Essential Terms to Know When Planning for College Success
Navigating the path to college success can be both exciting and challenging. As students and their families embark on this journey, understanding key terms and concepts related to college planning becomes essential. In this comprehensive guide, we present essential terms that will help you navigate the college application process, financial aid, and campus life with confidence.
From academic advising to subsidized loans, this collection of terms covers the crucial aspects of college planning, ensuring you are well-prepared to make informed decisions. Whether you're exploring majors, researching colleges, or considering work-study options, this guide will serve as a valuable resource to help you create a successful and fulfilling college experience. Let's dive into the world of college planning and embrace the opportunities that await!
Academic Advising: A service that helps students select courses, plan their academic program, and navigate college policies and procedures.
Academic Calendar: A schedule that outlines important dates and deadlines for the academic year, such as the start and end of semesters, holidays, and exam periods.
Admissions Counselor: A person who works for a college or university and assists prospective students with the admissions process.
Advising: A service that helps students select courses, plan their academic programs, and navigate college policies and procedures.
Campus Life: The social and cultural activities and events that take place on a college or university campus.
Campus Tour: A guided tour of a college or university's campus, typically led by a student tour guide.
Career Services: A department that provides resources and support for students and alumni as they pursue career opportunities, including job postings, resume reviews, and career counseling.
College List: The list of colleges that you plan on submitting admission applications to. Students should start to develop and this list no later than first semester of junior year and continuously research and refine leading up to admission applications opening.
Common Application: An online application used by over 900 colleges and universities in the United States to simplify the application process for students.
Common Data Set: A standardized set of data elements used by colleges and universities to report information about their institutions.
Community College: A two-year institution that offers lower-division courses, associate degrees, and academic and vocational certificates. They can also be referred to as junior colleges.
Commuter Student: A student who lives off campus and travels to campus for classes. This can be common for urban areas where there isn’t an enclosed or defined campus.
Co-Op Program: A paid position that you apply for while in college that allows you to earn college credit while in a structured job experience. These positions typically last longer than an internship and can provide more in-depth on-the-job training.
Cost of Attendance: The total amount it costs to attend a college or university, including tuition, fees, room and board, and other indirect expenses like books, supplies, transportation, and living expenses.
Course Catalog: A publication that lists all courses offered at a college or university, along with their descriptions and prerequisites.
EFC: Expected Family Contribution is a number calculated by data within FAFSA and used to determine eligibility for need-based financial aid from the government as well as institutional funding from colleges.
FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form that students fill out to determine their eligibility for financial aid from the government or colleges directly. If the student is dependent, their parent or guardian should be assisting with this form.
Financial Aid Package: The combination of grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans that a college or university offers to help students pay for their education.
Four-Year College or University: A higher education institution that offers associates degrees, bachelor's degrees, certificates, and sometimes graduate programs.
GAP Year: Time that a student takes between high school and attending college, ideally to explore interests and to gain clarity on what they want for their futures. GAP years are most effective when they are intentional and planned.
GPA: Grade point average is a numerical representation of a student's academic performance, calculated by averaging the grades received in all courses taken.
Graduate School: An institution that offers programs of study that leads to a master's or doctoral degree. You must have achieved an undergraduate degree before enrolling in graduate studies.
Graduate Student: A student who is pursuing a master's, doctoral, or professional degree. You must earn an undergraduate degree before pursuing a graduate degree.
Internship: A paid or unpaid work experience that provides students with practical training and professional development in their field of study.
Liberal Arts College: A college that emphasizes a broad-based education in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Major: The area of study that a student chooses to specialize in during their college years. It’s common for majors to offer different concentrations within the program, to accommodate for student’s learning preferences and career goals.
Merit-Based Aid: Financial aid that is awarded based on a student's academic or extracurricular achievements.
Minor: A secondary area of study that a student can choose to pursue alongside their major.
Need-Based Aid: Financial aid that is awarded based on a student's financial need, as determined by the FAFSA or other financial aid applications.
Orientation: A program that helps new students adjust to college life and learn about the resources and opportunities available to them.
Pell Grant: A need-based grant for undergraduate students to help pay for their education. The amount awarded depends on the student's financial need, cost of attendance, and enrollment status.
Private Institution: A college or university that is funded by private donations and tuition and typically offers the same tuition rate to in-state and out-of-state students.
Professional School: A program of study that leads to a professional degree, such as a law or medical degree.
Public Institution: A college or university that is funded by state or local government and that typically offers a lower rate for in-state students.
Registrar: An official in charge of academic records, including enrollment, grades, and transcripts.
Research Assistant: A student who assists a faculty member with research projects in their field of study.
Resident Assistant: A student who lives in a dormitory or residence hall and serves as a peer advisor and resource for other students.
Room and Board: The cost of housing and meals for students living on campus, which varies widely depending on location and spread of options the college offers.
SAI: Student Aid Index (formerly known as EFC) is a number calculated by data within FAFSA and used to determine eligibility for need-based financial aid from the government as well as institutional funding from colleges.
SAT/ACT: Standardized tests used by colleges and universities to evaluate a student's readiness for college-level coursework. Colleges do not have a preference on which test a student submits to them for admission applications.
Sorority/Fraternity: A social organization for college students that typically emphasizes leadership, service, and community involvement.
Student Government: A group of elected student representatives who advocate for the interests and needs of the student body.
Student Loan: A loan taken out in the student’s name. Federal government student loans (subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans) do not require a co-signer. Private student loans typically require a co-signer if the student borrower does not have established credit.
Study Abroad: A program that allows students to spend a semester or year studying in another country.
Subsidized Loan: A type of federal student loan where the government pays the interest while the student is in school, during the grace period, and during deferment.
Transfer Student: A student who has previously attended another college or university and is seeking to transfer enrollment to a new institution.
Undergraduate: A student who is pursuing a bachelor's degree. The most common bachelor degrees are designated into B.A. which is bachelor of arts or B.S. for bachelor of science.
Unsubsidized Loan: A type of federal student loan where the student is responsible for paying the interest that accrues while they are in school, during the grace period, and during deferment.
Work-Study: A federal program that provides part-time job on-campus jobs for undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate financial need. The main benefit is the money earned does not count against their financial need calculation on the following year’s FAFSA.
