COLLEGE CATALOG VOCABULARY

Types of Colleges

Junior or Two-year Colleges – award associate degrees, and possibly some bachelor degrees; have some programs that transfer to four-year schools; have open admission; usually prepare students for technical careers

        Examples:  Ivy Tech, most Vincennes programs

Liberal Arts Colleges – award associate and bachelor degrees; combine broad education in the         arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences; usually private

        Examples:  Marian, Wabash, Hanover

Universities – award associate, bachelor, masters, and doctorate degrees; generally larger and         offer more majors and more research facilities; usually but not always public, i.e.,         partially supported by the state

        Examples:  I.U., Purdue, Ball State, Butler

Proprietary Schools – award certificates and associate degrees; usually privately owned and         operated for a profit; offer specialized programs

        Examples:  International Business College, Kaplan College, Lincoln Tech

Admissions Types

Open – admit nearly all interested students who have a high school diploma or GED

        Examples:  Ivy Tech, Vincennes

Selective – admit most students who meet explicit requirements; requirements vary widely from         school to school

        Examples:  Ball State, University of Indianapolis

Competitive – more, some times far more, students meet admission requirements and apply than         can be accepted; students cannot be sure of admission due to competition

        Examples:  Notre Dame, Rose Hulman

Other Admission Terms    

Rolling Admission – students are admitted or denied as soon as their applications are processed,         usually in four to six weeks, until the class is full; most universities have rolling admission                                              

        Examples:  I.U., Vincennes

Early Decision/Early Action – offered by some competitive colleges and universities; applications         required by a specific date in the fall; students are offered or denied admission shortly         thereafter; the student must respond to the offer and in most cases is expected to         commit to attend the college

Dual Credit – courses taken for both high school and college credit

Degrees

Associate – requires completion of a two-year course of study

Bachelor – may also be called “baccalaureate”; requires completion of four-year course of study;         graduate receives a B.A. (Bachelor of Arts), B.S. (Bachelor of Science) or similar degree        depending on the major area

Graduate – requires completion of a course of study beginning after the bachelor degree

        Examples:  M.S. or M.A. (Masters of Science or Masters of Arts), M.D. (Medical Doctor),         Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)

Curriculum/Credit

Curriculum – courses offered by the school

Common or Core Curriculum – courses all students take, regardless of their major

Major – subject in which students do most of their work, especially during the last two years of         college

Transfer – either a student who comes to a college after previous study in another college or the         courses he/she took at the first college; in general, courses with        a grade lower than a         “C” do not transfer

Credit Hour – the amount of credit given for a course meeting one hour a week for a semester or         quarter; usually a three-hour course would meet three times per week

Admission Test

ACT – tests English, mathematics, social sciences, and natural sciences abilities; writing section         is optional but recommended; given at specific test centers, usually high schools and         colleges, throughout the year; is one of the two tests that can be taken for college         admission

SAT– tests critical reading, mathematical, and writing aptitudes; given at specific test centers,         usually high schools and colleges, throughout the year; is one of         the two tests that can         be taken for college admission

Credit by Examination – a program through which some colleges grant course credit based on         results of specific tests; these include SAT, SAT II (subject tests), ACT, CLEP (College-        level Examination Program), AP (Advanced Placement), or other examinations

College Calendars

Traditional Semester – two approximately equal terms in the school year; courses are also         offered in the summer

Quarter – three equal terms of approximately twelve weeks each; the summer can be a fourth         quarter

Trimester – calendar year divided into three equal terms; the third trimester replaces summer         school

4-1-4 – two equal terms of approximately sixteen weeks each with a four-week interim term

Financial Aid

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – the initial document necessary to apply for         financial aid; must be completed and submitted online by March 1 in Indiana; everyone         should complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov even if the family does not         expect to receive financial aid

Grants – awards based on financial need which do not require repayment; available through the         federal government, state agencies, and colleges/universities

Scholarships – awards based on merit, talent, need, or other stated criteria; do not require         repayment

Student Loan Program – program by which students can borrow money most often at a lower-         than-normal interest rate; may not require repayment until the student leaves the school

Parent Loan Program – a program by which parents can borrow from a bank or other lending         institution for their student’s education; repayment generally begins immediately

Work-Study Program – government-supported program which provides part-time jobs to         students to help pay college expenses; jobs are awarded to the student by the college         financial aid office 

Financial Aid Package – a combination of scholarships, grants, loans and work-study determined         by the financial aid office of the college or university and offered to the student and         parents