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Since this college thing
is completely new to some of you, I thought it might be a good idea
to let you in on some of the college lingo. People who work for
colleges will often throw around words you’ve never heard before,
and expect you to know what they mean. This can sometimes create
problems when you think they mean something entirely different from
what their intention was. In addition, each college has slang terms
for many policies and procedures, and you will need to be aware of
what they are. This chapter might be one that will be particularly
useful to print and keep for a while, so feel free to do that, if
you like. Anyway, the following is simply a list of college terms I
think you will find useful. It is written by a good friend of mine,
Mr. Bill Etheredge, and he has used it with his students for a
number of years. Bill Etheredge has been in the field of Education for more than 30 years,
18 as band director and more than 15 as high school counselor. He is
currently High School Counselor at The Colony High School in The
Colony, Texas. In addition, he served as President of Band Boosters
and Senior Advisor to the Band Alumni Association of his former
school, Ardmore High School, in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He holds a
Bachelors of Arts Degree in Education and a Masters Degree in
Counseling from East Central University, in Ada, Oklahoma. A number
of Mr. Etheredge’s college preparation materials are used statewide
in Oklahoma by High School and Vocational /Technical School Counselors.
COLLEGE TERMINOLOGY
-
Academic Advisor/Counselor
- This person will help you select the correct courses, review the
course requirements in the field you have selected to pursue and
help you with any academic problems you may encounter. At some
institutions, academic advisement is conducted by faculty as part of
their job duties. Other institutions may designate specific staff as
academic counselors.
Academic
Probation - All colleges require students to maintain a minimum
cumulative grade point average (GPA) to remain in school. Any
student not maintaining satisfactory progress toward his/her
educational objectives will be placed on probation for a semester.
Academic
Suspension -
A student on Academic Probation may be placed on Academic
Suspension if he/she fails to maintain or achieve the minimum
cumulative GPA required. A student placed on suspension will be
dismissed from the college for a specified time period - usually one
semester. Specific requirements may be placed on the student’s
re-entry into college.
Advanced
Standing Credit -
These are credit hours that an institution accepts
toward a degree from courses that the student has earned elsewhere.
Such credit may be given for work done at another higher education
institution, by examination or "testing out," or by military
service.
Alumni
- people who have graduated from the institution.
ACT
and SAT -
These letters are acronyms for the American College Test and the
Scholastic Aptitude Test. Both tests are designed to measure a
student’s level of knowledge in basic areas such as math, science,
English and social studies. Colleges may require the results of
either the ACT or SAT before granting admission.
Application/Acceptance/Admission
- Application is the process by which a prospective student submits
the required forms and credentials to his/her chosen institution.
Application criteria may include one or more of the following:
previous academic records, test scores, interviews, recommendations,
and other information provided by the applicant. Depending on the
application requirements of a particular school, the student can
gain Acceptance to the institution if the decision to accept the
application is positive. Admission is the status granted to an
applicant who meets the prescribed entrance requirements of the
institution. It must be noted that there is a wide variation
nationwide in the Application/Acceptance/Admission policies of
higher education institutions. Check the college catalog for
specific requirements of the schools you are considering.
Associate
Degree - The
Associate Degree is granted upon completion of a program of at least
two, but less than four years of college work. Associate of Arts and
Associate of Science degrees are conferred upon students who
successfully complete programs designed for transfer to a senior
college. The Associate Degree requires completion of a minimum of 60
credit hours, exclusive of physical education activity courses or
military science courses, with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (a "C"
average).
Associate of Applied Science Degree
- This degree is conferred upon students who successfully complete a
program designed to lead the individual directly into employment in
a specific career. The Applied Science degree has the same
requirements as those stated above for the Associate Degree.
Audit - A student who does not want to receive credit in a
course may, with approval of the instructor, audit the course as a
"visitor." A student who audits a course usually cannot ask or
petition the institution at a later date to obtain college credit
for the audited course.
