University Colleges - University Colleges are those colleges which grant only undergraduate degrees. This has been essentially done to differentiate between universities, which offer both undergraduate and graduate programs and those that do not. Such type of Institutes are found in some part of Canada, like British Columbia and Alberta.
  
  
• Federated Colleges - Federated Colleges are those Colleges which are independent to some extent but are largely governed by a University. They are named so, because the Universities with which they are associated are Federations. Because they are affiliated with a university, they are also known as Affiliated Colleges. All students of the Federated Colleges are also registered as students of the university. For example University of Regina, has three federated colleges - Luther College, Campion College, and the First Nations University of Canada, under it. All these are located in University's main campus.
  
  
• Collegiate Institutes - Colleges in various cities of Canada are termed as 'Collegiate Institutes' or 'Collegiates'. These are basically, government-run secondary schools. These schools name themselves as such because they don't want the term 'Post-Secondary' in their title, as such they have devised a way in the form of 'Collegiate'. Some of these are Lisgar Collegiate Institute - Ottawa, William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute, Riverdale Collegiate Institute etc.

Singapore Colleges

• Junior Colleges - Colleges are vastly called 'Junior Colleges' in Singapore. Junior colleges provide pre-university education which is composed of final two years of secondary education. In recent times, 3 Campuses Institute of Technical Education - ITE College East, ITE College Central, and ITE College West, have also been termed as Colleges.

French Colleges

• Collège - In France, a Middle School or Junior High School which lasts 4 years (from around 11 to 15 years old), is known as Collège.

Irish Colleges

• Institution of Tertiary Education - In the Republic of Ireland Colleges, largely mean 'An Institution of Tertiary Education'. Tertiary Education refers to formal, non-compulsory, education that follows secondary education. Undergraduate, Postgraduate and or Vocational programs are covered under Tertiary Education.
  
  
• Other Colleges - Most of the Colleges in Ireland function under the government with a number of Private or Independent Colleges whose most programmes are validated by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). Some are associated with universities and/or professional associations through which the courses are accredited.

Japanese Colleges

University as Colleges and Vice Versa - In Japan, there is no separate distinction as to 'What is a College?' and 'What is a University?'. Both Institutions are considered, one and the same. These institutions impart Four-Year education program. Majority of Japanese Colleges are run by private organisations, a trend opposite in comparison with other countries. There are two categories under which japanese colleges can be divided.

Types of College

There are various criteria under which Colleges can be classified. Some have been mentioned above. Since these aren't universal in their terminology, foundation, structure, functioning, teaching methodology and other factors, it is not suitable to rely on this categorisation. But there are certain colleges, which on a wide base can be categorised on the basis of authority, sex, type of education and other factors. The education provided in these colleges can be simply academic, specialised and or vocational.

Colleges can be thus categorised as:

Public Colleges - Public Colleges are those colleges which are maintained for the public by the government. They function in accordance with certain guidelines set forth by the state and federal government. As such, they are closely supervised by one or more governing boards. Education in these colleges is subsidised or is free, especially in Developed Nations. But most of these have fees which is economical for most. Public Colleges are able to educate larger populace as they generally have large infrastructure.

Some of the Public Colleges in the World

• King's University College, U.K.
• Sawai Man Singh Medical College, India.
• Wordsworth College, Canada.

Private Colleges - Private Colleges are those colleges which are maintained for the public by the private organisations. They function in accordance with certain guidelines set forth by their founding organisation. They are mostly funded by the tuition fees they collect from the students, donations and or funds granted by government. Education is paid in these colleges. Private Colleges have limited seats and therefore impart education to less people. Most of the private colleges provide quality education and therefore their academic results are better as compared to Public Colleges.

Some of the Private Colleges in the World

• CTS Canadian Career College.
• Abbey College, Australia.
• Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, Chandigarh, India.
• Stamford College, Malaysia.

Distance Education Colleges - Distance Education Colleges, the term itself is self-explanatory, i.e. to say Education acquired from a distance. Such Colleges deliver course material to students at their home itself. Besides this they may conduct classes for certain period of time. They may even take certain tests during the course period. Such colleges provide convenient and flexible education, in the sense that one can choose his/her time of study and approach. Some colleges, even offer courses which can be studied off-campus anywhere in the world. Distance education Colleges are the most beneficial for people who couldn't get their college education in time or those who are unable to attend due to their busy schedules. Many colleges have a separate department which handles such education. Distance Education Colleges are also referred as 'Correspondence' or 'Open' Colleges. Another form of such colleges are known as 'Online Colleges'. Online colleges are known as such because they provide courses or education training primarily via the Internet. Some of the regular colleges also offer online education. Online colleges are in vogue in developed nation but in developing countries they are still in their infancy. The Thing with Online Colleges is that some of them provide certificate as if they were for sale, so it's important to search for those online colleges which are accredited by a recognized accrediting agency. One should also check from the admission counsellor of the online college, about the services, resources and online support offered by it. Not to forget, whether the credits acquired from them are transferable to any other college (traditional or online).

