This paper compares and contrasts Gordon College and Art Institute of Atlanta. These are two of the most distinguished, if not prestigious institutions of higher learning in the United States of America (USA). They offer a variety of academic programs tailored to suit the ever increasing demand of higher education in this country. To begin with, Gordon College was established in 1856 as a Male and Female Seminary to offer higher education to the male and female children in Georgia. Later, its ownership was transferred from the church to the city of Barnesville. In 2006, it was upgraded to its current status to offer a variety of academic programs. It is located Barnesville City in Georgia (Rayfield, D., 2012).
On the other had, Art Institute of Atlanta was founded in 1949. It is an affiliate of the 40 art colleges spread across the major cities in USA. It is located in GA, Atlanta. This is a very good place which provides a conducive environment for college education. Just like Gordon College, Art Institute of Atlanta has an expansive history which people admire. For instance, it also had to expand and start offering other academic programs given that it started as a business school. Later, it had to change its programs so as to meet the demands of the local American population.
The major thing I would like to stress about these institutions is that they offer university programs of different levels. These include bachelor’s degree, associate degree, diploma and non degree courses. They are offered in different disciplines depending on the policy of each institution. This is a very important aspect of these institutions it puts them in better position to serve the diverse interests of the local Americans and the international community who may be interested in furthering their education. Everyone strives to acquire education because it is the best thing in life (Brint, S., & Karabel, J., 2009).
However, I would like to report that these colleges differ in the mode of their academic organization. Precisely, while the Art Institute offers courses in liberal arts, Gordon College offers courses in a combination of areas such as arts, science and technology. By saying that the Art Institute offers liberal arts simply means that its courses are biased towards art subjects. These are academic disciplines including fashion, design, media and culinary arts. In this regard, it offers degree, associate, diploma and non degree courses in thee areas. Some of the major areas of specialization in this institute are Bachelor’s of Arts (BA), Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (BFA) and Bachelor’s of Science (BS). They have a bias in advertisement, fashion, design and audio production.
As already highlighted, Gordon College is a dynamic institution which is not offering specific art or science courses. Instead, it gives the learners an opportunity to enjoy a wider choice of courses to pursue (Lucas, C. J., 2001). It combines both the science and art oriented courses. Just like in the Institute of Art, they are offered in a series of levels ranging from non degree to associate degree courses. Some of the major courses offered here include bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education; nursing, political science, sociology, psychology, teacher education, Information systems and biology. These are offered on merit to the most qualified applicants.
The above description leaves me with no choice, but to prefer Gordon College to the Art Institute of Atlanta. It is evident that it emerges as a better option because of its excellence. First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge the fact that it has emerged to be a very dynamic institution which not only provides quality education, but also gives learners an opportunity to excel in co-curricular activities. A part from giving learners a chance to enjoy a variety of courses in the above mentioned disciplines, it grants them a chance to pursue extra curricular activities which of course form an integral part of the education system S(joquist, D., 2005). In other words, the college promotes excellence in athletics, soccer, softball, basketball, tennis, swimming, baseball, volleyball, flag football and wrestling. It has demonstrated its commitment to sporting activities by setting up a large portion of its budget for constructing and maintaining its quality swimming pools, football fields and tennis and basketball courts.
The other important aspect of this institution is that it is located in ambient vicinity exclusively suitable for academic purposes. In this regard, I would like to say that I do admire its environment--51- hectare coverage, nearness to the city, good transport communication, adequate tuition and boarding facilities and the beautification of the environment. Besides, it is located in a very secure place which enables it to guarantee learners and the staff their safety. There is an admirable arrangement of the academic programs which is designed in line with climatic conditions (Veysey, L. R., 2000). In short, it has 3-15week summer, spring and autumn semesters. Although it is a very competitive college, admission is done in a transparent manner to ensure that students get admitted into the courses they rightfully deserve. Moreover, admission procedure is not bureaucratic.
Conclusively, I would like to ay that Gordon College is a very good institution which everyone should strive to join. Apart from having a competent team of professionals, it levies lower fees to its students. Further more, it offers financial waivers, scholarships, bursaries and grants both to the local and international students.
References
Brint, S., & Karabel, J. (2009) The Diverted Dream: Community colleges and the promise of
educational opportunity in America, 1900–1985. Oxford University Press.
Lucas, C. J. (2001) American higher education: A history. pp.; reprinted essays from History of
Education Quarterly.
Rayfield, D. (2012) Edge of Empires: A History of Georgia .London: Reaktion Books.
Sjoquist, D. (ed.) (2005) The Atlanta Paradox. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.
Veysey, L. R. (2000) The emergence of the American university. Illinois: University of Illinois
Press.