Bachelor's
Degree -
This is the undergraduate degree offered by four-year colleges and
universities. The Bachelor of Arts degree requires that a portion of
the student's studies be dedicated to the arts - literature,
language, music, etc. The Bachelor of Science degree requires that a
portion of the studies be in the sciences - chemistry, biology,
math, etc. The minimum credit hour requirement for a Bachelor's
Degree is 120 hours.
Bookstore - All colleges have bookstores. It will generally stock all the books
and other materials required in all the courses offered at the
institution as well as providing basic sundries and clothing items.
Business
Office - The
Business Office is responsible for all financial transactions of the
institution. It may also be called the Bursar's Office on some
campuses.
Catalog-
College catalogs provide all types of information parents and
students need to know about a school. It lists, for example: the
institution's history and philosophy, policies and procedures, its
accreditation status, courses of study, degrees and certificates
offered, physical facilities, admission and enrollment procedures,
financial aid, student life activities, etc.
CLEP - The College Level Examination Program can be administered
to students who desire to obtain college credit by taking
proficiency tests in selected courses. If the student scores high
enough on the test, college credit can be awarded. There is a charge
for each test taken. Information concerning an individual
institution's policies toward CLEP Tests can be found in the
institution's catalog.
College - A College is an institution of higher education
that grants degrees and certificates. The term is also used to
designate the organizational units of a university such as the
College of Education or the College of Engineering.
Commuter - A commuter is a student who lives off-campus and
drives to class, or commutes.
Concurrent
Enrollment -
A student can enroll and attend two educational institutions at the
same time provided that certain criteria are met. For example: In
Oklahoma, a high school senior can concurrently enroll in high
school and in college provided he/she meets established criteria. A
college student can concurrently enroll at two higher education
institutions provided that certain criteria are met. Permission for
concurrent enrollments are generally made in advance.
Course
Numbers -
All courses are identified by numbers usually containing 3 or 4
digits, for example Freshman English might be 1113. The first digit
indicates the class year in which the subject is usually taken, the
middle 1 or 2 digits identify the course within the subject field
(nobody I've ever met knows what they mean), and the last digit
indicates the number of credit hours the course carries. A course
number beginning with a "0" indicates that it does not carry credit
hours applicable to a degree.
Credit
Hours -
Courses taken in college are measured in terms of credit hours. To
earn one credit hour, a student must attend a class for one
classroom hour (usually 50 minutes) per week for the whole semester
(usually 16 weeks). Classes are offered in 1 - 5 credit hour
increments, and sometimes larger amounts.
Curriculum
- A curriculum is composed of those classes prescribed or outlined
by an institution for completion of a program of study leading to a
degree or certificate.
Degree Requirements - Those requirements prescribed by other institutions for
completion of a program of study are generally termed degree
requirements. Requirements may include a minimum number of hours,
required GPA, prerequisite and elective courses within the specified
major, and/or minor areas of study.
Degrees - Degrees are rewards for the successful completion of a prescribed
program of study. There are three basic types of degrees:
Associate - obtainable at a two-year community or junior college,
Baccalaureate or Bachelor’s - offered by four-year colleges and
universities, and Graduate - Obtained after the bachelor’s degree,
i.e., Masters or Doctorate.
Department - A department is the basic organizational unit in a higher education
institution, and is responsible for the academic functions in a
field of study. It may also be used in the broader sense to indicate
an administrative or service unit of an institution.
Division - A division could be several different things: an administrative unit
of an institution, usually consisting of more than one department… a
unit of an institution based on the year-level of students - i.e.,
lower and upper division… or a branch of the institution,
instructional or not - i.e., the Division of Student Affairs.
Drop and Add - Students are generally permitted to drop courses from
their class schedules and/or add other courses. Colleges allow
varying lengths of time for students to add and drop classes. The
college catalog or class schedule should note the correct
procedures. Students usually need written approval from designated
college officials to initiate dropping or adding a class. A small
fee is often required.
Enrollment - This is the procedure by which students choose classes each semester.