Some of the Distance Education Colleges in the World

• Open College of the Arts, U.K.
• UK Open College, U.K.
• National Open College, Nepal.
• Capitol College, U.S.A.

Same Sex Colleges - Same Sex Colleges can be either College for Men or Women's College. College for Men are basically meant for Means while Women Colleges are exclusively meant for Women. In spite of their exclusiveness some do give admission to opposite members of the sex, but only in small proportion. Women Colleges were historically established as women were largely ignored when it came to education. To provide advanced education for women, these colleges were established. Today, these colleges are meagre in number and some have even become co-educational. These are structured to benefit the women, the most. The reason why these colleges have been established is that these seem to provide less distraction and there is less bias as compared to a co-educational college. In a man's world, where women seem to be the 'Lesser Beings' these have been apparently established to provide advantage to women in all areas. Colleges for Men are even lesser in number than Women's College. There are like 'Dying Breeds', many of which have become Co-educational. Those that are still functioning have the same notion as those of Women's Colleges or are traditional in terms of providing education to boys or men only.

Some of the Women Colleges in the World

• Barnard College, U.S.A.
• Bethune College, India.
• Dubai Women's College, UAE.
• Murray Edwards College, United Kingdom.
• Miriam College, Philippines.

Some of the Colleges for Men in the World

• Wabash College, U.S.A.
• Government College for Men, Chandigarh, India.
• St Paul's College in Sydney, Australia.

Science Colleges - Colleges which mostly provide education in the field of science and mathematics are known as Science Colleges. These provide various undergraduate and post graduate programs in science and related fields. Science Colleges are well known for providing quality education in the field of science, even though they may provide non-science courses. Because they are renowned for science course they are known as Science Colleges. There are some which provide exclusive science education and related fields and are termed - 'Agricultural Colleges', 'Medical Colleges' and so on.

Some of the Science Colleges of the World

• Camborne Science & Community College, U.K.
• Fergusson College, Pune, India.
• St Xavier's College, Kolkata, India.
• Trinity College, Dublin, U.K.

Business and Management Colleges - Business and Management Colleges are those which specialise in education related to Business, Management and related fields. Some of these are also referred as 'Business' or Management Schools'. Business and Management Colleges, Engineering Colleges and Science Colleges are also known as ''Professional Colleges' as they provide occupational or professional skills.

Some of the Business and Management Colleges in the World:

• Oxford Business College, U.K.
• Mendoza College of Business, U.S.A.
• Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, Delhi, India.
• St. Joseph's College of Business Administration, India.

Engineering Colleges - Colleges which mostly offer higher education in engineering course at degree (undergraduate) level are known as Engineering Colleges. Some however may provide Post Graduate programs as well. Here, students can specialise in various engineering branches - civil engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering etc. Engineering Colleges are the most popular in India as they are highly esteemed and lead to an economical secure future. These may not necessarily include the term 'Engineering' in their name, they may have the term 'Technology' included in the title or both the 'Engineering' and 'Technology' words.

Some of the Engineering Colleges of the World

• PSG College of Technology, India.
• Bangalore College of Engineering and Technology, India.
• Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, Australia.
• College of Engineering - University of Saskatchewan, Canada.

Agricultural Colleges - Colleges specialising, primarily in offering educational courses in agriculture and related fields are called 'Agricultural Colleges'. These colleges are also referred as 'Land-Grant Colleges' or 'Land Grant Institutions', mostly in U.S. Apart from the regular courses offered, there are host of short term and extension education courses offered by them. These are especially meant for farmers. Research is an important part of these institutions and it is here that various agricultural practices and techniques are developed. These may exist, as part of universities and function as school or faculty or may exist as independent agriculture colleges affiliated to various agriculture universities. In many parts of the world, Agricultural Colleges have been absorbed by the affiliating universities or have themselves gained the status of a Agricultural University.

