Academic Advisor: Colleges have many people who carry the title of advisor or counselor. Your academic advisor may be a faculty member in the academic field you’ve chosen or a full-time administrative employee who works in a counseling office of the school. You will be assigned an advisor once you begin college, and this person will serve as your resource to all academic and nonacademic services. While academic advisors will help you plan your college schedule or choose a major, they can also offer much more. Ask about anything that puzzles you, and you may save both time and money.
Academic Freedom: The right of instructors to study controversial issues and express unpopular points of view without the threat of job loss — as long as students’ safety and civil rights are maintained.
Accreditation: A process used in judging the merit of the programs offered by a school. An accredited school is recognized as meeting standards set by a professional organization, such as the American Bar Association.
Admissions: The first contact you may have with a college or university may be with its admissions office. The people who work there are trained to “sell” their school and its programs to you, and they’ll send you many forms. Read these forms carefully and note all deadlines. Send your application to them early, because some schools may assign dorm space on the basis of the date you’re accepted for admission. Some schools offer more than one type of admission status. You may be permitted entrance to one college or major program, but denied entrance to another. Acceptance to a university does not always guarantee acceptance to all of its programs.
Alumnus: A graduate of a college or university. Schools have alumni offices, which may ask you for money or other support after you graduate.
Assistant Professor: See Professor.
Associate Degree: May be an associate degree in arts or an associate degree in science (A.A. or A.S.). An associate degree is a two-year degree. Many associate degree programs are offered at community and junior colleges and at technical schools, but many large universities also offer such programs.
Associate Professor: See Professor.
Attrition: A general term referring to the number of students who drop out of a school or a program offered at that school.
Bachelor’s Degree: The formal name for a four-year college degree. Two major types are the bachelor of arts (B. A.) and the Bachelor of Science (B.S.). Requirements for these degrees vary, depending on the standards of the school or college.
Bookstore: More than a place that sells textbooks, a college bookstore may also sell running shorts, pens, pencils, greeting cards, and a host of other items. Be certain you purchase the proper edition of required texts, and see if used copies are available at a reduced price. Always keep your book receipt, and do not mark in the book until you are sure you will keep it, or you may have trouble obtaining a refund. Bookstores are usually located in centers or college university unions.
Cafeteria or Dining Hall: These terms mean the same thing on some campuses but different things on others. The dining hall may be part of a dormitory, and your food may be prepaid if you purchased a meal card or board plan. In a cafeteria you pay for each item you select; it may be located in the student center.
Career Counseling/Planning: Most campuses began offering this service in the 970s because students saw a direct relationship between what they were studying in college and the job market. Students wanted to know where the jobs were and what they needed to achieve to be eligible for them. Career Planning services include, but are not limited to, self-assessment and interest tests, job search workshops, decision-making workshops, and resume workshops. These services are usually located in counseling centers, student affairs offices, or placement offices.
Carrel: A study room or numbered desk and chair in the college library that can be assigned to students. Not everyone is eligible for one, and you must request a carrel from the college librarian.
Chancellor: Title given to a high academic officer at some colleges and universities. The chancellor is usually just below the president in importance.
Class Card or Course Card: Usually required for registration unless you register by computer. At registration, you pick up one card for each class approved for you by your advisor. The card usually lists the name and number of the class, number of credits, days, times, and name of the professor. If more than one section of the same course is offered, a section number will appear. Always check our course cards carefully. Once these cards are fed into the computer, you are assigned a seat in the class, and your name will appear on the class role for the card that you submit. See also Section.
Class Standing: Most colleges link your standing to the number of hours you’ve earned, not the number of years you’ve attended school. A freshman is enrolled in the first quarter of college work. A sophomore is in the second quarter. A junior has passed the halfway point, and a senior has three-fourths of his or her requirements completed. This method applies to students on the quarter and semester systems in four-year undergraduate programs.
CLEP: An acronym for College Level Examination Program. Passing a CLEP test may allow you to earn college credit for skills and knowledge you already possess.
Coeducational: A school that admits men and women. Most colleges are coeducational. Some schools have coeducational residence halls where men and women live in the same building, but not in the same room.
Cognate: A group of courses related to a student’s major and approved by his or her advisor. Such courses are required for graduation at most colleges. Cognates are junior– and senior-level courses. Colleges that don’t require a cognate may require a minor. See also Minor.
Commencement: A day set aside by colleges to award degrees to graduating students. Some schools hold two or three commencements annually, but the most popular ones are held in May or early June.
Community College: A two-year college that may also be known as a junior college or technical school. These colleges award associate degrees, and technical colleges may offer other types of degrees or certificates as well. Be certain that the community college you select is accredited, and remember that there’s no guarantee that all courses you take at a two-year college will transfer to a four-year college or university.
Comprehensive Examination: Some schools use this term to describe final exams, which are given during the last days of the term. The word comprehensive means that all material covered during the term may be included on the exam. Graduate students may also take comprehensive exams to earn the master’s or doctoral degree.
Continuing Education: Over the years, the meaning of this term has changed. Continuing education programs enable the nontraditional college student to take classes without having to be admitted as a degree candidate. While continuing education students may take college courses for credit, some colleges have established noncredit learning programs under this name.
