College-prep Toolbox - Glossary

accreditation- proof that a college, high school, or program meets educational standards established by government or professional organizations.

ACT- American College Testing; company that gives a college entrance exam testing students' skills in English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning; also gives career-related tests.

administration- The group of people who run a college; groups often includes the president, vice presidents, deans, and directors.

admissions office- The college office that provides information and assistance to students interested in applying to the college; also the office that determines who will be accepted; also known as enrollment services, entry services, and records and registration.

Advanced Placement course- Special high school course taught at a college level; see AP Exam.

Advanced Placement Exam- See AP Exam.

affiliation- The relationship a college has with a particular group of organization, for example, with a religious denomination.

alumni- The graduates of a college or any other educational institution; an individual graduate is called an alumnus (male) or alumna (female).

AP Exam- Standardized test given to students who have completed special high school classes taught at the college level.

application fee- The fee most colleges charge to process your application form.

articulation agreement- A special agreement between colleges that defines how students transfer from one college to the other.

assessment- An evaluation, usually by a test, that measures a student's skill or knowledge in an area.

associate's degree- Degree given for completion of a two-year college program.

bachelor's degree- Degree given for completion of a four-year college or university program.

board of trustees- The group with overall responsibility for a college; also called the board of directors.

branch campus- An additional campus of a college, other than the main campus.

campus- A college's physical surroundings; its buildings and grounds.

career center- The place on campus where students can get a wide variety of information, advice, and assistance about employment.

catalog- A book that describes a college's requirements, rules, and courses in detail.

certificate- Recognition that a student has completed specific training or study in a specialized area; usually offered by community colleges.

certification- Evidence that a person has completed a program of study or passed a competency test; gives the person permission to practice in a chosen field.

class rank- A measure of a student's academic performance compared to all other students in the same grade at the same school.

college- School after high school, often four-year programs leading to bachelor's degrees; see also community college and university.

college calendar- The way in which a college divides its school year into terms.

college entrance exams- standardized tests used to measure skills important for college success; many colleges require applicants to take at least one; most common are the SAT and the ACT.

common application- A college application form that is accepted by almost 200 colleges in place of their own form.

community college- School after high school that leads to associate's degrees and certificates; full-time programs can usually be completed in two years; sometimes called junior college.

consortium- A group of colleges that allow students at one college to take advantage of courses and facilities at the other colleges.

commuter- A student who travels to and from college each day.

competitive admissions- applicants must meet or exceed specific standards; qualified applicants are then compared to determine who will be admitted.

core courses- see general education courses.

correspondence courses- Classes taught using the mail for communication between the teacher and the student.

credit- A measure of how much a particular course counts toward completing overall graduation requirements; usually based on the number of hours a course meets each week; often used to calculate tuition; also called credit hour.

cum laude- A mark of distinction awarded to top students at graduation; Latin for "with praise." See also magna cum laude and summa cum laude.

dean- A person responsible for a major portion of the college.

deferred admission- Selection process that enables students who have been accepted to a college to delay their enrollment.

deferred loan- borrowed money that does not need to be re-paid right away.

degree- The title a college grants to students who complete specific programs of study; most common are bachelor's degree (four-year college or university) and associate's degree (two-year college); advanced studies can lead to master's degrees and doctor's degrees.

department- A group of professors who teach in the same subject area; the head of the department is often called the department chair.

deposit- money you send to a college to reserve your place after you have accepted its offer of admission. This money applies toward your first year's expenses and is often non-refundable.

developmental studies- Programs that help develop a student's basic skills, bringing him up to the college level; also called remedial studies.

Diploma- recognition that a student has completed a specific program or study, usually one to two years.

Discipline- A subject area such as English, biology, or psychology.

Distance learning- Instruction that takes place when the teacher and the student are in different locations.

Distribution requirements- Colleges require that students take a specified number of courses from different subject areas before they can graduate.

Doctorate- An advanced degree; also called a doctor's degree.

Dormitory- A building that houses students who live on a college campus; also called dorm or residence hall.

Double major- Studies to complete degree requirements in two subject areas at the same time; see major.

Early decision- Selection process enabling students to be admitted earlier than all other applicants.

Endowment- A scholarship that is paid with interest earned from money that has been donated to the college in memory of someone.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)- The amount that, according to a government formula, your family should be able to pay toward your college costs.

Exchange program- A program that allows students at one college to attend a different college for one or two terms.

Extension center- an additional campus that a college sets up in another location. Also called a branch campus.

Extra curricular activities- Activities in which a student participates outside of class, such as sports or music.

