TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

HIGH SCHOOL

ACCREDITATION

ensures that institutions of higher education meet acceptable levels of quality; carried out by agencies created specifically for that purpose; an unaccredited college or university confers meaningless degrees

AP (ADVANCED PLACEMENT)

a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board which offers college-level curricula and examinations to high school students; American colleges and universities may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain high scores on the examinations

CLASS RANK

a mathematical summary of a student's academic record compared to those of other students in the class; based on GPA

SALUTATORIAN

generally the student in a graduating class who obtained the second-highest GPA

VALEDICTORIAN

generally the student in a graduating class who obtained the highest GPA

COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

institutions of higher learning that offer academic degrees past that of a high school diploma

DEPARTMENT

a division of a college devoted to a specific academic discipline (i.e. the history department, the marketing department)

COLLEGE

an academic institution offering a collection of related academic studies that may or may not be a part of a larger university; academic departments make up a college (i.e. College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, College of Journalism, College of Medicine)

UNIVERSITY

an institution of higher learning that is composed of at least two colleges

CORE CURRICULUM

courses that fulfill English, mathematics, science, social studies, or foreign language requirements

DUAL ENROLLMENT

allow students to be enrolled in two separate, academically related institutions; generally, it refers to high school students taking college or university courses and receive credit towards graduation for both high school and college

ELECTIVE

classes that do not fulfill core requirements curriculum requirements; these classes are often taken in order to gain greater knowledge about a particular topic or for the purpose of enrichment

NCAA RULES AND REGULATIONS

"BUMP" RULE

the informal name given to the NCAA rule that prohibits contact between coaches and recruits during a recruiting dead period; if a coach happened to run into (bump into) a player during a dead period, the coach could only acknowledge the recruit (through a fist bump or the like), but could not talk to the recruit

"CLICK, DON'T TYPE" RULE

the informal name given to the NCAA rule that prevents coaches from commenting on a recruit's social media or tagging that recruit until he/she has committed to the school; coaches are allowed to "like" or "share" posts or direct message during contact periods

OFFICIAL VISIT

a recruiting visit in which the college or university provides transportation, lodging, food, and itinerary or taken care of by the school; high school athletes are permitted five official visits

UNOFFICIAL VISIT

a recruiting visit in which a high school athlete visits a school on their own, pays for their own transportation, lodging, and food; students may not speak to or meet with athletics officials or coaches until August 1 of their junior year, but they can take tours of campus prior to that date

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APPLYING TO COLLEGE

CANDIDATE'S REPLY DATE AGREEMENT

an agreement many colleges follow that gives applicants until May 1 to accept or decline offers of admission

COLLEGE ESSAY

a document colleges require as a part of their admissions criteria; applicants are often asked to write approximately 150-650 words to a given prompt

COLLEGE ATHLETICS ORGANIZATIONS

NAIA

a college athletics association for small colleges and universities in North America

NCAA

a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics; the NCAA is the largest of the governing bodies in the United States and Canada

NCCAA

an association of Christian universities, colleges, and Bible colleges in the United States and Canada whose mission is "the promotion and enhancement of intercollegiate athletic competition with a Christian perspective"

NJCAA

the governing association of community college, state college and junior college athletics throughout the United States

LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION

a document in which the writer assesses the qualities, characteristics, and capabilities of the person being recommended in terms of that individual's ability to perform a particular task or function

NCAA INITIAL ELIGIBILITY CENTER (FORMERLY THE NCAA CLEARINGHOUSE)

the eligibility arm of the governing body that oversees the eligibility process for incoming collegiate student-athletes; the NCAA Eligibility Center works to ensure that athletes who compete in sports in college all meet the minimum academic and athletic requirements needed

PLACEMENT TESTS

ACT

a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States. It is currently administered by ACT, a nonprofit organization of the same name; the ACT test covers four academic skill areas: English, mathematics, reading, and scientific reasoning. It also offers an optional direct writing test; it is scored on a scale of 1-36; scores are sent to colleges and universities to fulfill standardized testing requirements

