College Admissions Process
This document contains a student's academic record, including grades, courses, and GPA.
What is a transcript?
These are colleges that offer a variety of undergraduate programs but are typically smaller than large state universities.
What are liberal arts colleges?
This form is commonly required by colleges to determine a student's eligibility for financial aid.
What is the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)?
This term refers to the group of students who live together on a college campus, often in dormitories.
What is campus housing or dorm life?
This term refers to when a student applies to multiple schools and gets accepted to one or more, but doesn’t commit until a certain date.
What is a decision deadline?
This is the standardized test that many colleges require as part of the application, often taken in high school.
What is the SAT?
This type of college offers both two-year and four-year degrees and can be a more affordable option for students before transferring to a four-year school.
What is a community college?
This is money given to a student for college that doesn’t need to be repaid.
What is a scholarship?
This is the term for the system of academic advising and support services available to students to help them succeed in college.
What is academic advising?
This term describes the type of decision where students find out if they've been accepted or rejected early, usually in November or December.
What is early action or early decision?
The Common App is a popular application used by many colleges. What is the main purpose of this application?
What is to apply to multiple colleges with one application?
This term refers to colleges that are run by the government of a specific state and offer in-state tuition rates to residents.
What is a public university?
This is a type of loan where the government pays the interest while the student is in school.
What is a subsidized loan?
This is a popular college event where prospective students can visit campus, attend classes, and meet with faculty.
What is an open house or college visit day?
This term refers to the process when a student applies to a college after receiving decisions from other schools.
What is regular decision?
This is the application essay that allows students to showcase their personal story or experiences. It is often a required part of the application.
What is a personal statement or college essay?
These are private colleges and universities that have a religious affiliation, such as Jesuit or Baptist schools.
What are religious-affiliated colleges?
This type of financial aid is awarded based on a student's financial need, usually determined by their family income.
What is need-based aid?
The first year at college is often referred to by this term.
What is freshman year?
This is a college admissions decision where the student is accepted but must meet specific requirements, like improved grades.
What is conditional acceptance?
This term refers to the process of reviewing a student's application and deciding whether to admit them to a college or university.
What is the admissions review process?
These types of schools offer advanced degrees, such as master's and doctorates, and are typically focused on research.
What are graduate schools or research universities?
A financial aid award that combines work and study. It provides part-time employment for students during the school year.
What is a work-study program?
The collection of courses a student is required to take during their college years, including general education courses, majors, and electives.
What is a curriculum?
This term refers to a waiting list that means a college hasn't yet decided on a student's application but will make a final decision later.
What is being placed on the waitlist?