Common College Admission Terms Glossary – BigFuture (2023)

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Common College Admission Terms Glossary – BigFuture? ›

Article Content. The fall semester, which begins in August, is the traditional start term for freshmen students. Most merit-based scholarships are only awarded to students entering in the fall semester. Please see our scholarships and financial aid web page for complete deadline information.

Article Content. The fall semester, which begins in August, is the traditional start term for freshmen students. Most merit-based scholarships are only awarded to students entering in the fall semester. Please see our scholarships and financial aid web page for complete deadline information.

: the fact of being accepted as a student at a school.

You're also considered a prospective student all the way up until you accept (or decline) your offer of enrollment (assuming you've been admitted to that school). For example, Lila is a high school senior who is interested in applying to Brown, the University of Chicago, and Boston University.

ADMIT. If you receive a fat envelope in the mail with an admit decision, congratulations – you've been accepted to the university! This is a no-strings-attached decision, meaning you don't need to meet any additional requirements or submit any additional information.

Some colleges and universities operate on the quarter system with the academic year divided into four terms: fall, winter, spring and summer. Students usually need to be enrolled for three out of four quarters.

The noun admission stems from the Latin word admissionem, meaning "a letting in." It often refers to a fee charged for entry, but it can also describe the process of being granted entry.

Per term means “per semester” if the school has a fall/spring semester schedule. It means “per trimester” if the school divides classes into a fall/winter/spring schedule. It means “per quarter” if the school divides classes into four rolling terms over the course of a full year.

The length of time a college application takes depends on the college's requirements. Requests vary from school to school, but it generally takes about six weeks to gather everything you need.

What do you call a friend from university? ›

noun. Definition of classmate. as in colleague. a member of the same class in a school, college, or university She was widely regarded as the most likely to succeed among her classmates.

At college or university, freshman denotes students in their first year of study. The grade designations of high school are not used, but the terms sophomore, junior, and senior are kept at most schools.

The word “alumnus” refers to an individual male graduate.

Courses and Grades

A student's grades in college-preparatory classes remain the most significant factor in college admission decisions.

The two broad status types for degree-seeking students are enrolled and unenrolled with continuing degree candidacy. Enrolled statuses include regular enrollment, in absentia enrollment, and dissertation completion enrollment (DCE).

Admitting something is kind of like saying it out loud and just acknowledging that whatever the subject matter is actually exists. Accepting it is actually looking at something in a deeper meaning or value.

An academic year in the United States is 2 semesters (i.e. starting in autumn, ending in late spring). Therefore, five semesters is 2.5 years of a “4 year” bachelors degree. Each semester is around 15 weeks of classes plus an exam week.

The academic year consists of trimesters or quarters - three terms/quarter academic year, as a rule, includes three major periods, autumn, winter and spring, every 10-12 weeks of training and additional years of unit from 1 to 11 weeks. The concept of “semester” and “quarter” in American education are very close.

There are generally two semesters per academic year: Fall (beginning in August or September) and Spring (beginning in January). Some semester-based schools also offer a Summer session that is shorter than a regular semester and is not a part of the regular academic year.

What is a college class itinerary called? ›

A class schedule is a list of classes a student is taking and includes course name and number time and location of the class.

Freshman/First-Year Student: Also known as incoming students, these are learners who are in their first year of study at a college or university. Full-Time Student: To qualify as a full-time student, learners must take a minimum number of credits per semester.

In a general admission (also known as open seating or free seating) scheme, each spectator has a ticket.

admit is a verb, admissible is an adjective, admission is a noun:The criminal admitted his guilt.

admit of something

to show that something is possible or likely as a solution, an explanation, etc. The situation was too urgent to admit of any delay.

A trimester system divides the academic year into three sessions: fall, winter, and spring.

Once you're in college, many institutions expect you to maintain at least a 2.0 to remain enrolled. However, programs and scholarships tend to require a higher minimum GPA, usually around 3.0. As you get ready to graduate, a particularly high GPA (3.75 or higher) may mean that you graduate with distinction.

The academic term of a college may be a semester which means there are two terms in a single year, and the academic session is divided into two equal semesters. In some colleges, trimester pattern is followed which divides a year into three parts each being 4 months in duration.

The primary essay for your college application, often called a personal statement, is typically around 400-600 words. The Common App personal statement — which is used as the primary application essay by more than 800 colleges — must be 250-650 words.

