ACRONYMS/DEFINITIONS FOR NAVIGATING THE COLLEGE PROCESS¹
Accreditation This term refers to a status granted to colleges, universities or other institutions
of higher learning that indicates that the schools has been found to meet or
exceed standards from a regional or national association (e.g. North Central
Association of Colleges and Schools). In essence, it is “quality assurance” for higher education. Antonym: Diploma Mills
ACT the letters do not stand for anything anymore; the ACT was formerly known as
the American College Testing program; this test has four components (English,
math, reading and science) and an optional writing test. The score range is from
1 to 36, with 36 being the top score.
ACT Writing Test: 30 minute essay that provides two additional scores—Writing
subscore (2-12 scale; two readers who rate the essay from 1 [low] to 6 [high] and
English/Writing subscore (1-36 scale) which is calculated from two-thirds of the
English test and one-third from the writing test.
Affiliation any religious order with which the school is affiliated
AI academic index; this is a formula used by some colleges to rank test scores,
class rank (and size of school); see Rachel Toor’s A is for Admission for specific
tables
AIME American Invitational Mathematics Exam (some colleges may ask for scores on
this exam); the next exam after AIME is USAMO; see: http://www.unl.edu/amc/
All-American a high school sports award reflecting an athlete who is one of the top players in
the country
AMC 10/12 some colleges ask for AMC 10/12 scores (American Mathematics Competitions); the next exam after AMC 10/12 is the AIME; see: http://www.unl.edu/amc/
AP Advanced Placement tests offered by CollegeBoard; students do not have to take the courses in order to register for the tests; see
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html
Tests are scored 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score. Some colleges accept all
AP scores for credit while other may accept none. Always check what your
potential colleges will accept.
AP Awards: There are various categories of the AP awards given by CollegeBoard:
AP Scholar
Granted to students who receive grades of 3 or higher on three or more AP Exams.
AP Scholar with Honor
Granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.
AP Scholar with Distinction
Granted to students who receive an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.
State AP Scholar
Granted to the one male and one female student in each U.S. state and the District of Columbia with grades of 3 or higher on the greatest number of AP Exams, and then the highest average grade (at least 3.5) on all AP Exams taken.
National AP Scholar
Granted to students in the United States who receive an average grade of at least 4 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.
ARML American Regions Mathematics League. Some selective tech schools may ask
on application supplements if the applicant was a participant for his or her
respective state. Participation is usually by invitation only.
Articulation Articulation agreements refer to agreements that are in place between colleges
so that students may begin at one school and then easily transfer to another. An
example of this might be an agreement between a community college and a
college/university that allows the student to transfer and all credits are automatically accepted by the college/university from the community college.
Associate Degree generally a degree that indicates the completion of a two-year program,
typically at a community college
ASVAB The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a multiple-aptitude
battery that measures developed abilities and helps predict future academic and
occupational success in the military. It is administered annually to more than one
million military applicants, high school, and post-secondary students. The
ASVAB tests are designed to measure aptitudes in four domains: Verbal, Math,
Science and Technical, and Spatial. Scores are reported as percentiles 1-99%.
Auditions Students interested in theatre, musical theatre, musical composition, voice, etc.
often require participation in an audition process. For example, students
interested in voice often need a classical piece as well as another type of song
for an audition.
Award Letter This is the letter a college send around mid to late April regarding the financial
aid package offered to the prospective freshman.
Bachelor’s Degree a diploma earned after the completion of a required course of study in
college; this degree generally takes four years to complete, colleges usually
award either a B.A. or B.S. (B.A. = Bachelor of Arts, B.S. = Bachelor of Science)
Brag Sheet This is a summary of all of your activities, awards and accomplishments in high
school. This is kept by the individual to assist in the college application process.
These are also called “resumes” by some college counselors.
Byrd Scholarship This is a scholarship program for top students. States run the program
differently. Typically, guidance counselors coordinate the nominations for the
high schools.
