Accredited:
Recognition of an educational institution by an official agency or association as maintaining certain quality standards.
ACT Assessment (ACT):
A standardized examination used by colleges to assist in determining admissibility of undergraduate students. Colleges will accept either the SAT or ACT. You do not need to submit both tests.
Admitted Student:
A student who has been offered admission to a college.
Early Action:
A college admissions program under which students may apply well before the normal application deadline to get an early answer from the college regarding their admission decision. If admitted under this program, students are under no obligation to enroll at the college. The student applying under this program may generally apply to other colleges, although a few colleges are limiting the ability to apply to more than one college early action.
Early Decision:
A college admissions program under which a student applies students apply to their first-choice college usually by November 15 of the senior year and agrees by contract to enter that college if offered admission. Students may only apply to one college under an early decision plan. This may increase your chances of getting into that university.
Endowment:
Funds invested by a college to produce income and to support the operation of the college. These funds are often used to pay for financial aid. However, at most colleges, financial aid for international students is very limited. If you are a citizen of the United States, you will qualify for more aid.
Full Time:
The term, “full time” student, means that the enrollment needs to be of a minimum number of credit hours for each semester. This number will vary from college to college.
Graduate Study:
The educational sequence immediately following completion of the bachelor’s degree. Graduate study may be in a particular profession like medicine or law or it may be in a particular field of study such as mechanical engineering or history. Most students at US graduate schools will have work experience after undergraduate work. studies
International Student:
Any student or applicant who is not a citizen or permanent resident alien of the United States.
Legacy:
Having an immediate family member, generally a parent or a sibling, as graduated from the college to which the student is making application.
Open admissions:
When most or all students that apply to a college are admitted.
Quarter:
Academic calendar divided into four equal terms.
Regular Decision:
Regular Decision is the traditional process in which the student applies by the regular deadline (usually by January 15th) and the college makes a decision usually by April 1st. The student then has until May 1 to accept an offer of admission.
Rolling Admission:
Rolling Admission occurs when the college reviews applications as they are received and, if the application is complete, offers a decision to the student usually within two to five weeks of being reviewed. Students are not required to make a commitment until May 1. It is advantageous to apply to rolling admission schools early. These schools accept students as the applications are received.
Secondary School:
Generally refers to the ninth, tenth, eleventh, and twelfth years (last four years of school) of formal education, prior to attending a college or university. This is when your grades begin to count for college admissions. All of these grades become your permanent record.
Selective College:
Selective colleges are those that do not admit everyone who applies. However, there are levels of selectivity, from less selective to highly selective. You can consider any college that admits one-third or fewer of its applicants as highly selective. Most of the schools included in the college guides fit into this category.
Semester:
The most common academic calendar, dividing the year into two equal terms.
Transcript:
A complete record of academic work done in secondary school, i.e., all subjects taken and grades or marks secured in each subject. Transcripts submitted to universities have to be official and translated.
Trimester:
Academic calendar divided into three equal terms.
Undergraduate Degree:
The education that occurs immediately following completion of secondary school or high school that leads to a bachelor’s degree.
Wait list:
A list of applicants who may be considered for acceptance if there is still space after admitted students have decided whether or not they will attend.
Award letter:
An official document issued by a financial aid office listing all the financial aid awarded to the student. The award letter will include information about the cost of attendance and terms and conditions for the financial aid. These letters can also come in the form of an e-mail communication.
Cost of attendance (COA):
The total cost of attending a college for one academic year. The student’s budget usually includes tuition, fees, room, board, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.
Demonstrated financial need:
Amount, as determined through financial aid forms, which is the difference between the total cost of attendance and the estimated family contribution.
Parent’s contribution:
Amount parents can be expected to contribute each year to the cost of their student’s education.
Private loans:
Private loans provide supplemental funding when other financial aid does not cover costs. These loans are offered by banks or other financial institutions and schools to parents and students.
Scholarships:
Funds used to pay for higher education that do not have to be repaid. Scholarships may be awarded based on any number of criteria, such as academics, achievements, hobbies, talents, affiliations with various groups, or career aspirations.
Self-help aid:
Financial aid in the form of loans or student employment/work study.
