These are a few possibilities your teen will consider as she begins to set goals for further study after high school graduation.

Trade, Career and Technical Schools
Career colleges and technical schools prepare people for jobs such as computer technician, hair stylist, medical assistant or truck driver. Students earn certificates, degrees or diplomas and, upon graduating, are qualified to work in a specific field.

Community Colleges
Community colleges offer publicly-funded education to anyone who wants to learn, regardless of financial ability, background or previous academic experience. They offer certificate programs, Associate of Arts degrees, Associate of Science degrees and other programs. Some students attend a community college and then get a job; others attend community college and then go on for two more years to complete a four-year college degree.

Public Universities
Public universities are mostly funded by a national or regional government, and many of them are managed by state governments. Every state has at least one public university, and students living within that state pay moderate tuition fees to attend. Students graduate with a four-year degree – a Bachelor of Arts degree, a Bachelor of Science degree or another degree – in a variety of disciplines such as business, history, biology, English, communications, mathematics and education.

Private Colleges
Private colleges also offer degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, although some of them specialize in offering students a general, liberal-arts education. Some of the most prestigious universities in the U.S. are private, and some are affiliated with religious organizations. Tuition at private colleges tends to be much higher than at public universities.

Historically-Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)
HBCUs include any historically black college or university established expressly for the education of African Americans. They often are liberal arts colleges or universities, and some are two-year institutions and some are four-year institutions. Currently, there are 114 HBCUs in the United States.