Ivolvement/Admission
Social and academic organizations for college students formed to pursue a common goal or ideals. Most are identified by letters of the Greek alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc.) and as whole comprise a school’s Greek life
Fraternities and sororities
Campus housing where full-time students live within close distance of the academic buildings.
Dorms
A college student who is the first in their family to go to college.
First-generation student
An award given by a college, university or outside institution to help a student pay for tuition or day-to-day expenses. Criteria varies depending on individual scholarships.
Scholarship
Taking credit for someone else’s work as your own including copying words, sentence structure or ideas. Plagiarism has very grave consequences in higher education.
Plagiarism
A test usually given to a student entering an educational institution to determine specific knowledge or proficiency in various subjects for assignment to appropriate courses or classes.
Placement Tests
Many colleges require in-person students to purchase campus-based plans that can be used in cafeterias and restaurants across campus.
Meal Plan
Course credits carried over from one institution to another.
Transfer credits
Stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. A document prospective students complete to determine eligibility for federal loans and grants.
FASFA
To drop a class after the add/drop grace period. Withdrawing often means receiving a W on your transcript.
Withdraw
A postsecondary institution that is supported mainly by public funds.
Public institution
Undergraduate or graduate student staff members who live in the residence halls. Lives on campus and serves as a mentor for newer students. They enforce dorm rules and create a safe, inclusive environment.
Resident Assistants
A secondary focus meant to add to the value of the student’s major Consists of the lower-level courses required for a major in the same discipline.
Minor
Helps college students with financial needs get part-time jobs to help pay for day-to-day expenses and tuition payments. Work-study jobs are federally- or state-funded
Work-Study Jobs
An exam given approximately halfway through a course term that generally covers all lecture, reading and discussion material presented so far.
Midterm
A standard application form that is accepted by more than 450 member colleges and universities for admissions.
Common Application
A student who does not live in campus housing and commutes to and from campus from home.
Commuter
Courses required to take more advanced courses or apply to a program.
Prerequisites
The core
price for college classes. Tuition may be listed as a flat rate for a range of credits, usually 12-18, or priced per credit.
Tuition
Classes that create the foundation of an undergraduate degree generally include lower-level courses in English, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Sciences.
General education courses
Considered a long-shot for students because their academic credentials "fall below the school's range for the average freshman."
Reach School
Where college students eat on campus.
Dining Hall
A specialist tasked with handling several administrative and logistical areas of academia. Their office is responsible for many administrative, academic duties like registering students for classes, preparing student transcripts, preparing class schedules, and analyzing enrollment statistics.
Registrar
A grant is a type of financial aid typically provided by state and federal governments, as well as by private institutions. It does not require repayment so long as learners meet the terms.
Federal Grant
A formal graduation ceremony that celebrates recent graduates of the institution with their family and friends.
Commencement