Candidate’s Reply Date Agreement May 1 (you must inform all colleges whether or not you
intend to enroll); this date is observed by most colleges in order to bring closure
to the college admissions process; most acceptances and financial aid packages
are sent in April (except for early action/decision), so candidates may consider
offers until the deadline; always let colleges know whether or not you are
attending
CEEB College Entrance Examination Board (code numbers are used when registering
for SAT/ACT tests); codes are used to insure that records are sent to the correct
high school See: “Test Dates > Code Search” on CollegeBoard’s website or
ACT’s website under “Registration > High School Codes”; it is a six-digit number
Berea-Midpark HS CEEB or ETS Code: 360435
Class Rank a student’s place in class when compared with others; some schools may have
several people who tie for #1, while others may not rank at all; most schools still
use traditional systems that rank and sort
CLEP College-Level Examination Program; a series of exams offered by CollegeBoard
that may count for credit at some colleges
CollegeBoard this is the not-for-profit association whose mission is to “connect students to
college success and opportunity”; CollegeBoard manages the PSAT, SAT, SAT
Subject Tests, AP, CLEP, and CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE programs
College Credit Plus This is a postsecondary program where students may earn college credit
at participating universities.
Common Application a generic application that can be used for over 300 colleges and universities around the country; it may be found at this web site: https://www.commonapp.org/CommonApp/default.aspx
Consortium Some colleges that are within close proximity (e.g., three states), may cooperate
with each other in order to maximize resources and course offerings
CO-OP Program This is a structured program that some colleges offer where students combine
on-campus study with periods of actual work experience; generally these programs require that students spend additional time in order to graduate,
although the work opportunities do enhance job prospects (e.g., Purdue’s Co-op
Engineering Program)
CR Class Rank
CR (SAT) Critical Reading (part of the SAT test, as well as Math and Writing)
Credit The number of credits earned in a course. Colleges and universities are either
on a semester system (two semesters and perhaps a summer session) or a
quarter system (three sessions during the regular year in addition to a
summer session).
Credit by Examination The awarding of college credit based on exams offered either at the
college on-site or via AP or CLEP programs.
Credit Flexibility This is a new initiative in Ohio for the purpose of providing more flexibility
when awarding credit to students. See Ohio Dept. of Education > Credit
Flexibility
Cross Registration some colleges and universities offer programs where they will allow students to take courses within a group of colleges (or consortium) and allow
credit at the home institution; an example of this is cross-registration at Harvard
and MIT
CSS/PROFILE The College Scholarship Service PROFILE is a financial aid application that is
typically required by selective schools in addition to the FAFSA.
Cum Record a complete record of all courses completed with grades; transcript
Decile A division used in breaking down class rank into tenths. Top decile refers to the
top 10 percent of the class.
Deferral This is similar to being wait-listed but it applies to early decisions/actions; a
student may not be accepted or rejected at the time, but the application will be
considered again during the regular admission’s cycle; rejection or admission is
still possible
Deferred Admission this type of deferral allows a student to postpone admission for a year
Dual-Degree Program these are programs where a student might actually be working on two
degrees at the same time; for example a student might complete both a B.A. and
a M.A. within four/five years
Early Action An admission program offered by many schools that allows a student to apply by
an earlier deadline (some as early as mid-October but typically in early
November) and hear from the college as early as December or January. The
program is not binding, if you are admitted, you are not obligated to attend that
college. Some colleges restrict students and require “single choice” for early
action applications (i.e., the student may only apply to one school under an early
action choice, but may apply to other schools regular action).
Early Admission admission to a college without completing high school; typically for juniors
Early Decision An admission program offered by many schools that allows a student to apply by
an earlier deadline and hear from the college as early as December or January.
The program is binding, if you are admitted, you are obligated to attend that college, depending on the financial aid.
ECAs Extracurricular activities
EFC Expected family contribution for paying for college (based on the FAFSA). This
is the amount of money the government believes that a family should be able to
pay for college
Electives a course that may be taken for graduation credit, but the student has some options in terms of which courses will satisfy the requirements
FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid. All families need to complete the
FAFSA which includes information about family income, assets and other
financial information. See: https://fafsa.ed.gov/ New to 2017: Families may apply as early as Oct. 1st for the 2017-18 school year.
