Glossary of Common University Application Terms

A

ACT: The ACT is a standardized test used by colleges and universities in the United States to assess the academic readiness of undergraduate applicants. The ACT is designed to measure a student's knowledge and skills in four main subject areas: English, math, reading, and science. The test is scored on a scale from 1 to 36, with the average score falling around 21. Students typically take the ACT during their junior or senior year of high school, and the scores are used by colleges and universities as one factor in the admissions process.

AP: AP, or Advanced Placement, is a program run by the College Board that offers high school students the opportunity to take college-level courses and exams. The program offers courses in a wide range of subjects, including math, science, English, history, and foreign languages. Students who complete an AP course and earn a qualifying score on the corresponding AP exam can often earn college credit for their work, depending on the policies of the individual college or university. This can save students time and money by allowing them to potentially skip introductory-level courses in college and move on to more advanced coursework. AP courses and exams are widely recognized by colleges and universities as a measure of a student's academic ability and are often considered in the admissions process.

C

Coalition Application: The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success is a group of more than 150 public and private colleges and universities in the United States. The Coalition offers a platform called the Coalition Application, which allows students to apply to member institutions using a single online application. The Coalition Application is designed to be student-friendly and to provide students with a range of resources and support to help them through the college admissions process. The Coalition Application is one of several options available to students who are applying to college, along with the Common Application and individual college applications.

CollegeBoard: The College Board is a non-profit organization that provides a range of services to students, parents, and educators in the United States. The organization is best known for developing and administering standardized tests, such as the SAT and the Advanced Placement (AP) exams. The College Board also offers a range of other services, including college planning resources, financial aid tools, and support for high school counselors. The College Board's mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity.

Common Application: The Common Application, also known as the Common App, is an online platform that allows students to apply to more than 700 participating colleges and universities in the United States using a single application. The Common App streamlines the college application process by allowing students to fill out one set of information and essays, which can then be sent to multiple institutions. The Common App also offers a range of resources and support to help students through the college admissions process. The Common App is one of several options available to students who are applying to college, along with the Coalition Application and individual college applications.

College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS): The College Scholarship Service Profile (CSS Profile) is a financial aid application used by many colleges and universities to determine a student's eligibility for non-federal financial aid, such as institutional scholarships and grants. The CSS Profile collects detailed information about a student's family financial situation, including income, assets, and other factors.

D

Demonstrated Interest: Demonstrated interest refers to the extent to which a student shows interest in attending a particular college or university. This can include things like visiting the campus, attending information sessions, or communicating with the admissions office. Demonstrated interest is often considered by admissions committees as a factor in the admissions process, especially at institutions where the applicant pool is highly competitive.

Dual Enrollment: Dual enrollment, also known as dual credit or concurrent enrollment, refers to a program that allows high school students to earn college credit while they are still in high school. Dual enrollment programs typically involve taking college-level courses at a local college or university, either on the college campus or at the high school. These courses can count towards both high school and college graduation requirements.

E

ECs/Extracurriculars: ECs, or extracurriculars, refer to activities outside of the classroom that students participate in during high school. These can include things like sports teams, clubs, music or art programs, community service, or other activities. Admissions committees often consider a student's ECs as part of the admissions process, as they can provide insight into a student's interests, skills, and experiences.]

EA/Early Action: EA, or Early Action, is an admissions option offered by some colleges and universities that allows students to apply early and receive an admissions decision earlier than the regular deadline. Early Action is non-binding, meaning that students who are admitted through EA are not required to commit to the institution and can still apply to other schools.

ED/ED I/Early Decision: ED, ED I, or Early Decision is an admissions option offered by some colleges and universities that allows students to apply early and receive an admissions decision earlier than the regular deadline. Early Decision is binding, meaning that students who are admitted through ED must commit to attending the institution and withdraw any other college applications.

ED II/Early Decision II: ED II, or Early Decision II, is a variation of Early Decision that allows students to apply early and receive an admissions decision earlier than the regular deadline. ED II is also binding, meaning that students who are admitted through ED II must commit to attending the institution and withdraw any other college applications. ED II is typically offered later in the admissions cycle than ED I, and students who are not admitted through ED I can often apply through ED II.

F

Full Ride: A full ride refers to a scholarship or financial aid package that covers the full cost of attendance at a college or university, including tuition, fees, room and board, and other expenses. Full ride scholarships are typically highly competitive and are awarded based on a combination of merit and financial need.

G

GPA: GPA, or Grade Point Average, is a measure of a student's academic performance that reflects the average of the grades they have earned in their classes. The GPA is typically calculated on a scale from 0.0 to 4.0, with 4.0 being the highest possible GPA.

I

IB: IB, or International Baccalaureate, is a program of international education that is offered at schools around the world. The IB program includes a curriculum of academic courses and extracurricular activities, and students who complete the program can earn the IB Diploma. Many colleges and universities recognize the IB program as equivalent to advanced placement (AP) courses and may award college credit for IB coursework.

Interview: An interview is a face-to-face meeting between a student and a representative of a college or university, typically as part of the admissions process. The interview allows the admissions committee to learn more about the student and their interests, experiences, and goals, and can also give the student the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about the institution. Interviews are not required by all colleges and universities, and not all applicants will be invited to interview.

