College. Those eight letters can mean four years, or two years, or even 16 years. College can be big or small, public or private. It can even be a university. On this week's CappCast, Carole Snow, vice provost with the University of Illinois-Chicago is hear to define college in more than the Webster's Dictionary sense. She tells you about the different types of degrees, from associates to doctorates. Then, she breaks it down even furhter with, comparing liberal arts studies with professional degrees and technical training. She even lets you know about the advantages of community colleges.

Everybody needs at least one, so where's yours? If you don't have a recommendation letter for your college application yet Nancy Davidson is here to help. She's the vice president of enrollment at Augustana College in South Dakota.

On this week's CappCast, she unveils the secrets to getting a great recommendation letter. She tells you who to ask, how to ask and, because timing is everything, when to ask. For more information on getting in places like Augustana College visit Cappex.com, where colleges apply to you.

Lindsay Sooy, Director of Admissions from Heidelberg College, explains that small college campuses can offer a level of intimacy and nurturing that is simply not available on a larger campus. Students enjoy small class sizes and easy access to professors. It is not uncommon for faculty to actually list their home number on their syllabus.

Classes at large schools are often taught by graduate assistants instead of tenured professors. At a small school the classes are usually taught by professors.

The differences are even apparent during the admissions process. Small schools tend to spend much more time on each application.

In 2003 the US Supreme Court upheld the right of colleges and universities to consider race in the admissions process. This landmark case provides a backdrop for our discussion with Jon Boeckenstedt, Associate Vice President of Enrollment Management for DePaul University in Chicago, Ill. The decision to allow colleges to consider race stems from the idea that diversity will improve education and, therefore, proactively building a diverse student body is an important part of the admissions process.

In spite of the advantages that diversity brings to campuses, Jon outlines why colleges must make sure that race is not the only factor in considering applicants and that in no case should unqualified minorities be given an advantage in the admissions process.