Some of the Agricultural Colleges of the World

• Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, U.S.A.
• Berkshire College of Agriculture, U.K.
• Khalsa College, Amritsar, India.
• Sapporo Agricultural College, Japan.

Minority Colleges - Colleges which cater to the education of Minorities in a community or society are known as Minority Colleges. These Colleges are especially meant for those candidates who are comfortable and familiar with ethnic environment in which they have been raised. The reason for this is that the students feel they fit in better, face less discrimination and have more opportunities to take leadership roles. For example the number of Christians in India is less and they are categorised as 'Minority'. In order to benefit the Christian Community at large, certain institutes have been set-up which give admission preference to Christians over others. Similarly there are colleges for blacks and tribals in other parts of the world.  

Some of the Minority Colleges in the World

• Rosamma Minority College of Education, India.
• Mithila Minority Dental College & Hospital, Bihar, India.
• Morehouse College, U.S.A.
• Zaytuna College, U.S.A.

Humanities Colleges - Humanity studies are intended to provide general knowledge and intellectual skills rather than occupational or professional skills. Humanities Colleges are those whose speciality is in offering courses in disciplines of ancient and modern languages, literature, law, history, philosophy, religion, social sciences, visual and performing arts. These can be exclusive or may provide courses in other disciplines as well. Apart from this there are colleges which specialise in only one or two of the Humanities discipline. In some countries they are also known as 'Art Colleges' or 'College of Arts'. Humanities Colleges have an outlook which isn't impressive and as such are looked upon with an inferior eye, mostly when compared to professional colleges. None the less the courses provided by these have a well-rounded view of the world and the ability to contribute intelligently to a wide range of academic fields.

Some of the Humanities Colleges in the World

• College of Humanities, Ohio, U.S.A.
• College of Basic Sciences and Humanities, Pantnagar, Uttranchal, India.
• Birla College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Kalyan, India.

Faith Based Colleges - Faith based colleges are those which adhere to a faith or religion in their daily academic routine. They might make it compulsory to visit a chapel or perform certain religious tasks depending upon their respective policies. These colleges provide higher education along with spiritual, moral and ethical study. It is not necessary that these colleges will admit only those students which belong to that respective religion to which the college caters to. Majority of these colleges belong to the Christian community as is evident in U.S.A. One of the example is Saint Vincent College, U.S.A.

Importance or Role of College

Advanced Studies - Colleges are institutions which provide studies which have an advanced form. Firstly, completion of college education is advanced in a manner that upon passing the course one becomes a Graduate. Secondly, the studies are nothing like their counterparts in schools. Educational Courses here have far reaching impact in the course of a student's life. The discourse delivered and the study material provided is formed by the top experts in their fields. These courses are designed in such a way that they stimulate a students mind in thinking, asking questions and exploring new ideas, which allows for additional growth and development. Furthermore, the opportunity to read books and listen to lectures makes one a scholar to a large extent from a mere student.

Specialised Education - Colleges not only provide generalized education, they also provide subject specific courses. Colleges offer a multitude of educational courses in Arts, Humanities, Science, Business Management, Information Technology, Health Care etc. Acquiring education in any of these courses opens gateway to better options and more opportunities from just being a manufacturing-based one's to knowledge-based one's. The variety of subjects, courses and programs available in a college gives an individual, the freedom to chose only those which are best suited to his needs and desire. It removes the barrier of compulsory subjects which one has to study whether he/she likes it or not. It also provides an opportunity to enhance one's capabilities to utmost, as the chosen field is of his choice and not forced upon, as is evident in school environment. Specialised education produces specialised professionals who can really do justice to not only their talents but also to the responsibilities they have been given.

Base for further High Studies - For most of us, passing a college is more than enough as the patience to study starts waning after a few years of study. But for some studious candidates there is no end. For them, studying in a university is a must, not only because of the prestige attached to it, but also because they have a penchant for Post Graduate courses. Such courses provide a master's or doctorate degree which are the highest level of degrees one can achieve. Students who want to pursue Higher Studies in foreign countries also need a graduate degree. If research is one's area of expertise then there's nothing better than acquiring the relevant requirements for further research at an even higher level. Therefore colleges are foundation levels for higher education in a University.

High Earning Potential - It has been proved in various researches that those of us who have studied in a college, tend to earn more than the ones, who have studied only up to the school level. Though, there are a few exceptions but graduates have an upper hand when it comes to employment and for that matter high earning employment. College graduates also earn nearly twice as much as high school diploma holders. It's obvious that the higher the level of education, higher the salaries will be, and not just salaries, other perks related with those jobs also increase manifold. That is why in an Office Scenario, a Clerk gets less salary as compared to a Manager, owing to a much higher level of education, apart from other qualifications required for the post. For certain college goers, a college education may mean just doing the obvious but the potential of his education will be realised in the form of an even more better life in his later years.

