Glossary
A-C
- Academic Advising — in charge of guiding students on what classes to take and how to declare majors and minors. Some campuses have faculty serve as primary academic advisors for students.
- Accreditation — recognition of colleges and programs for meeting standards of academic quality and integrity, giving approval from the education community. CCCU colleges are accredited regionally.
- Admissions Department — often, simply referred to as "admissions," this office is usually the first point of contact for you. This office can answer most questions that you and your parents have about the application process, academics, extracurricular activities and financial aid. If admissions is unable to answer a question, it will redirect you to the appropriate office on campus. Admissions coordinates campus visits and applications.
- Advanced Placement (AP) — tests that can be taken at the completion of certain courses in high school to earn college credit.
- Associate's Degree — undergraduate, traditionally a 2-year degree.
- Bachelor's Degree — undergraduate, traditionally a 4-year degree. The two most common types of bachelor's degrees are bachelor of arts and bachelor of science. They are sometimes referred to as baccalaureate degrees.
- Bursar — collects student fees.
- Catalog — a published listing of all official academic procedures, offered courses and requirements for graduation and specific majors.
- Certificate — not a degree, but rather an indication that certain skills or levels of knowledge about a certain subject area have been achieved.
- Chapel — a worship service or convocation that varies in style, content and frequency on each campus. Some schools require regular attendance.
- Commuter Campus — a college where a majority of students leave campus on the weekends to travel home.
- Commuter Student — a student who lives off campus and "commutes" to campus for classes.
- Concentration — optional area of specialization within a program of study. For example, a student in a history major may concentrate on U.S. history.
- Credit Hour — a time unit used to measure class time. A one-hour class meets for one hour each week. A specific amount of credit hours is required to complete majors and minors in order to graduate.
- Curricula — material or subject matter to be studied.
D-H
- Dissertation — in-depth research and writing assignment in graduate programs.
- Doctoral Degree — graduate degree, time requirement depends on individual programs and the student's pace, usually involves writing a dissertation.
- Enroll — to sign up for classes as a student.
- Entrance Exams — tests that may be required by admissions offices to accompany an application. The two most common are the SAT and ACT.
- FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) — form that students must complete to apply for federal financial assistance. Available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Many colleges require the FAFSA to apply for institutional aid.
- Freshman — the first year of college or a student who has less than a certain number of credits earned.
- Full-Time Status — when a student is taking a specified minimum number of credit hours. Students must be full-time to be eligible for some activities such as sports and to apply for certain types of financial aid.
- Graduate School — college where students who have completed a bachelor's degree work toward advanced education (usually a mater's or doctorate).
- Grants — financial awards that do not have to be paid back.
- Handbook — official policies and procedures for all members of a campus to follow. It outlines rules and gives information on what services are offered.
- Honors Program — accelerated courses offered for students who maintain above average GPAs and are accepted into the program. Some campuses offer special housing for honor students.
I-M
- International student — a student from another country who is attending a U.S. college.
- Junior — the third year of study or a student who has earned a specified amount of credits.
- Letters of Recommendation — written by personal references (people who know you well, but are not related to you) to recommend you for acceptance into a program, school or job.
- Loans — financial awards that must be repaid over time with varying levels of interest, offered by the government as well as private companies like Sallie Mae.
- Major — area of study or subject that students select. Besides general courses and electives, all other course matter will focus on this specific area (which is usually most of the credit hours).
- Master's Degree — usually completed after earning a bachelor's degree. The time requirement depends on individual programs and the student's pace, and often involves writing a thesis.
- Matriculate — enroll in a program of study.
- Merit-Based Financial Aid — Scholarships given based on a student's achievement in academics, activities or community involvement.
- Minor — optional, secondary area or subject that students select. It is not enough hours to earn a second degree, but it is more than a few classes completed within a specific subject area.
N-R
- Need-Based Financial Aid — Scholarships, loans or grants given to students who have demonstrated the need for financial assistance, generally based on FAFSA results.
- Non-Traditional Student — a student who is older than the traditional 18 to 22-year-old college student.
- Part-Time Status — when a student is taking less than the minimum number of credit hours to be considered full-time. Sometimes part- time students are ineligible for certain types of financial aid and on-campus housing.
- Prospective student — a potential student who is considering attending college.
- Provost/Academic Dean — the college's chief academic officer, in charge of all academic departments and curricula.
- Registrar — keeps record of student grades and credit hours.
- Resident Assistant (R.A.) — a student who is employed by the college to oversee the activities and needs of other students living on the same hall of a dormitory.
- Residence Director (R.D.) — a staff member who is employed by the college to live in a specific dormitory to oversee student activities and needs and to supervise resident assistants (R.A.).
S-Z
- Scholarships — financial awards that are not repaid, based on individual need or achievement, given by colleges and private groups.
- Senior — the fourth or last year of study or a student with a specified amount of credits earned.
- Sophomore — the second year of study or a student with a specified amount of credits earned.
- Teaching assistant (T.A.) — usually a graduate student who is employed by the college to work in a certain department or for a certain faculty member. Duties generally include undergraduate teaching, grading and/or research.
- Thesis — in-depth research and writing project that may be required to graduate with honors in an undergraduate program or to complete a graduate degree.
- Transfer Credit — credits that an incoming student already has earned at another college or through AP credit in high school.
- Transfer Student — a student who currently attends, or has attended, one college, but is switching or has switched to a different one.
- Transcript — an official record of credits and grades earned. It must be signed and sealed by the registrar's office (and remain sealed) to be official.
- Undergraduate — a traditional four-year degree program of study.
- Work Study — employment on campus that is part of a student's financial aid package.
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