Hi! Tricky question, which is also dependent on concept definitions in varying national education systems and their accepted translations to American English and British English.
First: ”School” is easiest defined as any formalised education, and even sometimes some informal and non-formal education. This is the widest term. It can stand for all from a University to a kindergarten level schooling.
The term ”University” should also be somewhat distinct, as a post-upper secondary education level education institute. But not all post-uppersecondary institutes are universities. Different countries has different definitions. Some country-based definitions include institutes without research abilities, or institutes specialising in shorter advanced vocational or professional training - other countries do not. Some countries demand exam possibilities at the PhD level for something to be called a university, other demand some broadness in discipline education offerings (as for example at least 3 of areas such as social studies, humanistic studies, technical studies, medical studies, natural sciences studies -other national systems are fine with naming an advanced technical or medical science institution as a university in itself. When instituition names are translated to English, there is often an inflation. What is not a university in its own country, easily becomes a ”university” translated into English.
”College” is from its English beginnings a place, a campus for a university - and a university can have different colleges. It has widened its meaning in expressions as ”going to college” which can mean going to any post-secondary education. In some countries ”colleges” are incomplete universities or university wannabees, in other they are vocational institutes.
The European Union, and also parts of the bigger Area of the Bologna declaration signatory countries, has, for comparison and mobility of teachers, students and workforce, developed the EQF system on a European level, with qualification/exam levels from EQF 1 (primary school) to EQF 8 (PhD level qualification). In relation to this system, a nation can define its own education levels. This is not about names or definitions of institutions, but comparisons of student qualifications - which is a maybe more useful perspective.
The basic difference, IMHO is the level of knowledge of the subjects being taught. The subjects are more fundamental at schools, more advance at college levels, and is most advanced at University levels. These subjects are taught accordingly to match the maturity of the students.
La diferencia esta en la profundidad de los conocimientos, en cada uno de estos niveles educativos, además que en la universidad se debe utilizar andragogía y en los otros tipos de educación pedagogía, este es un elemento fundamental para el desarrollo de un tipo de educación que se ajuste a las etapas biológicas y cognitivas humanas.
The difference is in the depth of knowledge, in each one of these educational levels, besides the fact that in the university andragogy must be used and in the other types of education pedagogy, this is a fundamental element for the development of a type of education that adjusts to the biological and cognitive human stages.
Thank you so much dear Dr. Madihah - Khalid, I appreciate your significant contribution and show my sincere gratitude and best regards to you. Wishes the best.
Thank you so much dear Prof. Jhon Jairo Mosquera Rodas, I appreciate your significant contribution and show my sincere gratitude and best regards to you. Wishes the best.
Dear Dr. Atiqe Ur Rahman and Lokesh Prasad Dash , I do appreciate your kind contribution and show my sincere gratitude and best regards to you. Wishes the best.
I suppose these words are used differently in different parts of the world. Here in the UK, 'college' (or 'further education'/FE) is most commonly used to refer to institutions which offer more vocational qualifications compared to universities (though there is some overlap) and which also offer second chance learning to adults who did not achieve qualifications at high school. So they are an important part of the system. School usually refers to everything from age 4/5 to around age 18, and is formal learning, but the nature of this varies a lot across the age groups and depending on the school and on the curriculum subject.
There is probably a bigger difference between primary school and high school, in my experience, than there is between the later stages of high school and college or (early years of) university. But more advanced degrees at university are a different thing again.
Dear Jonathan William Firth, I do appreciate your kind and valuable contribution and show my sincere gratitude and best regards to you. Wishes the best.
Dear Prof. M.K. Tripathi, I do appreciate your kind, valuable and insightful contribution and show my sincere gratitude and best regards to you. Wishes the best dear doctor.
Dear Mubashir Ali Rather, yes i am agreeing with your contribution. "School education is just to prepare students for higher education." Thank you so much.
Dear Dr. Shubhi Agarwal, you have correctly mentioned the consecutive educations and institutes name. I do appreciate your kind contribution and show my sincere gratitude and best regards to you. Wishes the best dear doctor.
Dear Sir Prof. Nityananda Das, I fully support your valuable and significant opinion. "the basic philosophy is same" . Thank you so much and wishes the best.
College/University is where the minds of the learners expand to see how the world is shaped and challenged by the theories in belief are practiced. Schools prepare students with tests and getting desirable grades to help them become qualified candidates for higher learning. But in reality, the environment of learning and teaching is all around us even if we don't have time to attend these institutions.
I think there are many differences between school education and university education in terms of curricula, costs, time management, activities and specialization
My take on this topic- the difference between education of School, College and University - is
1. School education focuses on
a) Target audience : Young children
b) Skill Imparted: Basic concepts in all the subjects (like letters, formula etc.,) - broader in scope
c) Evaluation : Memory & Understanding
d) Life skill : Moral (discipline) & Civics
2. College education
a) Target audience : Upper teens & early 20s.
b) Skill Imparted: Minor aspects of subjects/fields (called specialization Ex: Commerce, Physics, Maths etc.,) - Smaller in scope
c) Evaluation : Understanding, Analyzing, Creativity (New designs/ models proposal)
d) Life skill : Regulations, Procedures (Ex: Bank, Legal procedure)
3. University education
a) Target audience : Early 20s - no upper age limit
b) Skill Imparted: Micro aspects of subjects/fields (called Research area within a specialization Ex: Export marketing within Marketing,) - Micro in scope
c) Evaluation : Problem identification, Analyzing, Creativity (New designs/ models proposal - as real world solutions)
d) Life skill : Team skill, Leadership skill, Negotiation skill, Networking skill
In universities and colleges. The students do a lot of independent work, how to go and use the library, using internet resources and stuff.
I mean that the universities are very much about independent learning. the student able to go to the library and work on him own. In contrast, in the school, there is no an independence in his work and not able to do on him own.
Dear Merrisah Beltran , Safaa K. Kadhem , Muhammad Zawil Kiram , Yoganandan G. , Bozor Dzhumaevich Ulugov and @ Amel Asmar Zaboon, I do appreciate your significant and valuable contributions. Wishes the best.
Actually the objectives of School, College, and University are the same. The main objective is to build the children as a man of acceptable personality. However, the differences is course curriculum and the mode of learning depending on their age and maturity differences.