It also includes the assessment and collection of fees.
Pre-enrollment is the method by which students select courses well
in advance of the official enrollment date of the next term.
Extra-Curricular Activities - These are non-classroom activities that can
contribute to a well-rounded education. They can include such
activities as athletics, clubs, student government, recreational and
social organizations and events.
Faculty - The faculty is composed of all persons who teach classes for colleges.
FAFSA -Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The almost
universal application for financial aid, including loans, grants,
college work-study and other federal and state programs. It is often
required before a student can be considered for scholarships also.
Fees - Fees are additional charges not included in the tuition.
Fees may be charged to cover the cost of materials and equipment
needed in certain courses, and they may be assessed for student
events, programs, and publications.
Final
Exams (Finals)
- These exams are usually given during the last week of classes each
semester. The type of final administered in a course is left to the
discretion of the instructor. Final exams are given on specified
dates that may be different than the regular class time, and are
usually listed in each semester’s class schedule.
Financial
Aid - Aid is
made available from grants, scholarships, loans, and part-time
employment from federal, state, institutional, and private sources.
Awards from these programs may be combined in an "award package" to
meet the cost of education. The types and amounts of aid awarded are
determined by financial need, available funds, student
classification, academic performance, and sometimes the timeliness
of application.
Fraternities/Sororities
(also called the Greek System)
- Fraternities (for
men) and sororities (for women) are social organizations that are
active in various activities. Through a process of mutual selection,
called Rush (which takes place during a specified period of time),
students may be offered the opportunity to "pledge" a certain
fraternity of sorority. Not all colleges have these organizations.
Full-Time
Enrollment/Part-Time Enrollment
- A full-time student is enrolled in 12 or more credit hours in a
semester (full-time status for a Summer term is usually 6 credit
hours). A part-time student is enrolled in less than 12 credit hours
in a semester (less than 6 in a Summer term).
Honor
Roll -
Students are placed on honor rolls for GPAs above certain specified
levels. Criteria for President’s, Dean’s, or other honor rolls vary
at different institutions. In most cases, students must be enrolled
full-time to be eligible.
Humanities
Courses -
Humanities courses are classes covering subjects such as literature,
philosophy, and the fine arts. Most undergraduate degrees require a
certain number of humanities credit hours.
Junior/Community College - A Junior/Community College is a two-year
institution of higher education. Course offerings generally include
a transfer curriculum with credits transferable toward a bachelor’s
degree at a four-year college, and an occupational or technical
curriculum with courses of study designed to prepare students for
employment in two years.
Lecture/Laboratory/Discussion
Classes - In
lecture classes, students attend class on a regular basis and the
instructor lectures on class material. Laboratory classes require
students to perform certain functions in controlled situations that
help them test and understand what is being taught in the lecture.
Discussion classes offer students the opportunity to talk about
material being taught, ask questions, and discuss material with
their classmates. Discussion classes are often taught by Masters or
Doctoral students, and are becoming more common on college campuses.
Letter
Grades/Grade Point Averages (GPA)
- Most colleges use both letter grades and GPAs in determining
students’ grades. Grades at most colleges are figured using the
following method: As are worth 4 points Bs are worth 3 points Cs are
worth 2 points Ds are worth 1 point Fs are worth 0 points To figure
a GPA, simply multiply the number of hours a course is worth by the
number of points for the letter grade, then add up the totals for
each course and divide by the number of credit hours. The result is
the grade point average.
Major/Minor
- A major is a student’s chosen field of study. It usually requires
the successful completion of a specified number of credit hours. A
minor is designated as a specific number of credit hours in a
secondary field of study.
Mid-Term
Exams (Midterms)
- During the middle of each semester, instructors may give mid-term
exams that test students on the material
covered during the first half of the semester. Some classes have
only two tests, a midterm and a final.
Non-Credit
Courses -
These are classes or courses that do not meet the requirements for a
certificate of a degree at a given institution. Non-credit courses
may serve one of several purposes: to explore new fields of study,
increase proficiency in a particular profession, develop potential
or enrich life experiences through cultural and/or recreational
studies.
