What is the difference between college and university?

Foreign Student? College or University, what is the difference? HELP!!?

• Hey, first of all, i am German. so the whole American school system is new to me... i moved to the us about 5 months ago and i really wanna go to school over here. I already took a placement test at John A. and did good, they accepted me. Now a friend asked me why i don't go to SIU instead of going to John A... It got me thinking and i realized that i don't even really know the difference between these two schools, besides the obvious, one is a college the other a university.. but do i have to go to college first to go to a university or can i go to SIU without attending a College first? What exactly is the difference in studying something at a college or a university... These question may sound extremely stupid, but i am really lost in this new system and i'd appreciate your help a lot. Thank you. :)

• Answer:

  College/university=same thing in the US. both will give you a four year Bachelor degree. You do not go to one, then the other. US students will refer to both as college. ie. I am going to college this fall at Ohio State University. what is John A.? SIU, is that Southern Illinois University?? If so, that is a pretty good school.