| When doing research into your post-secondary | | | | advance the body of knowledge in their particular area |
| education options, you will quickly learn that there is an | | | | of expertise. |
| almost overwhelming number of options for both | | | | In private colleges, however, the primary role of a |
| career training and obtaining an advanced degree. No | | | | faculty member is to teach classes and to help |
| matter where you live, it is likely that you have access | | | | students acquire the skills they need to become |
| to number of both private and traditional colleges which | | | | successful in their chosen fields. As a working adult, it |
| offer programs of study related to your area of | | | | can be much more beneficial to learn in an |
| interest. | | | | environment where teaching, not research, is the |
| There are many differences between private colleges | | | | primary focus. |
| and traditional colleges. One major difference between | | | | Benefit: Emphasis on Skills Development |
| these two types of institutions is the quality of | | | | Most private colleges tend to emphasize the |
| education. For those focused on obtaining the high | | | | development of practical skills that can be applied in |
| quality skills and training required for career success in | | | | the workplace. For working adults who are seeking |
| the shortest and most efficient manner, private | | | | post-secondary education as a means of advancing |
| colleges tend to be the better choice. There are a | | | | their careers, this is of the utmost importance. |
| number of benefits associated with private colleges. | | | | Many traditional colleges focus more on preparing |
| Benefit: Smaller Classes | | | | learners for graduate-level study. Because of this, the |
| Classes at private colleges tend to be much smaller | | | | training is often more theoretical in nature than the |
| than those of traditional colleges. When classes are | | | | training one would receive at a private college. |
| smaller, the instructor-to-student ratio is much lower, | | | | Benefit: Responsiveness to Change |
| allowing for more individual attention in class. The | | | | When seeking post-secondary training that can be |
| learning environment also tends to be much more | | | | directly applicable in the workplace, it is important to |
| interactive in smaller classes than in larger ones. | | | | make sure that the training you receive is as |
| Benefit: Emphasis on Teaching Rather than Research | | | | up-to-date is possible. |
| In traditional colleges, faculty members are not only | | | | Because private colleges function more along the lines |
| assigned to teach classes, but are also required to | | | | of a business model than of an educational institution, |
| emphasize academic research. Typically, faculty | | | | private colleges tend to be quicker to adapt their |
| members in traditional colleges are required to devote | | | | curricula to the rapidly changing demands of the job |
| a significant amount of time and energy to conducting | | | | market than do traditional colleges. |
| and publishing academic research designed to | | | | |