In the US there are two main groups of colleges; private and state funded colleges. There are many local private colleges that offer excellent courses. Local private colleges tend to specialize in vocational and other undergraduate courses. There are two fundamental differences between private and state funded colleges. Private colleges tend to be four times more expensive than state colleges, and more state colleges are accredited to take on foreign students than private colleges. So when choosing a college the student should find out whether the college is an accredited college to accept foreign students and whether the college is a privately funded or local state college.

When a college has been accredited to accept foreign students they will have a Designated School Official (DSO) to handle all the students’ questions and them through the acceptance process. If the college is a large one, it may have a Principal Designated School Official (PDSO) along with other DSO staff. The PDSO or DSO should be your only points of contact at the college, except when you are simply touring the college.
Most State and Private Universities specialize in Bachelor Degree and Post-Graduate programs and will have a PDSO and DSO available on each campus

Student Visa Guide