Open-Door
Institution
- Open-door institutions are usually public two-year
junior/community colleges. The term open-door refers to an admission
policy that states that anyone who is 18 years of age or older,
whether or not a high school graduate, can be admitted to that
college.
Pass/Fail Courses - Pass/fail courses do not earn letter grades or grade
points for students. If a student passes a pass/fail course, he/she
receives a "P" (pass) or "S" (satisfactory) on the transcript and
the credit hours. If the student does not pass the course, they will
receive an "F" (fail) or a "U" (unsatisfactory) on the transcript
and no credit hours. The evaluation for the pass/fail course is not
figured into the student’s GPA.
Petition - A petition is both the process and the form a
student fills out to request consideration of special circumstances.
For example, if a student is denied admission, they may petition for
admission based on extenuating circumstances.
Prerequisite
Courses - A
prerequisite course is a course taken in preparation for another
course. For example, Accounting 1 is a prerequisite for Accounting
2.
Private/Public
Institutions
- Private and public institutions differ primarily in terms of their
source of financial support. Public institutions receive funding
from the state or other governmental entities and are administered
by public boards. Private institutions rely on income from private
donations, or from religious or other organizations and student
tuition. Private institutions are governed by a board of trustees.
Registrar - The registrar of an institution is responsible for
the maintenance of all academic records and may include such duties
as:
maintenance of class enrollments, providing statistical information
on student enrollment, certification of athletic eligibility and
student eligibility for honor rolls, certification of the
eligibility of veterans, administering probation and retention
policies and verification of the completion of degree requirements
for graduation.
Schedule of Classes- Colleges publish and distribute a Class Schedule book for
each semester, during the previous semester. With the help of
academic advisors and/or faculty members, students make up their own
individual class schedules for each semester they are enrolled.
Courses are designated in the Class Schedule by course department,
course number, time and days the course meets, the room number and
building name, and the instructor’s name. A class schedule is also
simply a list of classes a student is taking, which includes course
name and number, time and location of the class, and possibly the
instructor.
Student
Identification Card (I.D.)
- A student ID is
usually required in college. It is similar to a driver’s license and
generally includes a photograph of the student, a student number
(often the social security number), the student’s name, the name of
the college and the semester enrolled. The IDs require validation
each semester. The card is often required for admittance to
functions sponsored by the college or for identification when
cashing checks or for other purposes.
Syllabus-An outline of the important information about a
course. Written by the professor or instructor, it usually includes
important dates, assignments, expectations and policies specific to
that course. Some are quite lengthy.
Transcript
- The transcript is a permanent academic record of a student at
college. It may show courses taken, grades received, academic status
and honors received. Transcripts are not released by the college if
the student owes any money to the college.
Transfer
of Credits -
Some students attend more than one institution during their college
career. When they move or transfer from one college to another, they
also transfer accumulated credit hours from the former institution
to the new one. The new institution determines which courses will
apply toward graduation requirements.
Tuition - Tuition is the amount paid for each credit hour of
enrollment. Tuition does not include the cost of books, fees, or
room and board. Tuition charges vary from college to college and are
dependent on such factors as resident or out-of-state status, level
of classes enrolled in (lower, upper or graduate division), and
whether the institution is publicly or privately financed.
Tutors - A tutor is a person, generally another student, who
has completed and/or demonstrated proficiency in a course or
subject, and is able to provide instruction to another student.
Tutors usually help students better understand course material and
make better grades.
Undergraduate-
An undergraduate is a student who is pursuing either a one-, two-,
or four-year degree.
University
- A university is composed of undergraduate, graduate, and
professional colleges and offers degrees in each.
Withdrawal
- Students may withdraw from courses during a semester, but there
are established procedures for doing so. The college catalog and/or
Class Schedule generally specifies the procedures. Written approval
from a university official must be secured, and some fees must be
paid.
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