Higher Education Terminology ACTUAL
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Higher Education - Correct answers✔✔Formal education that occurs following secondary
education in the United States. Often referred to as post-secondary education.
College - Correct answers✔✔Can refer to an institution of higher education that confers
undergraduate degrees. Can also refer to a constituent division of a university. (College of Arts
and Sciences, College of Engineering, etc.)
University - Correct answers✔✔An institution of higher education that confers undergraduate
and postgraduate degrees/
Institution - Correct answers✔✔A place of education, in our context referring to post-secondary
education.
System - Correct answers✔✔Can refer to affiliated higher education institutions or branches of
an institution, typically governed by on system-wide governing board. Institutional systems are
most often public.
Carnegie Classification System - Correct answers✔✔Classification system used to recognize and
describe institutional diversity in U.S. higher education.
Private Institution - Correct answers✔✔Institution that is not operated by the government.
Private institutions may receive funding from the government.
Public Institution - Correct answers✔✔Institutions of higher education operated by either the
state or federal government. Those funded by the federal government are referred to as "national
universities."
, Not-for-profit institution - Correct answers✔✔An institution which directs surplus funding to the
furthering of its mission or purpose.
For-profit institution - Correct answers✔✔Sometimes referred to as proprietary institutions,
these institutions function as businesses rather than non-profit institution.
Research - Correct answers✔✔Offers full undergraduate programs, at least 20 doctoral degrees,
and has a commitment to research activity.
Comprehensive or regional - Correct answers✔✔Often a public institution, comprehensive
institutions offer a full range of undergraduate programs and possibly a few master's degrees.
Liberal Arts - Correct answers✔✔Institutions which focus on the liberal arts (humanities, social
sciences, fine arts, performing arts, etc.). Instructors typically focus more on teaching than
research. Typically only offer undergraduate degrees.
Community College - Correct answers✔✔Two-year public institution. Some may work with
local four year institutions to confer bachelor's degrees or transfer credits and continue on to a
bachelor's degree.
PWI/HWI - Correct answers✔✔Predominantly white institution/ historically white institution.
HBCU - Correct answers✔✔Historically Black College or University
HSI - Correct answers✔✔Hispanic-serving institution
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Higher Education - Correct answers✔✔Formal education that occurs following secondary
education in the United States. Often referred to as post-secondary education.
College - Correct answers✔✔Can refer to an institution of higher education that confers
undergraduate degrees. Can also refer to a constituent division of a university. (College of Arts
and Sciences, College of Engineering, etc.)
University - Correct answers✔✔An institution of higher education that confers undergraduate
and postgraduate degrees/
Institution - Correct answers✔✔A place of education, in our context referring to post-secondary
education.
System - Correct answers✔✔Can refer to affiliated higher education institutions or branches of
an institution, typically governed by on system-wide governing board. Institutional systems are
most often public.
Carnegie Classification System - Correct answers✔✔Classification system used to recognize and
describe institutional diversity in U.S. higher education.
Private Institution - Correct answers✔✔Institution that is not operated by the government.
Private institutions may receive funding from the government.
Public Institution - Correct answers✔✔Institutions of higher education operated by either the
state or federal government. Those funded by the federal government are referred to as "national
universities."
, Not-for-profit institution - Correct answers✔✔An institution which directs surplus funding to the
furthering of its mission or purpose.
For-profit institution - Correct answers✔✔Sometimes referred to as proprietary institutions,
these institutions function as businesses rather than non-profit institution.
Research - Correct answers✔✔Offers full undergraduate programs, at least 20 doctoral degrees,
and has a commitment to research activity.
Comprehensive or regional - Correct answers✔✔Often a public institution, comprehensive
institutions offer a full range of undergraduate programs and possibly a few master's degrees.
Liberal Arts - Correct answers✔✔Institutions which focus on the liberal arts (humanities, social
sciences, fine arts, performing arts, etc.). Instructors typically focus more on teaching than
research. Typically only offer undergraduate degrees.
Community College - Correct answers✔✔Two-year public institution. Some may work with
local four year institutions to confer bachelor's degrees or transfer credits and continue on to a
bachelor's degree.
PWI/HWI - Correct answers✔✔Predominantly white institution/ historically white institution.
HBCU - Correct answers✔✔Historically Black College or University
HSI - Correct answers✔✔Hispanic-serving institution