PreACT

a paper-and-pencil test comprised of multiple-choice sections for English, Math, Reading, and Science; unlike the official ACT exam, the PreACT does not have an essay section; it is scored on a scale of 1-36 and colleges do NOT see the PreACT score

PSAT/NMSQT

the PSAT is the precursor to the SAT; students in as early as 7th grade may take the PSAT (for the Duke Talent Search Program) but it is most common for students in 9th-11th grade to sit for the exam; in the 11th grade year the test also serves as the National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test - a small group of students are nominated for financial awards based on their scores; scores are not submitted to colleges and universities

SAT

the SAT is an entrance exam used by most colleges and universities to make admissions decisions; it is a multiple-choice, pencil-and-paper test created and administered by the College Board; the purpose of the SAT is to measure a high school student's readiness for college, and provide colleges with one common data point that can be used to compare all applicants; the test is comprised of two reading sections and two math sections (one of which test-takers may not use a calculator); the test is scored on a 400-1600 scale

SAT II

these were the SAT Subject Tests - specialized tests used for placement; as of 2021 they have been discontinued; college applicants should check their school's website or contact their school's admission's or registrar's department for guidance about class placement

TOEFL

Test of English as a Foreign Language is a standardized test to measure the English language ability of non-native speakers wishing to enroll in English-speaking universities; the test is comprised of speaking, listening, writing, and reading sections

TRANSCRIPT

a certified record of a student throughout a course of study having full enrollment history including all courses attempted, grades earned and degrees and awards conferred; a student's graduation from high school is not official until the transcript is complete and certified

VACCINATIONS

colleges and universities require potential students to provide proof of vaccinations before they are permitted to enroll in college classes; requirements may also vary within a university based on the student's chosen academic path

Example: University of Florida vaccination/immunization requirements

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PAYING FOR COLLEGE

APPLICATION FEE

most schools require that applicants pay a small fee for processing applications; fees vary by school

BRIGHT FUTURES SCHOLARSHIP

a scholarship program in the state of Florida funded by the Florida Lottery that was first started in 1997; high school students whose families reside in the state of Florida are eligible

For academic eligibility requirements click here

FAFSA (FREE APPLICATION FOR STUDENT FINANCIAL AID)

a form completed by current and prospective college students in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid; eligibility is based on the student's family income and the family's ability to pay for college

GRANT

 a form of aide that is granted, or gifted, to students based on their financial needs; grants are designed to help with tuition, and typically do not need to be paid back

NEEDS ANALYSIS

the process of determining the student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) based on the formula established by Congress; also known as Federal Need Analysis Methodology and Federal Methodology, or FM

NEEDS-BASED SCHOLARSHIP

awards based on a student's ability to pay for college; while need-based aid is typically associated with federal grants like the Pell Grant, many universities, foundations, nonprofits, and businesses also offer need-based scholarships

PELL GRANT

Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree; in some cases, however, a student enrolled in a postbaccalaureate teacher certification program might receive a Federal Pell Grant

SCHOLARSHIPS

ACADEMIC

a form of financial aid awarded to students to further education; scholarships are awarded based upon various criteria, such as academic merit, diversity and inclusion, athletic skill, and financial need; scholarship criteria usually reflect the values and goals of the donor or founder of the award; scholarships do NOT have to be paid back

ATHLETIC

a merit scholarship based on a student's athletic expertise and skill; scholarships may come in the form of full scholarships or partial scholarships

STUDENT LOANS

a type of loan designed to help students pay for post-secondary education and the associated fees, such as tuition, books and supplies, and living expenses; student loans must be paid back with interest; federal students loans are not eligible for bankruptcy protection

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GETTING TO COLLEGE GRADUATION

ACADEMIC CALENDAR

a schedule of all of the events that occur in an academic year; these events may include examination dates, spring break or reading week and the last day of the semester; academic calendars—and the dates included—can be presented at the semester level or as part of an academic year-long calendar

QUARTER​

consists of four 10-week sessions in the fall, winter, spring, and summer; the average full-time student takes 3-4 courses per term, or 9-12 credits; an academic year on the quarter system normally runs from mid-September through early June

