Alphabet Soup
GPA
What is Grade Point Average? - grades are converted to a scale determined by your school (100pt, 4.0, 5.0 etc.) and averaged, sometimes taking into account the rigor of your curriculum with added "weight" for Honors, Accelerated, or AP/IB courses.
A record of your extracurricular involvements, service, leadership, and work experience.
What is the activities list or resume?
The number of sub-sections in the ACT.
What is 4?
Awards offered by some colleges to recognize a student's academic achievement.
What are merit-based scholarships?
Faculty members assigned to small groups of students to support their curricular choices and progress to graduation.
What are academic advisors?
ED
What is Early Decision? - an application plan in which the student signs a contract agreeing to attend if accepted and to withdraw all other offers or pending applications.
Written endorsements from your counselor and/or teachers that provide additional insight into your academic life at school.
What are letters of recommendation?
National organization that administers the PSAT, SAT, and AP exams (among others).
What is the College Board?
An award offered to Tennessee students who meet certain academic qualifications and who intend to go to college in-state.
What is the HOPE Scholarship?
An undergraduate student - typically an upperclassman - hired by the school to supervise and support students in their dorms.
Who is a Residence Assistant (or RA)?
AP
What is Advanced Placement? - courses designed by College Board and offered by some high schools to provide higher-rigor curriculum choices to students.
650 words
What is the word limit of the Common App personal statement?
The maximum score you can get on the SAT.
What is 1600?
A financial aid form required by some colleges and universities in addition to the FAFSA to be considered for need-based financial aid.
What is the CSS Profile?
Through this program, students may spend a semester or year exploring education in another country.
What is study abroad?
FAFSA
What is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid? - an application form required by colleges in order for students to be considered for need-based financial aid.
A document that provides details on your course selections and academic performance throughout high school.
What is a transcript?
A holistic review of application materials in which students can choose whether or not they want test scores considered.
What is test-optional admission?
Feature of a college's website that offers an estimate of the potential cost of attendance at that particular school, given your family's financial need.
What is the Net Price Calculator?
Non-varsity athletic competition that takes place between students at the same university.
What are intramural sports?
SRAR
What is the Self-Reported Academic Record? - a supplemental component of some applications in which the student manually enters their transcript data.
Writing prompts some schools require that address college-specific values or interests.
What are supplemental essays?
September, October, December, February, April, June, and July
What are the months in which the ACT is offered nationally?
A federal grant awarded on the basis of financial need that is included in a financial aid award, which must be used for educational expenses and requires no repayment.
What is a Pell Grant?
An office dedicated to helping students prepare for and find internships and post-collegiate employment.
What is the career center?