Faculty- the teachers at a college: professors, associate and assistant professors, lecturers, and instructors.

FAFSA- Free Application for Federal Student Aid; the form students use to apply for financial assistance from the federal government.

Fees- charges for particular services, equipment, or facilities; can include a general fee, a student activity fee, lab fees, and so forth.

financial aid- Money provided to a student to help pay for college.

financial aid package- The combination of grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study that a student receives to help pay for college.

general education courses- Courses that are required of all students in order to graduate, regardless of the students' primary filed of study.

grade-point-average (GPA)- An average of all of a student's grades for a term, a year, or several years.

graduate student- A student who has already earned a bachelor's degree and is continuing to study at an advanced level.

grant- A financial award that does not need to be repaid.

Hope Scholarship- A federal tax credit program in which taxpayers may credit some of their tuition against their taxes; see tax credit.

internship- A program in which businesses, agencies, and other places of employment allow students to apply their studies in a work setting.

intramural sports- Athletic programs that enable students within a college to compete against each other; open to all students.

job placement- The office that assists students in getting jobs.

liberal arts- Studies that cover broad knowledge in a wide variety of subjects.

magna cum laude- A mark of distinction awarded to top students at graduation; Latin for "with great praise." See also cum laude and summa cum laude.

major- The area of studying in which a student chooses to specialize.

master's degree- An advanced degree following a bachelor's degree.

meal plan- a program that covers payment for meals.

mentor- A person who actively helps another achieve academic and career goals.

merit-based aid- Financial assistance based on a student's talents and academic achievement.

minor- A second area of study that a student emphasizes besides his major; minors require less coursework than a major.

National Candidates Reply Date (NCRD)- May 1, a common deadline by which students must notify colleges where they will attend.

NCAA- National Collegiate Athletic Association; organization that oversees college athletic programs.

need-based aid- financial assistance based on a student's ability to pay for college.

occupational education- Study and preparation of a particular field of employment. See also career education.

online course- A class taught using the Internet for communication between the teacher the student.

open admissions- Applicants are admitted with few requirements.

orientation- A program designed to introduce students to the college.

payment plan- A program that permits some or all college costs to be paid in smaller amounts rather than all at once.

placement test- Exams given after students are admitted'; helps determine which courses students need to take.

prepaid tuition- A program that allows parents and others to pay early, locking in tuition rates.

prerequisite- A course that is required before another course can be taken.

private college- An independent college set up by individuals or organizations; receives little taxpayer support.

PROFILE- A form many private colleges require students to complete in order to qualify for need-based aid.

PSAT/NMSQT- Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test; provides practice for the SAT and enables students to qualify for scholarship programs. Tests are administered at school to 10th & 11th graders.

public college- A government supported college.

recruiter- college representative who will answer your questions and encourage eligible students to apply to the college.

recruitment- The process of finding students to apply to the college.

registrar- The person responsible for registration and maintaining student records.

remedial studies- See developmental studies

resident assistant- Someone who supervises a portion of a dormitory; often called a "RA."

residence hall- see dormitory.

room and board- The cost of housing (room) and meals (board).

SAT I- Scholastic Achievement Test; college entrance exam that tests students' verbal and math skills.

SAT II- College entrance exams that test students' skills in specific subject areas such as biology, Spanish, etc.

scholarship- financial award that does not need to be repaid.

selective admissions- Applicants must either meet or exceed specific standards to qualify for admission.

selectivity- The level of difficulty involved in getting into a specific college; selectivity levels include open, selective, and competitive admissions.

student union- The building that is central to student activities and services; often includes the dining hall, mailroom, and bookstore.

student-faculty ratio- The number of students for every teacher

summa cum laude- A mark of distinction awarded to top students at graduation; Latin for "with highest praise." See also cum laude and magna cum laude.

syllabus- a course outline provided by the teacher.

tax credit- An expense that reduces the amount of taxes owed.

TOEFL- Test of English as a Foreign Language; a test often required for students from outside the United States.

transcript- A summary of a student's academic record.

transfer- The process of switching from one college to another.

tuition- The portion of college costs that pays directly for classes.

tuition savings plan- A state program that encourages saving for college costs.

two-year college- see community college.

underclassmen- Freshmen and sophomores at a college.

undergraduate- A student who has not yet completed graduation requirements nor earned a bachelor's (or associate's) degree.

university- An institution of higher learning that usually combines on or more colleges with other schools, such as medical or law school.

upper classmen- juniors and seniors at a college.

work-study- a financial assistance program that provides students with jobs, usually on campus.