Financial Aid
Money given to help students meet college related expenses. Examples of financial aid include scholarships, loans and grants.

For-Profit College (sometimes referred to as proprietary colleges)
Private colleges whose purpose is to make a profit through student tuition.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
An application used by students to apply for federal need-based financial aid.

Grade Point Average (GPA)
Average grade a student has earned. This is usually based on a 4-point scale with an “A” equal to a 4 and an “F” equal to a 0.

Graduate Degree
A master’s, doctoral or professional degree.

Graduate Student
A student enrolled in a master’s, doctoral or professional degree. Graduate students generally complete a bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling in a graduate degree program. However, there are professional graduate-level programs require completion of a bachelor’s degree.

Higher Education
Education following high school, typically college education.

Interview
A personal meeting with an admissions officer.

Open Enrollment
Admissions policy of offering admission to almost all applicants without regard to previous academic grades or admission examination scores.

Postsecondary
Beyond high school

Private College
A college that is not administered or funded by a government. There are for-profit and not-for-profit colleges.

Public College
A college that is primarily funded through public means such as a state or local government.

Legacy
An applicant to a college that was attended by one or both parents.

Major
An academic field of study that students may select as an area of focus.

Minimum Requirements
The basic requirements applicants must meet to be considered for admission.

Orientation
A one- or two-day introduction to the college for newly accepted students.

Rolling Admission
A college admissions policy that allows applicants to submit applications at any date prior to the beginning of classes. Applications are reviewed by the admissions office as they are received.

Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students attending a college compared to the number of faculty members.

Teacher Recommendation (Also called teacher evaluations)
Letter or form completed by applicants’ teachers to evaluate their students who are applying to college.

Transcript
A list of completed coursework and earned grades by a student.

Undergraduate Degree
An associate or bachelor’s degree.

Undergraduate Student
A college student who is working on an undergraduate degree.

University
A post-secondary institution of higher education that offers at least one graduate degree.

Waitliist
A list of applicants who were neither offered nor denied admission. Students on the list will be offered admission if a space becomes available after accepted students have made their college decisions.