College Terms Glossary

Academic Records: Academic information kept on file by the school. This record includes a transcript of grades, test scores, and related academic materials. 

ACT: The American College Test is used widely by college and university admission offices. The ACT test students' ability in English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. (Website)

Advanced Placement Test (AP): Designed for students who have completed college level work in high school. AP tests are given in specific subject areas and are used to determine if a student may gain advanced standing and/or college credit.

Admission: The decision to allow a student to enter a college or university. 

Admission Test: A standardized test used in the admission process to predict the likelihood of a student's success in college (see ACT and SAT). 

Application: Formally submitting required forms and materials for admission to a college or university.

Articulation agreement: An agreement between a two-year community college and a four-year college that guarantees a graduate of the two-year school admission to the four-year school. 

Associates Degree - A.A. (Associate of Art), S.S. (Associate of Science): A two-year degree that generally prepares the student for additional study at a four-year school. Some associate's degree programs are sufficient training for certain careers, but many students in two-year colleges intend to complete their studies at a four-year school. 

Award Letter: After applying for admission, completing the FAFSA, and receiving a FAFSA Submission Summary, you will receive an award from the financial aid office. Your award letter will tell you what type of financial assistance and the amount you will receive. Your financial package may include any or all of the items listed under the FAFSA definition. 

Bachelor's Degree: A four-year degree awarded for study in a certain subject. 

• B.A. (Bachelor of Art) requires that the student take a foreign language.
• B.S. (Bachelor of Science) requires more science and math classes,
• B.F.A. (Bachelor of Fine Art) designates subject emphasis in fine and applied arts 

Big Future: Big Future is a free online planning guide that helps all students take the right first step after high school. Students can explore careers and find colleges based on their interests. There are multiple scholarship opportunities for students to access.  (Website)

Certificate: Recognition provided to a student for completion of short-term vocational or career training programs. 

CSS Profile: The CSS Profile is an online application used by colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid. Check your colleges' information to determine whether they require the CSS Profile. A list of participating schools is available online. Some schools may also require divorced or separated parents to complete separate applications. The CSS Profile may only be submitted through the sign-on link available at cssprofile.org. (Website)

CIS - Career Information System:  The CIS is a computer program which lists information about careers, post-secondary educational training programs, and scholarships. This program is available in man high school counseling centers and is updated annually. (Website)

Class Rank: A student's approximate standing in their graduating class. Rank is based on grade point average and presented either in "percentiles" (such as "upper fifth") or numerical order (such as 72nd in a class of 410). 

College Board: A non-profit organization whose members include counselors, admission officers, college faculty and financial aid officers. They sponsor many tests, education services, and materials connected with the college admission process. (Website)

College Calendar: 

• Traditional semester - two approximately equal semesters
• Early semester - two semesters, the first ending before Winter break.
• Quarter - three equal terms of about 12 weeks each
• Trimester - calendar year divided into 3 equal sessions, the 3rd session replaces summer school.
• 4-1-4: two equal terms of about 16 weeks each, with a 4-week interim term

College Fair or College Night: A program organized to allow high school students and parents to meet and talk with representatives from different colleges and universities. 

College Guides: Publications, which include profiles of colleges and universities and can be used a part of the college exploration process.

College Preparatory Courses: High school courses that provide students with the knowledge and skills required to do college-level study. 

College Transfer Courses: Courses intended that provide students with the knowledge and skills required to do college-level study. 

College Visit: Actual visit by a student to a college or university to observe first-hand the academics, student life, and related campus features. Students may visit independently or as part of an Open House. 

Common Application: Allows a student to fill out one application form that can be photocopied or e-mailed and sent to more than one college. Students should check with the admissions office to see if a college will accept the Common Application and if additional materials are required. (Website)

Community Colleges: Public institutions that offer certificate programs (one year) and associate degrees (two years). Students may transfer from a community college to a 4-year school. 

Cooperative work-study education: A program in which the student alternates between full-time college study and full-time paid employment related to the area of study. Under this plan, the bachelor's degree often requires five years to complete. 

Credit Hour: A unit of academic credit that often represents one hour of class time per week for a period of study (semester, quarter, etc.)

Deferred Admission: A process by which seniors apply for and are accepted for admission to colleges during their senior year of high school, but choose to enter as freshmen after a one-year absence from school. A deferred admission is a commitment on the part of the college to take the student; a deferred acceptance is a commitment on the part of the student to attend after one year.

