The United States of America is a diverse country with over 5,000 public and private colleges and universities. Universities are generally classified as public or private depending on how they are funded. Public universities receive funding from the government, while private universities are funded by endowments (also known as large donations) and other private sources. These universities are further divided into research-intensive, IVY leagues, public ivies, liberal arts college, specialist institutions, or Land Grant Colleges.

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PATHWAYS TO AN AMERICAN DEGREE

 

There are four main options assuming if you have the SPM, IGCSE or an equivalent qualification:

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​Direct to a 4-year university in the USA

Many of the USA universities will accept international students who have completed grade 11 high school qualification. These are good rank universities but not likely the ones ranked at the top. If you are ambitious and are aiming for a top-ranked university or the ivy leagues, you might want to consider one of the other options below. 

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A Level / International Baccalaureate

Students who wish have a shot at top universities in the U.S. can take the A level or IB qualification. Some American universities offer credit exemption to students who have completed A level or IB with strong grades, effectively enabling students the opportunity to complete their bachelor's degree in under 4 years. 

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American Degree Transfer programme

A 2+2 programme where students spend their first two years completing U.S. college credits at one of the private colleges in Malaysia. They then transfer to selected universities in the states. Depending on their choice of university and major, students may or may not be able to transfer their credits in full to universities in the U.S. 

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Community colleges in the USA 

This a a great option for students who wish to complete 4 years of their bachelor's degree in the U.S. at a reasonable cost. With the community college pathway, students have the opportunity to graduate at some of the best universities such as UCLA, University of Washington, University of Michigan, New York University as well as ivy leagues such as Columbia University, Cornell University and Brown University.