Federal School Code A code for colleges needed for applications such as the FAFSA
See: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm “Federal School Code Search”
Federal student aid The largest form of student aid in the country, federal aid programs come
in the form of government grants, loans, and work-study assistance and are
available to students at eligible postsecondary institutions (colleges, vocational
schools, and graduate schools).
Fee Waiver a form available to students of families with a low income (free/reduced lunch);
eligible students should work with their guidance counselors to assist with the
paperwork
Financial Aid see FASFA and CSS Profile; usually there are two definitions of financial aid:
yours and theirs
Flipped Classrooms This is where lectures are available to students whenever convenient and
the actual classroom is used for homework and collaborative projects.
For-Profit Some colleges are designed to be for-profit only. They may award loans to
students at higher interest rates. Recently, many for-profit schools have been a
subject of controversy in that many have low graduation rates and high student
debt. Be sure to check if the school you are applying to is “for profit.”
4-1-4 This is a different college schedule where there may be two semesters and a
shorter “semester” in between for study-abroad, research or other endeavours.
Gap Year The practice of delaying college admission for one year. Some students may
need to work to earn money while others may travel. Also see: USA Gap Year
Fairs
GE Reqs General Education requirements; courses that are required by the college or
university; these are generally completed the first two years of college
GPA Grade Point Average (also involves weighted and unweighted grades);
Weighted grades include additional weight to courses such as AP or Honors
classes (5.0 or 4.5, etc.). Unweighted grades mean typically using a 4.0 scale
(converting all courses to an unweighted scale).
Graduate a college student who already has a Bachelor’s degree who is now taking additional coursework towards a Master’s or other advanced degree program
Grant Aid money that the school provides that does not have to be repaid
Greek Life this refers to sororities or fraternities at colleges; some schools have a strong
presence of Greek Life while others may not
High School Code all high schools have a six-digit code which is used for college applications,
ACT/SAT testing; the numbers are available at guidance departments or through
searches on the testing sites (see CEEB code)
Berea-Midpark: 360435
HYP Harvard-Yale-Princeton; there are variations on these letters which may include
Stanford and MIT. Some publications may refer to HYP colleges; HYP may also
refer to the “Big Three” of the Ivy League (Harvard, Yale & Princeton)
IB International Baccalaureate; college-level exams and full-diploma program
offered by many high schools across the country
Intel STS Intel Science Talent Search; a prestigious science research competition for
seniors.
Internships Many colleges require that students participate in internships (paid or unpaid) as
a means of gaining valuable work experience
Ivy Although college admissions may feel like handling poison ivy at times, the word
“Ivy” is used in many ways by people (Hidden Ivies, Black Ivy League, Little Ivies,
Public Ivies, Ivy-like, etc.). Many writers use the word “Ivy” in book titles to sell
more books. (see Ivy League)
Ivy League The Ivy League schools are officially Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth,
Harvard, Univ. of Pennsylvania, Princeton and Yale. The name may have
originated from an old athletic conference, however the actual origin of the name
“Ivy League” is still debated.
Kaplan A company that offers test prep for college-related exams
Khan Academy A free on-line academic site where students may take classes, improve skills or
acquire free PSAT/SAT test prep; see: https://www.khanacademy.org/ or
CollegeBoard
Legacy the son or daughter of a graduate of a particular school; if mom graduated from
Yale and her son or daughter applied to Yale; the son or daughter would be
considered a legacy applicant
Level of Recognition This term is listed on applications so that the student may indicate
whether or not s/he had received school, state/regional, national or international
recognition for academics.
