Certificate programs are often in technical or vocational fields, and can certify you to practice a trade like cosmetology or auto repair. They can also provide an opportunity for weak students to bolster their performance before transferring to a bachelor's program or for students with few financial resources to spend part of their college career at a less expensive institution. Bachelor's degrees can be bachelor's of science, bachelor's of arts, bachelor's of music, bachelor's of fine arts, and many other more specific degrees. They prepare you for further graduate or professional study in your field or for many kinds of employment, such as teaching, business, registered nursing, or advertising. Different schools have different curricular strengths.
Some schools specialize in the arts, others in technology.
Some larger schools have programs in fields like nursing or paralegal studies that are very separate from the rest of the institution. If you would like a broad general education, in addition to your focus, you would choose a different school than if you wanted intensive study in just one field. Think about this carefully. Going to school across the country may seem like a good idea, but coming home on breaks will be difficult and costly. You may get homesick and miss your family and friends.