Degree: The rank or title given by a college or university to a student who has met certain academic requirements (see "Undergraduate Degree"). 

Diploma: Certificate issued by a school, college, or university to students who have met coursework and graduation requirements. 

ETS - Educational Talent Search: A project funded by the US Department of Education to motivate and assist youth to pursue a higher education. A paid ETS representative is usually in Student Services three days a week to work with students seeking a college education whose parents did not complete college and/or have financial limitations. In addition, the representative may take students on visitations to colleges, assist them with their study habits, and encourage academic success in any way. 

Educational Testing Services (ETS): Educational Testing Services is a private, non-profit organization that provides information about college and graduate school admissions and placement tests. 

Early Action: The term used to describe the application process which permits a student to apply to an institution of preference and receive a decision during the senior year, well in advance of the normal response dates in the spring. The candidate is not committed to enroll at that particular institution. 

Early Admission: Many colleges have a program that allows a student to apply for admission during their junior year in high school. The early admission program at most colleges is reserved for truly exceptional students whose academic preparation and achievement level are sufficient for early entrance to college.

Early Decision: The term used to describe the application process in which a student makes the commitment to an institution that, if admitted, the student will enroll. Only a student who can make a deliberate and well-reasoned first choice decision should apply under an Early Decision plan because the institution will require a nonrefundable deposit well before May 1 and request the student withdraw any applications they have made to other schools.

Elective: A course that students select based on interest that is not part of their major program and doesn't satisfy any other part of their degree requirement. 

Extracurricular Activities: Any school activity such as athletics, drama, or music, which offers the student the opportunity to complement his or her classroom experiences.

FAFSA (The Free Application for Federal Student Aid): To apply for federal and state financial aid, students must complete the FAFSA. Some schools require the CSS profile in addition to the FAFSA. Financial aid forms cannot be filed until October 1 and must be filed each year. Always keep a copy of the financial aid forms you mail. Types of money programs accessed through FAFSA are:

• Pell Grants - Federal free money awarded to the most needy.
• State Grants and Institution Grants - Free money from private and public sources.
• Tuition Waivers - A part or all of a year's tuition may be waived based on a variety of talents. Varies with the school. 
• Work Study - On-campus jobs provided by the school.
• Loans - Money you borrow which must be paid back. 

(Website)

FAFSA Submission Summary: The FAFSA Submission Summary is a paper or electronic document from the US Department of Education's office of Federal Student Aid that lists answers to the questions on the student's FAFSA form and gives basic elements about the student's eligibility for federal student aid. It is not a financial aid offer. 

Financial Aid Assistance: Any financial award given to a student. It may be in the form of a grant, scholarship, work-study job, or loan. 

Fee Waiver: Students may qualify to have four-year college application and/or SAT/ACT fees deferred if they can show proof of financial need, such as eligibility for the school free lunch program. See your high school counselor.

Four-Year Schools: Colleges and universities that offer professional degrees (Bachelor's, Master's, Doctoral degrees). 

Grade Point Average: An average of the student's academic achievement in grades for a specific time period (term or semester). A cumulative GPA is the average over the entire high school or college career. Letter grades are given a point value (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1). Calculate the GPA by totaling the number of grade points earned for all courses and dividing by the number of courses carried. For example, if a student has received A, B, B, C for four courses in one term, the calculation would be: 4 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 12 total points, divided by 4 classes = 3.0 GPA. 

Graduation Requirements: Standards set by the school or state for awarding a high school diploma. 

Grant: An outright financial gift for college costs that does not have to be repaid by the student. Grants are generally given for a specified time of study or research. Certain grants are awarded based on student financial need. 

Interview: Face-to-face interaction (individual or group) between a prospective student and the admission representatives of a college or university. 

Liberal Arts: A course of studies in college that provides a well-rounded education that includes arts, sciences, and the humanities as well as career courses. 

Loan: Money borrowed to pay for college expenses. Loans must be repaid, usually with interest. 

Major:  The course of study in which students concentrate their coursework, time, and attention. 

National Association for College Admission Counseling: A national, professional association of more than 6200 school counselors, college admission personnel, independent counselors, and related organizations. (Website)

National Merit "commended": An award given out by the College Board for high PSAT score by state. It is a runner-up to the higher designation of National Merit Semifinalist. 

Open Admission: Some colleges offer admission to ALL students who apply. Such colleges usually have extensive programs designed to provide remedial or developmental help to students who  enroll with academic deficiencies. 