Liberal Arts this refers to a curriculum that focuses on general knowledge as opposed to
technical or professional tracks; some schools consider themselves to be Liberal
Arts colleges (e.g. there are several in Ohio; Kenyon and Oberlin to name two)
Loans money borrowed from a bank or college; many financial aid offices consider
loans as financial aid
Major the subject that a student focuses on for the purpose of earning a degree;
students typically take general studies the first two years and then gradually
specialize during their junior/senior years
Match these are schools that are considered a good match for a student’s abilities as
well his/her interests; admission to them is not guaranteed, but likely
Matriculation to enroll in a college for the purpose of obtaining a degree; colleges and universities use this term differently (i.e., for some, it may mean to merely enroll
while for others it may mean eligible to obtain a degree)
Merit Aid financial aid or scholarships based on academic merit and not on financial need
Military Schools Students interested in the Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, etc. usually
require a nomination from and authority (e.g., member of Congress). See
school sites for specific details and closing dates.
Minor the subject that a student may concentrate on for additional coursework; typically
fewer classes than a major
Minority in the context of admissions, minority groups are underrepresented populations
from some ethnic/racial backgrounds: African-American, Asian-Americans,
Native Americans and Hispanics; due to the changing nature of our population,
the term “minority” may actually mean different things to different colleges and
populations (for example, a student from North Dakota may be viewed as a minority at an urban school in California)
MOOC Massive Open Online Courses; originally MIT began OpenCourseWare and other
schools followed suit. Some courses are free, but others require payment.
National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT)
Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT); the year that
“counts” is 11th grade; sections include: critical reading, math and writing; scoring
is in a range from 20 to 80, with 80 being the highest score; Selection Index for
National Merit ranges from 60 to 240
There are various categories for students who perform at high levels on the
PSAT test during their junior year:
National Merit Commended: these students did not qualify as semi-
finalists, but performed at a high level on the PSAT; although the
selection index varies annually, it is typically a combined total of
around 200 or more on the three parts of the PSAT
National Merit Semifinalist: these students performed at the highest level
on the PSAT and are then considered for Finalist status based on
school recommendation, test scores, and academic record; the
qualifying scores annually vary by state; students must complete
an application for consideration for Finalist status and to be considered for Scholar awards
National Merit Finalist: these students are the ones who have advanced
from semifinalist status to finalist status based on their applications
National Merit Scholar: top finalists are considered for either $2500
awards, or college/corporate awards; some awards are only
available through the employment place of the parents or the
schools to which an applicant has applied
National Achievement: this is a program for outstanding Black
students
See: http://www.nationalmerit.org/ [Also see: Selection Index]
Past Ohio selection indices:
2003 211 2008 211 2013 212
2004 212 2009 213 2014 215
2005 214 2010 211 2015 213
2006 215 2011 212 2016 215
2007 215 2012 214 2017
Commended: 209 estimate for 2016-17
National Merit eligibility is based not on a student’s total score, but is calculated
using section scores for Math, Reading, and Writing and Language. Each
section is scored between 8 and 38. National Merit will add each section score
together and then multiply by 2. For example:
30 on Math
31 on Reading
32 on Writing/Language
93 total x 2 = 186 Selection Index
Many changes are expected with the National Merit system and those changes
should be available in the Fall of 2016.
National Decision Day May 1st is the official reply deadline for accepting admission to one
College; some colleges request earlier notice so that they can move to their next
candidate (e.g., musical theatre audition process); see Candidate’s Reply Date
Naviance A school management tool that coordinates applications, college choices,
recommendations, school reports, etc.
NCAA Student athletes who are interested in playing sports at a Division I or II school
must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center; students should talk with coaches
about this process; see
http://www.athleticscholarships.net/ncaa-clearinghouse.htm
Need-blind the admissions process is often called “need-blind” in that one’s ability to pay is
not supposed to be a factor in the admissions decision
Notification Date This date depends on whether the applicant applied early or for regular
admission, most colleges are good about explaining their timelines for notification. Many schools will send the notification of their decisions along with
the financial aid packages. Some schools will send the notification first and then
follow up in a week or two with the financial aid package.