SEMESTER

a calendar that divides the academic year into 15-17 week terms; there are generally two semesters per academic year: Fall (beginning in August or September) and Spring (beginning in January)

TRIMESTER

breaks the academic calendar down into three portions: fall, winter and spring, though some schools may also offer additional summer sessions; academic trimesters generally last 10 to 12 weeks; depending on how the courses are structured, students generally take three or four classes per trimester

ADVISOR

a type of counselor who works with students, usually at the college level; they are responsible for helping students choose a major and a minor, assisting with scheduling classes, and ensuring that they meet all the requirements to graduate with a degree in that field

BIBLE COLLEGE

an evangelical Christian or Restoration Movement Christian institution of higher education which prepares students for Christian ministry with theological education, Biblical studies and practical ministry training; Bible colleges primarily offer undergraduate degrees, but may also offer graduate degrees, lower-level associate degrees, certificates or diplomas in specialized areas of Christian training where a full degree is not required; Bible colleges often have strict rules for living both on and off campus

CATHOLIC COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

Catholic higher education includes universities, colleges, and other institutions of higher education privately run by the Catholic Church, typically by religious institutes - those tied to the Holy See are specifically called pontifical universities; like other private schools, Catholic universities and colleges are generally nondenominational, in that they accept anyone regardless of religious affiliation, nationality, ethnicity, or civil status, provided the admission or enrollment requirements and legal documents are submitted, and rules and regulations are obeyed for a fruitful life on campus, however, non-Catholics, whether Christian or not, may or may not participate in otherwise required campus activities, particularly those of a religious nature

COURSE LOAD

the number of classes or hours spent in class a person takes while in college; full time for undergraduates is considered at least 12 credit hours, though a normal full class load is 15 hours per semester; full time for graduate students is considered 9 credits

CREDIT HOUR

the recognition for having taken a course at school or university, used as measure if enough hours have been made for graduation; the number of credit hours for a course is normally tied to the number of hours a student spends in the classroom during a week; lab classes that meet for one hour are generally one credit hour courses; classes that meet for three hours a week are normally three credit hour classes

DEGREES

ASSOCIATE'S DEGREE

a two-year college degree that you can obtain from a community college, junior college, online university, or some four-year institutions in the US. In terms of education, an associate degree falls between a high school diploma and a bachelor's degree

BACHELOR'S DEGREE

a four-year degree that can be obtained after completing high school. Typically, a bachelor's degree consists of 120 credit hours of study. However, some degrees and circumstances require more. A fully online bachelor's degree is a distance-education program that results in a four-year degree

MASTER'S DEGREE

an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice; a master's degree normally requires previous study at the bachelor's level, either as a separate degree or as part of an integrated course; within the area studied, master's graduates are expected to possess advanced knowledge of a specialized body of theoretical and applied topics; high order skills in analysis, critical evaluation, or professional application; and the ability to solve complex problems and think rigorously and independently; some programs offer 4+1 and 3+2 combined bachelor's and master's degrees

DOCTORATE

an academic degree awarded by universities and some other educational institutions; in most countries, a research degree qualifies the holder to teach at university level in the degree's field or work in a specific profession; types of doctorate degrees include Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy), Ed.D (Doctor of Education), M.D. (Medical Doctor), and J.D. (Law Degree)

POST GRADUATE FELLOWSHIP

a fellowship is typically a merit-based scholarship for advanced study of an academic subject; fellowships are prizes that graduate students or postgraduate scholars typically compete for, and fellows are selected based on their potential to make a positive, long-lasting contribution to their academic discipline

DROP/ADD

a short period of time at the beginning of each quarter/trimester/semester when students can change their class schedule

FOUR IN FIVE

the NCAA rule that states students may compete in four athletic seasons over five calendar years

GENERAL EDUCATION

classes taken during most of an undergraduate's first two years - these include basic liberal arts courses, such as English and history, as well as science and math; an intro to English composition is more or less guaranteed, but which classes are considered essential continues to change and ultimately depends on the institution; some majors like engineering or pre-med may reduce the general education requirements needed to graduate

GREEK LIFE

social organizations at colleges and universities; individual fraternities and sororities vary in organization and purpose, but most share five common elements:

