College Admissions Vocabulary academic concentration - See major. accreditation - Certification that a school or an instructional program meets standards set by an outside reviewing organization. Many forms of financial aid are available only to students attending accredited institutions. admission - Approval for a student to attend an educational institution. The admission process usually involves an application form and may require transcripts or other supporting documents. assessment - A method of determining a student�s knowledge or skill level, often taken to find his or her best placement or starting level in a series of courses in English, foreign languages, math, or science. associate's degree - A degree granted by a college or university for a program that requires two years of full-time study. An Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degrees enable students to transfer to four-year colleges and universities. baccalaureate or bachelor's degree - A college degree which can often be earned by following a four-year instructional program at a college or university. campus - The land and buildings that a college or university uses for instruction or student services. community college - A two-year traditional school, offering programs leading to the Associate's degree Also called junior college. EFC (Expected Family Contribution)- The amount of money a student and his/her family are expected to contribute toward school costs. This amount is calculated based on such items as income and assets as reported by the family. elective - A course that is not required for a particular instructional program. Many programs require a certain number of elective credits, and many recommend certain electives for students to choose from. financial aid - Money available from various sources to help students pay college expenses. These funds come as loans, grants, or scholarships from the state or federal government or other organizations. Work-study is also a form of financial aid. FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) - The application required for students to be considered for federal student financial aid. The FAFSA is processed free of charge and is used by most state agencies and colleges. There is a form for each academic year. FAFSA forms are available from colleges, high schools and on the website www.fafsa.ed.gov. grant -A type of financial aid that does not have to be paid back after the student leaves school. Grants are available through the federal government, state agencies, and educational institutions. internship - A supervised short-term apprenticeship or temporary job in a real-world setting closely related to a student's field of study. The student may or may not be paid but earns college credit for the work experience. See also practicum. loans - A type of financial aid that must be repaid to the government agency or other lending organization when the student leaves school. major -Specialization in one academic discipline or field of study. master�s degree � The master's degree is awarded upon completion of one to two years of advanced graduate study beyond the bachelor's degree, with the length depending on the field of study and the conferring institution open admissions - The policy of some colleges to admit nearly all applicants, regardless of high school grades and admission test scores. It means different things at different schools. Community and technical colleges in Montana admit anyone who is over 18 or has a high school diploma or GED. postsecondary - Refers to all educational programs for students past high- school age; it includes community and technical colleges and job training programs as well as baccalaureate colleges and universities. prerequisite -A course that must be completed (often with a certain minimum grade) or a skill that must be demonstrated before a student can enroll in a more advanced course (for example, Anatomy and Physiology I is a prerequisite for Anatomy and Physiology II). requirements - Minimum standards defined by the college for example for admission or graduation. See also prerequisite; distribution requirements. scholarship - a form of financial assistance which does not require repayment and is usually made to a student who shows potential for distinction, usually in academic performance. tuition - The cost of instruction charged by a school; tuition does not include fees, books, room, meals or other charges. undergraduate - A student who has not yet earned a bachelor's degree; also refers to the coursesand instructional programs such a student enrolls in. unmet need - The difference between the cost of education, the total financial aid award + expected family contribution. wait list � A term used my colleges to describe the process in which they delay offering admission but extend the possibility of admission in the future. work-study - A type of financial aid which pays students to work part-time, often on campus, during the academic year. Taken from: Lexington High School Post Secondary Guide http://lhs.lexingtonma.org/Dept/Guidance/post_sec_guide/vocabulary.html Missouri State University College Vocabulary Handbook http://www.msugf.edu/studentlife/CollegeSurvivalVocab.pdf. Northeast Texas Consortium Distance Learning http://www.netnet.org/students/student%20glossary.htm