b'16UNDERSTAND yoUR oPTIoNS: TyPES oF CollEGES AND UNIVERSITIESThere are over 5,000 colleges and universities in the United States. More than 100 of them are in the Philadelphia region. Schools can be broken down into several categories, including public and private schools, four-year and two-year schools, and colleges and universities. Schools may fit into more than one category.To determine your college fit, it is important to understand the dierences between types of schools and the meritsof each as they relate to your circumstances. Public vs. PrivatePublic Institutions Private InstitutionsPublic institutions are supported primarily by state and Private institutions are supported primarily by tuition local funds and usually oer lower tuition rates thanand private contributions. Private colleges and universitiesprivate universities, especially for in-state residents. cost more than public institutions, but may oer moreoptions to Explore: thaddeus stevens College of technologyscholarships or grant aid.Pennsylvanias 14 state universities, including: Millersvilleoptions to Explore: arcadia universitydickinson College universityshippensburg universityWest Chester universitydrexel universitygwynedd Mercy university and four state-related universities: Lincoln universityPenn state Holy Family universityLafayette CollegeLehigh university universitytemple universityuniversity of Pittsburgh saint Josephs universityuniversity of Pennsylvania to learn more about Pennsylvanias state universities, visit university of the sciencesVillanova universitywww.passhe.edu. West Chester University Dickinson College'