Open Admission virtually all students who apply are admitted
Open Courseware Many schools have opened their courses to the general public through
options such as Open Courseware; MIT was one of the first schools to do so
Pell Grant federally sponsored program that provides grants based on need
Perkins Loan a federal loan program for students who have financial need
Portfolio Students interested in art, design or related fields often must submit a portfolio as
part of the admissions process. Check college sites for specific details.
Preferential Packaging this refers to a policy where highly desirable applicants are given
preferential financial aid packages (e.g., the winner of the Intel Science Talent
Search may be high on the list for named scholarships)
Princeton Review a company that offers test prep for college-related exams
Private Schools these schools are not supported by the government (i.e., state taxes); all funds
for these schools come from tuition, which is typically higher than public schools
PSAT/NMSQT Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test ; see National Merit
PSEO Old term for Ohio: Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (some colleges grant
credit while others do not); see College Credit Plus
Public Schools these institutions (higher and lower) are supported by the government (i.e.,state
and local taxes)
Quarter System Some academic calendars use a quarter system as opposed to a semester
schedule; quarters are typically 12 weeks in length
Reach Reach schools are categorized as school that will be difficult for a student to
obtain admission. Reach, match and safety schools vary from student to student. Even though a student may have perfect test scores, great recommendations and an outstanding essay, some schools are still considered
“reach” schools for any student because their acceptance rates are so low
Recommendations Colleges typically require letters of recommendation from teachers, a
guidance counselor and sometimes outside individuals who know the candidates
well. It is not unusual for a college to ask for a humanities teacher reference as
well as a math/science teacher. Recommendations are all done on-line.
Recruited Athlete a top athlete who is one of the college coach’s top choices for a sports
program
Regular Decision There are many different admissions plans at colleges. The regular decision timeline has a fixed deadline that is later than early action or early decision
timelines.
ROI Return on Investment. Increasingly, because college costs are soaring, students
(and their parents) are looking for schools that provide a good return on their
investment in that the students possesses the skills necessary for a good job
after graduation; see www.payscale.com which annually calculates 30 year
ROI including financial aid
Rolling Admissions Under a rolling admission plan, colleges review an application once
submitted and send out a decision as soon as it is reached rather than wait for a
particular day.
Room & Board expenses for university-operated housing and dining services; some colleges do not offer dining services on the weekends or one night of the weekend
ROTC Reserve Officers’ Training Corps; military training program that is concurrent with
college attendance; typically students receive compensation for this agreement
and are offered an officer’s commission at graduation
Safety Safety schools are schools that the student believes he or she will be virtually
guaranteed of admission; the student would have test scores in at least the top
25% if not the top 10%, solid recommendations, and may have a good chance at
merit aid
SAT SAT Reasoning Test (formerly known as Scholastic Aptitude Test and Scholastic
Assessment Test); the test consists of math (M), critical reading (CR) and writing;
it is scored 200-800 per section (top score is 2400); some schools still only look
at CR and M scores (1600); a newly revised SAT will begin in March 2016; the
score range will be from 400 to 1600 and the new SAT will incorporate evidence-
based reading and writing as well as an optional essay
SAT Subject Tests (formerly called SAT II’s); the subject tests are required by many top
colleges; they are scored 200-800 per section, with 800 being the top score
Score Choice The practice of allowing students to choose the best score set from multiple testings (i.e., SAT/ACT) rather than requiring that all test scores be submitted.
Score Choice is a trademark term that CollegeBoard uses. ACT has always allowed students to submit one set of scores from multiple test sessions.
Secondary School High School
Selection Index This refers to scores used by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation
(NMSC) to determine students who are honored in their scholarship programs
(e.g., National Merit Finalists, National Achievement Scholarship Program); cut-
off’s for these programs vary by state and by year; NMSC does not publicize the
cut-off’s, but many people are able to learn them by going to sites such as College Confidential (a college-bound community site).
Selectivity There are various levels of selectivity among colleges. Some colleges are c characterized as “highly selective” or “most selective” which implies that it is
difficult to gain admission to that college. A better gauge of a college’s selectivity
is to examine the most recent acceptance rate. Generally, the lower the
acceptance rate, the harder it is to gain acceptance to that college.
