Differences Between Universities?

Question

Can someone tell me the difference between

State Universities
e.g Blah blah State University
of Universities
e.g University of Blah Blah
and
University
e.g Blah University

Why are they differentiated like that.
What is the extreme difference?

Answer 1

There is no official difference; it is really what each state decides to call itself. However, there are some things which are common to a number of states, although not universal.

For example, in many cases, the University of _____ is the research university or research university system of a state. For example, in California, the University of California system (UCLA, Berkeley, etc.) is the set of universities set up for research, and they have traditionally been the place where graduate (esp. Ph.D's) and professional degrees were offered.

On the other hand, ________ State University is often the system of universities which is more teaching-oriented, designed to educate the masses, and provide degrees to those needed for the functioning of the state. Large education and business programs may be more common. Since these universities do not have the research infrastructure of the University of_____, and because their faculty generally do more teaching, tuition is often lower.


Then you have the SUNY system in New York (State University of New York), some of which are research and others of which are more teaching universities, but you wouldn't know it from what the schools are called.

Okay, that's what a lot of states do, but then you have states like New Jersey, which calls a number of its state universities Rutgers, or Indiana, where some are Purdue, but others are Indiana University and Indiana State or Ball State or... well, you get the idea. There isn't a common convention.

In addition, you have private schools like the University of Pennsylvania, which isn't a state school at all.

I understand your confusion. It just is very confusing!

Answer 2

Blah State University are for drunken idiots, University of Blah is for smart rich kids and super smart poor kids, Blah University is for religious pricks with money and Blah College is for middle class and white people, and minorities who play sports but aren't good enough for a big university and use it to get into college.