Financial Aid & Costs
This free application is required to apply for federal financial aid, including grants, loans, and work-study.
What is the FAFSA?
The term for living on campus in shared housing with roommates.
What is dorm life?
Each class you take gives you this, which counts toward graduation.
What is a credit or credit hour?
If your GPA falls below a required minimum, you may be placed on this.
What is academic probation?
This office helps students choose classes, explore majors, and plan for graduation.
What is Academic Advising?
Scholarships based on your grades, talents, or athletics are called this.
What is merit-based scholarships?
A student may have this assigned at the beginning of the year to help settle conflicts and set rules.
What is a RA (Resident Advisor) or dorm contract?
A standard full-time college course load is usually this many credits per semester.
What is 12–18 credits?
Failing a class may require repeating it or doing this to improve your grade.
What is retake the class or take a remedial course?
Tutors, writing centers, and supplemental instruction sessions are found here.
What is the Academic Support Center?
Money you must repay after college, often with interest.
What is a student loan?
Most freshmen living on campus have this type of prepaid plan that covers meals in the cafeteria.
What is a meal plan?
If you don’t like or can’t continue a class, you may do this by a certain deadline.
What is drop a class or withdraw?
This is a formal plan to help a struggling student meet academic expectations.
What is an academic plan or intervention?
A formal student group that helps you network, connect, and get career guidance.
What is a student organization or club?
The total cost of college after subtracting grants and scholarships.
What is net cost or out-of-pocket cost?
You didn’t meet the required score in math for college-level classes, so you must take this type of class first.
What is a remedial or developmental class?
Courses at the introductory level are often numbered in this way.
What is 100-level courses?
Some colleges allow you to do this to remove a bad grade from your GPA under certain conditions.
What is grade forgiveness or course repeat policy?
If a student struggles with stress or mental health, they can visit this campus office.
What is Counseling or Wellness Center?
This type of aid allows you to earn money while attending college.
What is work-study?
Dorms often have rules about these, which if violated can lead to warnings or probation.
What are quiet hours, guests, or alcohol/drug policies?
This is the grade point requirement you must maintain to stay in good academic standing.
What is a minimum GPA or 2.0/“C” average?
This official campus office handles all academic appeals, probation cases, and grade disputes.
What is the Registrar or Academic Affairs Office?
Career counseling, resume help, and job placement services are found here.
What is the Career Services Center?