I attended a college that shares its name with a larger university (though the two are unaffiliated) and have always been adamant about the distinction. In Russia, it turns out this distinction is even more important to make. A колледж (kollege; college) is somewhere between vocational school and high school, though not all students attend and this is generally the less prestigious form of “higher education”. Университет (universitet; university), on the other hand, is what we would consider most American colleges and universities.
Academics
I loved the freedom my college gave me to switch majors a dozen times (okay, maybe more) before I had finally chosen a field of study. My Russian friends had no such luxury- in addition to entering university, they had to enter into a specific факультет (facultyet; department). Some departments at a university are more prestigious than others and most Russians take an entrance exam and score high enough to enter into their department. Failing that, students either enter a less competitive department or “push” their way in with a few rubles. Freshmen entering into the same department are placed into a cohort (группа; gruppa), taking all of their classes with this group of students. Cohorts can vary in size, but the most common I’ve seen have ranged from 5-12 students. While most universities require students to take courses outside their chosen department, the options for such courses tend to be fairly limited.
University programs range in length, but the average university student is there for 5 or 6 years (Some can receive a Bakalavr degree- similar to the BA- in 4 years, but it is not considered a “full” undergraduate experience). Classes meet throughout the day; most students stay on/near campus from early morning until mid-evening as a result. And forget blue books, many Russian final exams are oral. There are a few written exams, but the pressure to perform is high regardless. Grades range from 5 (excellent) to 1 (really failing)- though most teachers stop at 2 (failing).
Housing
US students generally live in dormitory-type housing for at least a portion of their undergraduate experience- and for many this is the highlight of their time at college. Russians tend to stay within their home city/region for university, however- so most opt to save money (and postpone learning to cook) by living at home with their parents. Russian universities do have dorms, though they are mostly for international students and the students from farther villages. Many students aspire to attend university in Moscow or St. Petersburg; this is one of the rare exceptions where students do live in dormitories (or local apartments). At the same time, many of these students travel home on the weekends, if they happen to live close enough. Dorms at Russian universities tend to be slightly smaller (if possible 
) than American dorm rooms.
Tuition
Tuition for an academic year at the biggest university in Vladimir varies, averaging around 45,000 rubles. Looks on par with outrageous American fees before the conversion- which (as of today) reveals that Vladimir State University students pay $1,500 for an academic year’s tuition. [Seems decent, until you realize the average Russian salary in 2008 was $640 a month]
During the Soviet Union, education was free, which did wonders for the country’s literacy and college graduation rates. Now that universities are starting to gradually increase costs each year now that the government doesn’t support them nearly as much (renovations to classrooms and new buildings are rare as a result). Student loans- much like mortagages- are still practically unheard of in Russia; students cough up the funds to go or receive scholarships/stipends from the university. Fortunately, because many parents have gone to college and recognize its importance, they are willing to support their children.
