The U.S. has the most diverse higher-education system in the world. Good thing, since there are currently some 14.5 million students attending postsecondary institutions at all levels. Enrollment is expected to soar to 16.1 million by the year 2008. Here is a sampler of what is available at some of the 4,000 accredited colleges and universities:

Research Universities
The country's 94 public and 62 private universities serve some 3 million students. The publics tend to be big; Penn State, for instance, has 34,000 undergraduates. Private universities such as Yale (5,440 undergrads) and Rice (2,700) are often much smaller. Both types generally offer a broad range of courses, impressive facilities, as well as research opportunities.

The downside? Because they grant doctoral and professional degrees, universities may not focus on undergraduate education.

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Some of the largest universities, however, have honors programs and even separate colleges and dorms for high-achieving students, creating a small-school environment that offers the best of both worlds. Amanda Ziemba, an honors student at DePaul University in Chicago, praises the intimate classes and faculty interaction, all of which "create camaraderie."

Liberal Arts Colleges
While some of the nation's 1,551 liberal arts colleges are tiny (Bennington has only 400 students), most have a student body that hovers around 2,000. These schools are known for nurturing undergraduates and providing the 2.3 million students who attend them with a personal atmosphere for learning. While many of these colleges still offer a classic liberal arts curriculum, others have ventured into pre-professional degrees.

State Colleges
The country's 514 public state colleges grant bachelor's and master's degrees and tend to offer a very broad range of studies. Most of the 3.6 million students are in-state residents who can take advantage of the low tuition.

Community Colleges
There are 1,132 community colleges in the U.S., attended by 5.4 million students of all ages.

Special Interests

Religious affiliations
The 904 institutions in this category range from Abilene Christian University in Texas to Yeshiva University in New York City to more than 200 Catholic colleges and universities, such as Georgetown and Iona.

Historically Black Colleges
and universities: There are 101 of these schools, including Howard University and Grambling State (La.).

Single-sex Colleges
The nation's 79 women's colleges, such as Wellesley and Mills, offer young women a supportive environment. Wabash College in Indiana is among the last all-male schools.

Tribal Colleges
These 26 schools, including Sinte Gleska University in South Dakota, were founded to serve Native Americans.

Source: TIME/The Princeton Review's The Best College For You 2001 that's a good school!