• Secrecy

• Single-sex membership

• Selection of new members on the basis of a two-part vetting and probationary process known as rushing and pledging

• Ownership and occupancy of a residential property where undergraduate members live

• A set of complex identification symbols that may include Greek letters, armorial achievements, ciphers, badges, grips, hand signs, passwords, flowers, and colors

FRATERNITY/SORORITY

a fraternity is usually an all-male social organization; a sorority is an all-female social organization

HONORS FRATERNITY

an organization for high-school or college students of high academic achievement; most college honors fraternities are specific to a field of study

PLEDGE

an intensive orientation and probationary period for students pursuing fraternity membership

RUSH WEEK

most Greek letter organizations select potential members through a two-part process of vetting and probation, called rushing and pledging, respectively; during rush (recruitment), students attend designated social events, and sometimes formal interviews, hosted by the chapters of fraternities and sororities in which they have particular interest; usually, after a potential new member has attended several such events, officers or current members meet privately to vote on whether or not to extend an invitation (known as a "bid") to the prospective applicant

HUMANITIES

academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture

INTERNSHIPS

the position of a student or trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification; an internship in which the intern is paid is known as a "paid internship"

JUNIOR/COMMUNITY COLLEGE

a type of educational institution; the term can have different meanings in different countries: many community colleges have an "open enrollment" for students who have graduated from high school; typically junior/community colleges have offered only associate's degrees or certificates, but many states have recently begun to fund community colleges in order to allow them to confer bachelor's degrees - in the state of Florida these are known as "state colleges"

LIBERAL ARTS

a liberal arts degree includes the study of history, literature, writing, philosophy, sociology, psychology, creative arts and more; liberal arts programs are designed to help you formulate compelling arguments, communicate well and solve problems

NATIONAL LETTER OF INTENT

a contract high school seniors sign to accept a scholarship offer with a college or university; once the NLI has been signed and sent to the school that student is contractually obligated to attend that school or else they will sit out their first year of eligibility; the NLI signing period starts in November

PRIVATE COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

a college or university that was generally not established by a state or federal government and does not receive any public money with the exception of student financial aid

PROGRAMS OF STUDY

MAJOR

a specific subject area that students specialize in; undergraduates typically complete 33 or more hours of coursework at the end of which they will graduate with a degree in that specialization

DOUBLE MAJOR

occurs when a student declares two majors and takes coursework towards two separate bachelor's degrees

MINOR

a secondary area of specialization beyond a college major; undergraduates typically complete 16-30 credits to earn a minor

PROFESSOR

an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries; professors are usually experts in their field and teachers of the highest rank; many conduct research as their primary role at a research university

PUBLIC COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

a college or university that was generally established by a state or federal government and receives public money in order to operate

REDSHIRT

a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility; an athlete may take a redshirt year because they are low on the depth chart and may not receive much playing time, or they may be eligible for a medical redshirt if they were hurt in-season or before the season and they participated in a limited number of games or matches; redshirts are granted a fifth year of eligibility; in some cases of medical redshirts athletes have been granted a sixth year of eligibility, but these are only granted under extreme circumstances

SEMINAR

a form of academic instruction, either at an academic institution or offered by a commercial or professional organization - it has the function of bringing together small groups for recurring meetings, focusing each time on some particular subject, in which everyone present is requested to participate

TEACHING ASSISTANT (TA)

typically a graduate student who assists a professor with instructional responsibilities; teaching assistants are sometimes asked to fill-in for absentee professors or to conduct smaller tutoring sessions

THESIS

a master’s thesis is an extensive scholarly paper that allows you to dig into a topic, expand on it and demonstrate how you’ve grown as a graduate student throughout the program; graduate schools often require a thesis for students in research-oriented degrees to apply their practical skills before culmination; before a degree is conferred the graduate student will go before a panel of professors to defend their thesis

TUITION

the cost of attending a school; in college tuition is paid before each quarter, trimester, or semester

WALK-ON

an athlete who plays for a college team but does not receive any scholarship money

PREFERRED WALK-ON

a walk-on student who was offered a position on the team rather than having to go through a try-out process

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