OPU - Oregon Public Universities: OPU oversees Oregon's public, 4-year colleges and universities:

• EOU - Eastern Oregon University (LaGrande)
• OHSU - Oregon Health and Sciences University (Portland)
• OIT - Oregon Institute of Technology (Klamath Falls)
• OSU - Oregon State University (Corvallis)
• PSU - Portland State University (Portland)
• SOU - Southern Oregon University (Ashland)
• U of O - University of Oregon (Eugene)
• WOU - Western Oregon University (Monmouth)

Oregon Promise Grant: The Oregon Promise is a state grant that helps cover tuition costs at any Oregon community college for recent high school graduates and GED® test graduates. Students must apply during their senior year or immediately after GED® test completion. (Website)

OSAC: Oregon students can apply here for numerous grants and scholarships, get help completing financial aid applications, and learn about preparing for college, training, and careers. The HECC office of Student Access and Completion administers financial aid and college and and career access programs for the State of Oregon. 

PSAT / NMSQT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test / National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test): The PSAT / NMSQT is a practice test designed to prepare juniors for the SAT and is used in the awarding of the National Merit Scholarships. Colleges do not often use the PSAT scores as admission criteria. 

Postsecondary: Opportunities that are available after graduation from high school (secondary school). Postsecondary usually refers to vocational schools, colleges universities as in "postsecondary institutions" or "postsecondary education."

Private School: Schools that are not funded by public taxes. Tuition costs are the same whether the student lives in that state or is a resident of another state. 

Public School: Schools that are tax-supported. Tuition costs are less for students who live in the same state as the school. 

Recommendation:  A written assessment of the student's aptitudes, abilities, and interests. Recommendations are written by teachers, counselors, or employers and used by colleges and universities in the admission process. 

Rolling Admission: A term used to describe the application process in which an institution reviews applications as they are received and offers decisions to students as applications are reviewed. 

SAI (Student Aid Index): The Student Aid Index (SAI) is a number that determines how much federal financial aid a student may receive from the college or career school. The SAI is calculated using financial information from the student and their contributors on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The SAI is the sum of three values; the student's contribution from income and assets, the parents' contribution from income and assets, and the student's contribution from income. The SAI also uses some information from the student's tax return. 

SAT I: The SAT I, (SAT Reasoning) is usually taken in the high school student's junior year and again in their senior year and is a required test for admission to many colleges. The SAT is a three-hour exam that measures two sets of skills - verbal and mathematic reasoning. The SAT I is designed to test a student's aptitude for scholastic work, not intelligence. Low scores are not indicative of a student's ability to do competitive work in college, merely that someone else who has taken the same test has achieved higher scores. The SAT II tests abilities in specific subject areas.

SAT II: Also known as SAT Subjects, these tests are one-hour subject tests prepared by the college board in over seventeen different academic subjects. Mostly highly selective colleges require two or three of these tests for admissions. 

Scholarship: Scholarships are financial awards that do not need to be repaid. They are awarded based upon criteria established by the donor. These criteria could include one or more of the following: the student's financial need, school activities, work history, grade point average, community service, career interests, and skills such as  music or athletics. 

Standardized Tests: Tests, such as the ACT and SAT, that provide college admission officers with a comparative standard for evaluating a student's academic aptitude and likelihood of successes in college. 

Trade School: A for-profit school often specializing in technology-related fields or trades such as beautician or barber. 

Transcript: The official record of a student's high school/college coursework and grades. A transcript is usually required as part of the college admission process.

Tuition: The tuition cost for attending classes at a college, university, or vocational school. 

Tutoring: Assisting a student with some aspect of their schooling, such as mathematics or language skills. Tutoring goes beyond the attention given to the student in a regular classroom setting. 

Undergraduate Degrees: Two-year (Associate's) or four-year (Bachelor's) degrees. 

University: An institution, which may be the same as a college, but which usually offers graduate degrees in addition to undergraduate degrees, as well as research facilities. 

Vocational / Technical Education: A program of study designed to train students for a particular occupation, business, or trade. 

Wait List: A term used by institutions to describe a process in which the institution does not initially offer or deny admission, but extends to a candidate the possibility of admission in the future. 

Work Study: A financial aid program that allows the student to work on campus or with approved off-campus employers to earn money to pay for college expenses. Federal work-study is funded by a federal grant to the school.