L

LAC: LAC, or Liberal Arts College, refers to a type of college or university that focuses on undergraduate education and offers a broad range of academic programs in the arts, humanities, and sciences. Liberal arts colleges typically have small class sizes and a strong emphasis on teaching and mentoring.

LOCI/Letter of Continued Interest: LOCI, or Letter of Continued Interest, is a letter that a student can send to a college or university after they have applied but have not yet received an admissions decision. The LOCI allows the student to express their continued interest in the institution and update the admissions committee on any new achievements or developments since they applied.

LOR/Letter of Recommendation: LOR, or Letter of Recommendation, is a letter written by someone who knows the student, such as a teacher, counselor, or employer, to provide additional information about the student's character, abilities, and achievements. LORs are often required as part of the college application process, and admissions committees use them to gain insight into the student that cannot be gleaned from the application itself.

N

Need-Aware: Need-aware and need-blind are terms used to describe a college or university's admissions policy with respect to financial aid. A need-aware institution considers a student's financial need when

P

PSAT: The PSAT, or Preliminary SAT, is a standardized test that is designed to measure a student's readiness for the SAT. The PSAT is typically taken by students in their junior year of high school, and the scores are used to identify students who may be eligible for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

R

RD/RA/Regular Decision: RD, RA, or Regular Decision is the standard admissions option offered by colleges and universities. Students who apply through RD typically have a deadline that falls in the late fall or early winter, and they receive an admissions decision in the spring.

REA/Restrictive Early Action: REA, or Restrictive Early Action, is an admissions option offered by some colleges and universities that allows students to apply early and receive an admissions decision earlier than the regular deadline. Unlike Early Action, REA is restrictive, meaning that students who apply through REA are not allowed to apply to any other schools through Early Action or Early Decision.

S

SAT: The SAT is a standardized test that is used by colleges and universities in the United States to assess the academic readiness of undergraduate applicants. The SAT is designed to measure a student's knowledge and skills in three main subject areas: math, reading, and writing. The test is scored on a scale from 400 to 1600, with the average score falling around 1000. Students typically take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school, and the scores are used by colleges and universities as one factor in the admissions process.

SAT 2/SAT II: SAT II, or SAT Subject Tests, are a series of standardized tests that are offered in specific subject areas, such as math, science, history, and foreign languages. Unlike the SAT, which is designed to measure general academic ability,

SAT Subject Tests: SAT Subject Tests are a series of standardized tests that are offered in specific subject areas, such as math, science, history, and foreign languages. Unlike the SAT, which is designed to measure general academic ability, the SAT Subject Tests are designed to measure a student's knowledge and skills in a specific subject. The Subject Tests are scored on a scale from 200 to 800, with the average score falling around 500. Some colleges and universities require or recommend that applicants submit scores from the SAT Subject Tests as part of the admissions process.

SCEA/Single-choice Early Action: SCEA, or Single-choice Early Action, is an admissions option offered by some colleges and universities that allows students to apply early and receive an admissions decision earlier than the regular deadline. Unlike Early Decision, SCEA is non-binding, meaning that students who are admitted through SCEA are not required to commit to the institution and can still apply to other schools. However, unlike Early Action, SCEA is restrictive, meaning that students who apply through SCEA are not allowed to apply to any other schools through Early Action or Early Decision.

Supplements: Supplements are additional materials that some colleges and universities require or recommend as part of the admissions process. These can include things like essays, portfolios, or additional test scores. Supplements are typically used to gather more information about a student and their interests, experiences, and goals.

T

Test optional: Test optional is an admissions policy offered by some colleges and universities that allows applicants to choose whether or not to submit scores from standardized tests, such as the SAT or ACT, as part of their application. Test optional policies are intended to make the admissions process more accessible and equitable, and to allow students to demonstrate their abilities and achievements in other ways.

U

Universal College Application: The Universal College Application is an online platform that allows students to apply to more than 20 participating colleges and universities in the United States using a single application. The Universal College Application is one of several options available to students who are applying to college, along with the Common Application and individual college applications.

Unweighted GPA: Unweighted GPA is a measure of a student's academic performance that reflects the average of the grades they have earned in their classes, without taking the level of difficulty of the classes into account. The unweighted GPA is typically calculated on a scale from 0.0 to 4.0, with 4.0 being the highest possible GPA.

W

Weighted GPA: Weighted GPA is a measure of a student's academic performance that reflects the average of the grades they have earned in their classes, taking the level of difficulty of the classes into account. The weighted GPA is typically calculated on a scale from 0.0 to 4.0, with 4.0 being the highest possible GPA. In a weighted GPA system, honors, AP, and IB courses are assigned a higher point value than regular courses, which reflects the increased difficulty of the classes. This means that a student who takes mostly honors, AP, and IB courses will typically have a higher weighted GPA than a student who takes mostly regular courses, even if they earn the same grades. Weighted GPAs are used by some colleges and universities in the admissions process as a way to compare applicants who have taken different levels of classes.