While there's no cap on the number of schools you can apply to, some students, especially those from affluent backgrounds who want to go to a selective college, can go overboard, applying to more than 20 or 30 colleges. Personally, I would strongly discourage any student from applying to more than 15 colleges.

What GPA is needed for UCLA? ›

synonyms for former student

On this page you'll find 17 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to former student, such as: alum, alumna, alumnus, doctor, grad, and recipient.

An alumnus or alumna is a former student and most often a graduate of an educational institution (school, college, university). According to the United States Department of Education, the term alumnae is used in conjunction with either women's colleges or a female group of students.

brainy. adjective. informal very intelligent, especially at school or college.

Valedictorian is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution.

A chancellor is a leader of a college or university, usually either the executive or ceremonial head of the university or of a university campus within a university system.

Students tend to default calling their faculty “Dr.”. While many of your faculty will indeed hold doctorates (Ph. D., Ed. D., J.D., M.D., etc.)

nounperson studying at institution of higher education.

How do colleges pick students? ›

Offers of admission are based on each school's enrollment objectives. Making admissions decisions is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Large state schools may use a test score and GPA formula. Highly selective schools may have multiple reviewers with many voices weighing in on a decision.

Good grades, a challenging high school curriculum, standardized test scores, extracurriculars, and a strong essay are a few key factors admissions officers assess. Each university may emphasize different elements of the application process.

Hooks are basically all the factors beyond grades and test scores that might engage interest and secure college admission. We've always recognized that certain traits or activities helped applicants stand out from the crowd. What may surprise you is just how many hooks there are.

Everyone's college experience is different. Many people including myself have found the third year to be the most difficult. This is the year in which you will start to take classes that are specifically for your major. The classes for your major tend to be more challenging than core classes.

Your first year and sophomore year affect your cumulative GPA, which is important to most colleges. However, a solid academic record in your junior year is likely to carry more importance with an admissions committee.

Admit. If you receive a fat envelope in the mail with an admit decision, congratulations – you've been accepted to the university! This is a no-strings-attached decision, meaning you don't need to meet any additional requirements or submit any additional information.

What Is a College Waitlist? Getting on a college waitlist means that an applicant has all the necessary qualifications and has been fully reviewed by an admissions counselor. However, the school could not offer them a letter of acceptance at that time.

Being admitted means the college recognizes and celebrates your academic ability and preparation, as well as your potential to contribute outside the classroom on their campus.

The four years of undergraduate education are called: (1) freshman year, and someone in their first year is a freshman. You might sometimes hear this shortened to "frosh." (2) sophomore year, and someone in their second year is a sophomore.

What is the difference between a college term and semester? ›

Each academic institution operates according to an academic calendar, with terms marking the beginning and end of each session of classes. A semester is a calendar that divides the academic year into 15 - 17 week terms.

Tuition is the associated charges or fees for learning at a college or university. Tuition usually applies to one academic year of class—generally from September to April. Tuition typically increases each year, with some schools raising fees by three percent annually.

A gap year is a period of time between high school and college when students take a break from their studies to pursue other activities, which could include travel, work or volunteering.

The first four years of college are the undergraduate years, and a student studying for a bachelor's degree is called an undergraduate. The four years refer to the total accumulated credit hours; a student may take fewer or more than four years to attain their undergraduate degree.

Student classification refers to the familiar names for the four undergraduate years: freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior.

A quarter system consists of four 10-week sessions in the fall, winter, spring, and summer. The average full-time student takes 3-4 courses per term, or 9-12 credits. An academic year on the quarter system normally runs from mid-September through early June.

Semester is an English world that means a half year or a time period of six months. The academic term of a college may be a semester which means there are two terms in a single year, and the academic session is divided into two equal semesters.

The standard course load for full-time university students

The standard course load for full-time students is 12 to 18 hours which usually comes out to about 4 to 6 courses per semester.

Tuition & Fees

College tuition and fees are the greatest costs of attending college. Consider taking courses at a lower-cost community college then transfer the credits to university to save money. Also, take as many credits as you can per semester to graduate ASAP and not extend your college beyond 5 years.

What are the other terms of tuition fee? ›

A gap year is when you take a year off, typically between high school graduation and college.

(Learn how and when to remove this template message) A gap year, also known as a sabbatical year, is a period of time when students take a break from their studies, usually after completing high school or before beginning graduate school.

An associate degree is a two-year degree typically offered at community colleges, technical colleges, and career colleges. However, some four-year universities offer them as well. Examples of some associate degrees include Associate of Arts (AA) and Associate of Science (AS).