Ability to face Job Market Competition - The global economy of today has made the boundaries between countries almost non existent, particularly in the business and job market scenario. More and more people are moving to countries which will fetch them a good value for their skills and education. This the reason why there is a competition in the job market. And the candidates having lower level of education are weeded out or get much less prospective jobs. On the other hand, one of the pre-requirements of an Employing firm is a High degree and not just a higher degree but to a certain extent, the highest level of an educational degree. Apart from education, companies are looking for for well-rounded employees. Today, the job competition demands that a professional be good in communication skills, disciplined, intelligent and other aiding factors. And a candidate, who has attended a college, is already infused with such qualities. Armed with such and having had a certain amount of competitive experience in the college environment, he is familiar with the competitive environment he is entering and the competitive job he is vying for.

Honing of Social Skills - A college is not just an institute, it is a place where cultural exchange at various levels occur. People speaking different languages, wearing varied attires, having varied mannerisms and behaviour meet at one central point. The interaction that takes place in this multicultural environment is rich in cultural exchange. An individual is exposed to such an environment acquires social skills which he might not be able to acquire in any other environment. One not only learns to socialise but also gains an intricate knowledge of interaction and communication which is specific, specialised and flexible with a change in social environment. One also learns how to work with colleagues and deal with social issues.

Personal Development - Personal Development is another attribute one acquires during his/her college life. Whilst studying a chosen course of education, a student gains more and more professional knowledge which further fans the flames of the person’s desire to become better and more competent. With increased efforts whether they result in success or failure, drives an individual to excel and perform the task with utmost skill, as and when needed. When such an attitude settles in, professional competence, social aptitude and a wider understanding of both oneself and the world are gained whose value is unmeasurable.

Emergence of a Better Society - People with higher intellect tend to be well educated, ideal employees and raise better families. This automatically transforms an ordinary citizen to a diligent one. Empowered with such attributes such an individual is peace loving, willing to follow the rules and norms of a society. When a society is composed of a vast population of such citizens that society will function in a much better way than it would, if it's citizens were illiterate or less educated. So, a society where majority of people have higher education, runs very efficiently and smoothly.

Status Symbol - If one isn't aiming for a prospectus job, the mere fact that one has a degree of higher education under his belt is enough to command respect and superiority. The role of a college degree also comes forth in many occasions, one can imagine. A glaring example, is that of Indian matrimony, a person with just basic education will either not mention his education level or will hide it from the prospective bride, which doesn't go in his favour. On other hand an engineer will flash his degree status to the max, to impress the prospective bride or her parents. This works totally as the parents / bride are impressed with label of an engineer. Even if we take another case scenario, a degree holder is considered much superior than an individual with just a high school certificate. It is even more obvious in societies all over the world, as the Society always looks up those who are well endowed, with a superior eye.

College Experience - Whatever is one's reason for joining a college, the experiences gained in a college affect a person's knowledge and abilities. The time spent in bunking classes, dozing off, playing pranks on college mates or teachers, having a girlfriend, picking up a fight, test of strength and innumerable extra curricular activities enrich a students life in many ways. Strictly speaking a college, is an educational institutes but just like a 'Coin has two faces', there is another aspect of college which is vibrant in activities. Some form music bands and may end up becoming a hit band, some may skip their studies to pursue an interesting hobby which may turn ou to be a profitable venture, where the college campus becomes a training ground, some work hard to become athletes and sports-person and so on. So, the magnitude of a college education is very vast, you never know which, how and when the experience gained in a college might come in handy.

Above mentioned points are just few of the innumerable benefits of a college. And yet there are people for whom school education is enough or more than enough. Such a mindset emerges from one's limited outlook, financial condition, health condition or other disabling factors. For some the ability to earn immediately after school is a more prospective than a college education. Many high school students happen to have a tough time during their school life and they take a 'Sigh of Relief' when they have completed their school education. Such barriers do create disinterest and discouragement in an individual. But as mentioned above, the role of college education in a person's life is far reaching than one's handicaps. We all are unequal in one way or the another way and some have to struggle more than the others. But if that's it, then let it be, it is important not to get discouraged as in the long run every effort counts. To sum it all, a college degree will never hurt.