Financial Aid
A yearly application students complete to determine their eligibility for federal financial aid and other aid programs to help pay for college.
What is FAFSA?
A person, staff, or school administrator who helps a student plan a course of study.
What is an academic counselor/advisor?
A degree given to a student in a specific area of study usually after four to five years of study.
What is a bachelor’s degree?
Number of UC campuses are there
What are 9?
A student whose parent or guardian did not complete a four-year college or university degree.
What is a first-generation college student?
A program that provides college students with a part-time job alongside earning money to pay for expenses related to their education.
What is Work-Study?
An increase in the length of time given to someone to hold office, complete a project, or fulfill an obligation.
What is an extension?
A degree generally requires two years of full-time study at a community college, junior college, or university.
What is an associate degree?
Number of California State Universities (CSU)
What are 23?
Amount of money you and your family could be expected to pay for one year of college costs based on the FAFSA.
What is Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)?
What is the main difference between subsidized and unsubsidized loans?
What is accured interest?
This type of college is an affordable option for a 2-year degree or as a transfer path to a 4-year university.
What is Community College?
A secondary focus is meant to add value to the student’s major. It consists of the lower-level courses required for a major in the same discipline.
What is a minor?
Application system that hubs over 400 colleges and universities, predominantly private and out-of-state schools. May request letters of recommendation.
What is the Common Application?
A university system consisting of four 10-week sessions in the fall, winter, spring, and summer. The average full-time student takes 3-4 courses per term, or 9-12 credits.
What is a quarter system?
The month that the FAFSA filing period begins.
What is October?
The process of going from a two-year college to a four-year college or university.
What is transferring?
A student who is enrolled in college but has not yet decided and/or declared a major.
Undecided or undeclared
A college or university where you clearly meet the admission requirements: minimum GPA, test scores, etc.
What is a “safety" school?
This refers to when a high school student takes a college and/or university course and receives credit from their high school.
What is Dual Enrollment?
An application used to apply for state financial aid, primarily for students who are undocumented, under Temporary Protected Status or U-Visa holders.
What is CA Dream Act Application (CADAA)?
A program that provides admission, academic, and financial support services to historically underserved students throughout California.
What is the Educational Opportunity Program?
To drop a class after the add/drop grace period.
What is to withdraw?
An admissions officer or committee decides to offer the applicant the opportunity to enroll in the institution only if there is space available in the incoming class after fully admitted students have responded to their offers to enroll.
What is a waitlist?
The rate at which students remain enrolled as members of the college or university community and persist toward graduation.
What is student retention / retention rate?