Self-Selecting A school’s applicant pool may be described as self-selecting since those who
apply tend to be exceptional students; as a result, even though a surprisingly
large number of applicants may be admitted, the school still has a high selectivity since the students who apply “self-select” themselves as a match for the rigorous
institution (e.g., Caltech’s admissions rate is higher than many highly selectives
but many students who do not have the average test scores [i.e., perfect math
scores] for that school simply do not apply, thus making the applicant pool
smaller and very strong
Semester System Many colleges use a semester system for their academic calendar. A
1semester is typically around 16 weeks. Schools may or may not offer
instruction during the summer. If so, the summer courses are usually more
intensive since the curriculum is compacted into fewer weeks (i.e. a student may
have 4 hours of the same class during the day instead of one during a semester
class).
SEVIS Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. This is a system that the US
government uses to monitor or track international students
Stafford A federal student loan that allows students to borrow money directly from banks
or other lending institutions.
STEM Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; popular acronym for majors that
are only needed but also where most of the jobs are available
Study Abroad Most colleges offer experiences for students to study and earn credit in other
countries; be careful that the experience is more than a vacation
Superscore The practice of taking the best scores from multiple tests (ACT/SAT) and using the best scores for consideration on the application. For example:
ACT 2/2011: E 29, M 36, R 36, Sci 36 Comp. 34
ACT 6/2011 E 35, M 34, R 34, Sci 35 Comp. 35
Superscore: E 35, M 36, R 36, Sci 36
Supplemental Application Even though many colleges and universities use the common
application, many require a supplemental application that is specific to their
institution.
TA teaching assistant; schools will typically report what percentage of classes are
taught by TAs (TAs may be upper level undergraduates or graduate students)
Tech Schools Some people refer to the math and science schools as tech schools because of the emphasis on technology (e.g., MIT, Caltech, Georgia Tech, RIT, Rensselaer,
etc.)
TOEFL Test of English as a Foreign Language; this is an English exam that may be
required for foreign students or students whose principal language is not English;
see www.ets.org for more details
Transcript A copy of courses taken and grades obtained; transcripts may include weighted
and unweighted GPAs and/or test scores (ACT, SAT, PSAT, OGT); transcripts
are typically requested through the guidance dept. and usually require a nominal
fee per request
Tuition the fee that is paid for instruction at a college or university; this is separate from
room and board (R & B); there may also be general fees that are separate from
the tuition and R & B.
Undergraduate a college student who has not received a Bachelor’s degree
Universal College Application This is a newer college application which came out in 2007 as a
competitor to the Common Application. Initially, this application was intended to
reach a broader, more diverse applicant pool. Currently, around 80 colleges are
participating, including a couple of the renowned selectives, Duke and Harvard.
This application allows for multimedia downloads and does not require an essay.
It does ask for a personal statement. The website:
https://www.universalcollegeapp.com/
USAMO United States of America Mathematical Olympiad (some applications may ask if
the applicant was a USAMO qualifier); there are other comparable competitions
in other areas, such as physics and biology; schools must participate in order for
a student to qualify
Virtual University A school where all the courses are on-line or distance learning.
Wait List this is a list of students who were not accepted outright to colleges but were either too strong to reject outright or the college simply did not have room for them at that given time; each college coordinates the size of its wait list; students
are typically asked if they will accept a position on that wait list or if they have made other plans
Work Study a federally funded program that makes part-time jobs available to students with
financial need; it is generally part of the financial aid package
Yield this refers to the number of accepted students who actually enroll in the school;
colleges have been paying more attention to this number as the number of
applications have increased
¹Note: the information contained in this list has been gathered from several sources (some primary, some secondary); all information is being shared for educational purposes only; list compiled by Karen Rohde, Coordinator for Gifted Services, Testing & ESL at the Berea City School District; Berea, Ohio. Updated November 3, 2016
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