Deciding to attend a university is a big step no matter where you are in the world, but you will have to choose between a two and a four-year degree. While the two-year degree has advantages in the form of lower tuition costs and faster education, they also have many disadvantages over the four-year degree. If you’re trying to decide whether to attend a four-year university, the following benefits of the four-year options should help you make the best decision.
Universities and Colleges around St. Louis
| School Name | Phone Number | Location |
| Avila University | 816-942-8400 | Kansas City |
| Central Methodist University | 660-248-3391 | Fayette, MO |
| College of the Ozarks | 417-334-6411 | |
| Columbia College | 575-875-8700 | Columbia, MO |
| Concordia | 314-505-7000 | Webster Groves |
| Culver Stockton College | 573-288-6000 | Canton, MO |
| Drury University | 417-873-7879 | Springfield, MO |
| East Central College | 636-584-6400 | Union, MO |
| Evangel University | 417-865-2811 | Springfield, MO |
| Florissant Valley Community College | 314-513-4200 | Florissant |
| Fontbonne University | 314-862-3456 | St. Louis, MO |
| Forest Park Community College | 314-644-9100 | St. Louis, MO |
| Hannibal-Lagrange University | 573-221-3675 | Hannibal, MO |
| https://www.hssu.edu/Harris Stowe University | 314-330-3366 | St. Louis |
| Lincoln University | 217-732-3155 | Lincoln, IL |
| Lindenwood University | 636-949-4949 | St. Charles |
| Logan College | 800-782-3344 | Chesterfield,MO |
| McKendree | 800-BEAR-CAT | Lebanon, IL |
| Maryville University | 314-529-9300 | St. Louis |
| Meramec Community College | 314-984-7400 | Kirkwood |
| Missouri Baptist University | 314-434-1115 | St. Louis |
| Missouri Southern | 417-625-9300 | Joplin, MO |
| Missouri State | 417-836-5000 | Springfield, MO |
| Missouri University of Science & Tech | 573-341-4111 | Rolla, MO |
| Missouri Valley College | 660-831-4000 | Marshall, MO |
| Missouri Western | 816-271-4200 | St. Joseph, MO |
| Northwest Missouri State | 660-562-1212 | Maryville, MO |
| Parks University | 314-977-8203 | St Louis |
| Rockhurst University | 816-501-4000 | Kansas City, MO |
| St Louis College of Pharmacy | 314-367-8700 | St. Louis |
| St Louis University | 800-SLU-FORU | St Louis |
| Southeast Missouri State | 573-651-2846 | Cape Girardeau |
| Southwest Baptist Univesity | 417-328-5281 | Bolivar, MO |
| Stephens College | 573-442-2211 | Columbia, MO |
| Truman State | 660-785-4000 | Kirksville, MO |
| University of Central Missouri | 660-543-4111 | Warrensburg, MO |
| University of Missouri | 573-882-2121 | Columbia, MO |
| University of Missouri Kansas City | 816-235-1000 | Kansas City |
| University of Missouri St Louis | 314-516-5000 | St Louis |
| Washington University | 314-935-6000 | St Louis |
| Webster University | 314-968-6900 | St Louis |
| Westminster College | 800-475-3361 | Fulton, MO |
| William Jewell College | 816-781-7700 | Liberty, MO |
Selecting a college is one of the biggest decisions you can make in your life, so it is important to thoroughly research and look into your options. Today, many Missouri colleges and universities allow you to take classes online, go to a part time school, full time studies, or even go to a weekend school. There are many different options but this is just one of your first decisions. From there, you must choose which exact school you would like to study at. The following tips are designed to help you decide on a college to apply to.
Broader Range of Courses – While a 2-year degree typically focuses very heavily on your course material, the majority of four-year degrees actually take you through a broad range of math, science, biology, and other crucial information for the first two years, before focusing heavily on your degree information in the final two years. Generalized courses allow you to broaden your interest and knowledge level, which can make you more valuable to prospective employees, but also allows you to learn more about the world before you begin a career.
Choosing a 4 Year College or University
More Respected Degree – The Bachelor is considerably more respected and accepted in career fields around the world than any two-year degree. While the higher the degree the better, a bachelor is a good way to show prospective employees that you know general college level information as well as the specifics in your field.
Straight to a Career – While the majority of associate degree students eventually end up taking a four-year degree, you won’t have that over your head if you immediately go for the four-year degree. A bachelor degree is an accepted degree in most fields, so you’ll only have to go back to school if you decide that you need a Master.
Off-Campus Learning Opportunities – Most four-year degrees come with some sort of off-campus learning options, such as internships, fieldwork, cultural events, societies, and other offerings not found in community colleges. These allow you to get the full benefits of the degree while building and forming work relationships to further your career after you graduate.
Higher Average Salary and Lower Average Unemployment Rate – With prices on university tuition going up, what you get for your money is becoming more and more important. The average salary for someone with a four-year degree is just over $55,000 while it’s just over $34,000 for those without the degree. Unemployment is also at just over 3% for those with a four-year degree, vs. 6-7% for those without it. Essentially, a four-year degree not only helps to ensure that you make more money; it also makes it more likely that you will have a job.
Taking the steps to attend a university for four years is a big decision and you shouldn’t go into it lightly. Choosing your career, deciding on how much you need the degree for that career, and carefully selecting a university e are important steps to ensuring that you have a successful learning experience.
Compare Cost of Tuition: Cost of tuition can vary greatly from one school to the next, so most potential students should compare cost of tuition versus services. Important things to look out for include any additional fees, some of which will be free, and some of which can be very expensive. Checking to see which schools offer more tuition aid can also help with your decision.
Check Deadlines – One of the most important things for anyone who wants to sign up to a college is their deadlines. If you’re looking to attend a school in one year, then you should make sure that applications and signups for taking your SATS and ACT’s are still possible. While there are a lot of options that take year round applications, you should always remember to check to be certain before signing up. Otherwise you might have to wait a full extra year to start studies.
Compare Multiple Schools – It is always important to select at least four to five schools that you really like and then compare every factor of education, price, reviews, and even how you like the content and the way they present their website. You can always apply to all of them if you can’t make a decision, and then simply choose the best one from the ones that accept your application.
Choosing a school can be one of the most important things in your life because it can affect your career and your job opportunities afterwards. Researching your opportunities, checking up on different features, and making sure that you know what people are saying about each college are all important for helping you to find the best college for your needs.
If you’re thinking about attending college, then a St Louis trade school is a good option for helping you get into a good job. St. Louis schools specializing in special career paths or trades will teach you valuable skills that can be applied directly to a job which is what makes it so valuable. Popular trade school courses include a wide variety of programs intended for you to use to get a job. In fact, trade schools are based off of the original apprenticeship system that was popular in Europe and early North American culture.
