College Terms

Acceptance Rate: The percentage of applicants who are admitted to a college. Lower acceptance rates often indicate more selective institutions, though this can vary significantly by college.
ACT: American College Testing, an alternative standardized test for college admissions. The ACT includes English, math, reading, and science sections, scored on a scale of 1-36.
AP (Advanced Placement): College-level courses and exams offered to high school students. Students who score well on AP exams may receive college credit or advanced placement in college courses.
Co-op: A cooperative education program that combines classroom study with paid work experience. Co-op programs typically alternate periods of academic study with periods of full-time employment.
Coalition Application: An alternative college application platform used by some colleges, designed to provide access to students from diverse backgrounds. Like the Common App, it allows students to apply to multiple colleges with one application.
Common App: Abbreviation for Common Application, the standardized undergraduate college admission application platform used by over 1,000 colleges and universities.
Common Application: A standardized undergraduate college admission application used by over 1,000 colleges and universities. The Common App allows students to apply to multiple institutions using one application, streamlining the admissions process.
Community College: A two-year public institution offering associate degrees, certificates, and transfer programs. Community colleges often have lower tuition and provide pathways to four-year universities.
Cost of Attendance (COA): The total estimated cost of attending college for one year, including tuition, fees, room, board, books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. This figure is used to calculate financial aid eligibility.
Credit Hours: Units measuring academic coursework, typically representing one hour of class time per week over a semester. Most courses are worth 3-4 credit hours, and students typically need 120-130 credits to graduate.
CSS Profile: The College Scholarship Service Profile is an additional financial aid application required by many private colleges and universities. It provides more detailed financial information than the FAFSA and is used to determine eligibility for institutional aid and scholarships.
Deferred: When an Early Action or Early Decision applicant is moved to the regular decision applicant pool. The college needs more time to evaluate the application and will make a final decision later.
Demonstrated Interest: Actions taken by prospective students to show a college that they are genuinely interested in attending. This can include campus visits, attending information sessions, contacting admissions officers, and applying early. Some colleges use demonstrated interest as a factor in admissions decisions.
Double Major: Pursuing two primary fields of study simultaneously, typically requiring completion of all requirements for both majors. This allows students to earn degrees in two disciplines.
Early Action: A non-binding college application process that allows students to apply early (typically November) and receive an admission decision earlier than regular decision applicants. Unlike Early Decision, students are not required to commit if accepted and can still apply to other colleges.
Early Decision: A binding college application process where students apply to a single college by an early deadline (typically November) and commit to attending if accepted. If accepted, the student must withdraw all other applications and enroll at that institution.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC): A measure of a family's financial strength calculated from information provided on the FAFSA. The EFC determines how much financial aid a student is eligible to receive, with lower EFC values typically resulting in more need-based aid.
FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form completed by current and prospective college students to determine their eligibility for financial aid, including federal grants, loans, and work-study programs. The FAFSA opens on October 1st each year and should be submitted as early as possible.
GPA (Grade Point Average): A numerical representation of a student's academic performance, calculated by averaging grades. Most colleges use a 4.0 scale, where A=4.0, B=3.0, C=2.0, D=1.0, and F=0.0.
IB (International Baccalaureate): An international educational program offering a rigorous curriculum for students aged 16-19. IB programs are recognized worldwide and may provide college credit or advanced standing.
Internship: A temporary work experience related to a student's field of study, providing practical experience and professional connections. Internships can be paid or unpaid and may offer college credit.
Legacy Admission: An admissions preference given to applicants who have family members (typically parents or grandparents) who attended the institution. Many colleges consider legacy status as a factor in admissions decisions.
Letters of Recommendation: Endorsements written by teachers, counselors, mentors, or employers that describe a student's academic abilities, character, and potential. Most colleges require 1-3 letters of recommendation as part of the application.
Liberal Arts College: An institution emphasizing broad-based education in humanities, sciences, and arts rather than specialized professional training. These colleges typically focus on undergraduate education and critical thinking skills.
Major: A student's primary field of study in college, typically requiring a specific set of courses and credits. Students usually declare a major by the end of their sophomore year.
Merit Aid: Financial aid awarded based on academic, athletic, artistic, or other achievements rather than financial need. Merit scholarships are often used by colleges to attract high-achieving students.
Minor: A secondary field of study that requires fewer credits than a major. Students can pursue a minor to complement their major or explore additional interests.
