Do not confuse colleges and universities together. A college offers a collection of degrees while a university is a collection of colleges and, therefore, offers more degrees. Colleges tend to be specific and are often private. Many are Christian-based colleges and some others focus on environmental studies and biology. Florida has a variety of colleges from which people can choose to attend.
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College, a private school in Lakeland, has placed an emphasis on degrees in liberal arts and sciences. Some of the degrees offered at FSC include broadcast journalism, computer science, theater arts and psychology. It also offers degrees in business and accounting and in education. Princeton Review's list of Best Colleges included Florida Southern College for the fourth consecutive year in 2010.
In 2010, 2,185 students attended Florida Southern College. The college offers financial aid to students who qualify.
The FSC Moccasins belong to the Division II section of the NCAA. The Moccasins participate in 19 NCAA sports, including basketball, volleyball, baseball, cross country, soccer, swimming and tennis, and have won 27 NCAA titles.
Florida Southern College is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.
Eckerd College
Eckerd College in St. Petersburg is a private science- and liberal arts-based college that offers 38 majors from which students can choose, including creative writing, comparative literature, human development and anthropology.
Most of the students (96 percent) attending Eckerd College receive some form of financial aid. In 2009, 1,863 students attended the school.
The Eckerd College Tritons feature men's and women's basketball, golf, soccer and tennis teams, women's volleyball and softball, and men's baseball.
Eckered College is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church.
Rollins College
Rollins College is a private school in Winter Park also specializes in arts and science, offering 30 majors that include marine biology, art history, English and chemistry. Rollins also has another college for nontraditional students, called the Hamilton Holt School, which offers 10 majors such as economics and music. In 2009, Rollins was named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction.
In the fall of 2010, 2,622 students attended Rollins College.
A variety of Rollins College Tars athletics are available to students. The college features swimming and softball teams, water skiing and rowing teams, and baseball and soccer teams.
Rasmussen College
Four separate Rasmussen Colleges are found in Florida, offering smaller class sizes of about 15 to 25 students in each class. These private colleges are located in Tampa/Brandon, Ft. Myers, Ocala and Pasco County.
All four locations offer degrees in business, nursing, justice studies and technology and design. The colleges lean more toward nontraditional students, offering flexible schedules and online learning.
Rasmussen College offers 55 online degrees, which works out great for nontraditional students, who are typically older and not immediately out of high school. These students could have already entered the work force after high school graduation or started a family.