Need-Based Aid: Financial assistance awarded based on demonstrated financial need, calculated through forms like the FAFSA. This includes grants, loans, and work-study programs provided to students who cannot afford college costs.
Need-Blind Admission: An admissions policy where a college does not consider an applicant's financial need when making admission decisions. The college commits to meeting the full demonstrated financial need of admitted students through aid packages.
Net Price: The actual cost a student pays to attend college after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the sticker price. This is the amount a student is responsible for paying out-of-pocket or through loans.
Orientation: A program for new students to familiarize them with campus, academic policies, resources, and student life. Orientation typically occurs before classes begin and helps students transition to college.
Pell Grant: A federal grant program for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. Pell Grants do not need to be repaid and are awarded based on financial need, cost of attendance, and enrollment status.
Personal Statement: The main essay required for college applications, typically 500-650 words. It allows students to share their background, experiences, values, and aspirations with admissions officers.
Prerequisites: Required courses that must be completed before enrolling in more advanced courses. Prerequisites ensure students have the necessary foundational knowledge for upper-level coursework.
Private University: A privately funded institution that does not receive state funding. Private universities often have higher tuition but may offer more generous financial aid packages to offset costs.
Public University: A state-funded institution typically offering lower tuition rates for in-state residents. Public universities are funded by state governments and serve a larger student population than private institutions.
Quarter: An academic term typically lasting 10 weeks, used by some colleges instead of semesters. Schools on the quarter system typically have three quarters (fall, winter, spring) plus optional summer sessions.
Regular Decision: The standard application deadline for college admissions, typically in January or February. Students receive decisions in late March or early April and have until May 1st to commit to a college.
Research University: An institution focused on research activities and graduate programs in addition to undergraduate education. These universities often have extensive resources, faculty research, and graduate student populations.
Rolling Admission: An admissions process where colleges review applications as they are received and make decisions on a continuous basis, rather than by a specific deadline. Students are typically notified of decisions within a few weeks of applying.
Room and Board: The combined cost of on-campus housing (room) and meal plans (board) provided by the college. This is a significant portion of the total cost of attendance for residential students.
SAT: Scholastic Assessment Test, a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. The SAT measures reading, writing, and math skills and is scored on a scale of 400-1600.
Semester: An academic term typically lasting 15-16 weeks. Most colleges operate on a semester system with fall and spring semesters, though some also offer summer sessions.
Stafford Loan: A federal student loan program offering both subsidized loans (interest paid by government while in school) and unsubsidized loans (interest accrues immediately). These loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students.
Sticker Price: The published tuition and fees charged by a college before any financial aid is applied. This is the full cost advertised by the institution, though most students pay less after aid.
Study Abroad: A program allowing students to study at institutions in other countries, typically for a semester or academic year. Study abroad programs provide cultural immersion and global learning experiences.
Supplemental Essay: Additional essays required by specific colleges beyond the main personal statement. These essays often ask about why a student is interested in that particular college or specific program.
Test-Blind: An admissions policy where colleges do not consider SAT or ACT scores even if applicants submit them. All students are evaluated without regard to standardized test scores.
Test-Optional: An admissions policy that allows applicants to choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. Colleges with test-optional policies do not require standardized test scores for admission.
Transcript: An official record of a student's academic coursework, grades, and credits earned. High school transcripts are required for college applications and must be sent directly from the school to colleges.
Tuition: Fees charged by an educational institution for instruction. Tuition rates vary significantly between public and private institutions and may differ for in-state versus out-of-state students.
Unweighted GPA: A standard GPA calculation on a 4.0 scale where all courses are treated equally, regardless of difficulty level. An A in a regular class and an A in an honors class both count as 4.0.
Waitlist: A list of qualified applicants who are not initially admitted but may be offered admission if space becomes available. Waitlisted students typically receive notification after the regular decision deadline and may need to confirm their continued interest.
Weighted GPA: A GPA calculation that gives extra points for honors, Advanced Placement, or International Baccalaureate courses. This can result in a GPA higher than 4.0 on a traditional scale.
Work-Study: A federal program providing part-time employment for students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay for educational expenses. Jobs are typically on-campus or with approved off-campus employers.
Yield Rate: The percentage of admitted students who enroll at a college. A high yield rate indicates strong student interest and may affect a college's admissions strategy for future years.