Core Courses/Distribution Requirements/Basic Requirements/General Education: These terms all mean the same thing. Colleges require that all students complete specific groups of courses. These courses usually occur at the freshman and sophomore levels and include English, math, science, and history requirements. Since many of these lowered number courses must be completed before other courses can be taken, it is wise to complete your core courses as early as possible. See also Prerequisite.
Counseling Office: Counseling is provided by trained professionals at your college. Counselors can help you with various adjustment problems and may refer you to other services. There are many types of counselors; you’ll find them in the following offices: Admissions, Financial Aid, Residence Halls, Career Planning and Placement, Veterans’ Affairs, Study Skills, Academic Advising, and Counseling Centers. Counselors treat in confidence whatever you tell them. Once you determine that you need some type of counseling, seek it out. Your tuition is paying for it.
Course Number: Different colleges number their courses in different ways. Most undergraduates take courses at the 100 level through at least the 400 level, but this will vary on different campuses. Graduate-level courses carry higher numbers. The 100-level courses must be completed before you may take upper-level work in that subject. Check your catalog and ask your advisor for help.
Credit hour: See Quarter hour.
Curriculum: All courses required for your degree. Some colleges refer to all courses in the catalog as the curriculum, and many schools provide students with curriculum outlines or curriculum sheets n addition to the catalog. These sheets show what courses you must take and may indicate the order in which you must take them. That order is called “course sequencing.”
Dean: A college administrator who may have been a professor. Some deans are academic dean, which means they head academic programs. Some colleges and universities have a dean of student affairs, a dean of business affairs, and deans of men and of women. The academic dean is a person who oversees your degree programs. He or she can grant exceptions to academic policy. The other types of deans are executives who may or may not work directly with students, although most work in student services. Some deans may have associate or assistant deans to help them.
Dean’s List: If you make high grades, you’ll make the Dean’s List at the end of the term. This is an academic honor and looks good on your resume and on applications for graduate study. See what your school requires for you to make the list, and make it as many times as you can.
Deficiency: This word can mean more than one thing. You may be told you have a one-course deficiency that you must make up before graduation or entrance to a particular program. Your grades may be fine, but the deficiency exists as a prerequisite for what you want to do. Deficiency can also mean that your grades are so low that you may not be permitted to return to school.
Department: A college is often organized into academic departments. For example, a group of history faculty will develop a curriculum for students studying history. The history department will offer all history courses for every student at the school, including history majors.
Dismissal: At most schools, dismissal means the same thing as suspension, and you will be told to leave the school for academic or disciplinary reasons. College catalogs explain the circumstances for dismissal, and you should learn these rules and obey them. Dismissal or suspension usually is noted on your official record or transcript, and the requirements to reenter college will vary. See also Leave of Absence and Probation.
Doctoral Degree: Requires additional years of study beyond the bachelor’s and/or master’s degrees, and is awarded upon successful completion of course work, the dissertation, and orals. Most of your professors probably have a Ph.D. (doctor of philosophy); other types, including the M.D. (medical doctor) and J.D. (doctor of jurisprudence) also require extensive study.
Dormitory: See Residence Hall.
Drop: Most colleges allow students to drop courses without penalty during specified periods of time. Dropping a course can be dangerous if you don’t know the proper procedures, since you’ll need to complete certain forms and obtain official signatures. If you’re receiving financial aid, your status may change if you drop a course. Finally, dropping courses certainly will affect your graduation date.
Electives: Students who say, “I think I’ll take an elective course,” may think that electives differ from other course requirements. This is only partially true, for electives are required for graduation for most college degrees. An elective is a course you may select from an academic area of interest to you. The course will not count in your core, major, or minor/cognate. Each college decides the number of electives you may take, and you may take them at any time. Ask your advisor if he or she recommends that you complete core courses before choosing electives.
Evaluation of Courses: See Validation of credits.
Extracurricular (Co-curricular): A word describing activities, clubs, or organizations you may join and participate in, above and beyond your academic courses. Such activities provide fun and friends and also look good on your resume, but keep in mind that some are more valuable than others. Ask a counselor for advice, since certain activities may lead you into career choices. Activities include student government, student media, clubs, volunteer work, and faculty/student committees.
Faculty: All the teachers at your college. The names of faculty positions and the ranks held by individuals will vary. See also Professor.
Fees: At most colleges, fees are costs that are required in addition to tuition. Fees may be charged for housing, health, labs, parking, and many other things. Most college catalogs give a good idea of what fees you’ll have to pay and when you must pay them. See also Tuition.
Final Exams: Some colleges call them comprehensive exams and hold them during an examination week, a period when your instructors may find out how much you’ve learned from them. Most finals are written rather than oral. Professors usually tell students about finals near the beginning of the term, and not all professors require them. A final may count as much as one-half of your grade, or it could count much less. Some schools may also schedule midterm exams.
Financial Aid: A complicated subject in recent years. Most colleges have a financial aid office to provide information to students on scholarships, grants, and loans. Some forms of financial aid are gifts, but others are loans that must be repaid with interest. Some aid is offered only to new freshmen, and you must apply before college begins to be eligible. Many grants and loans are provided through federal government assistance, and government regulations control this money. To determine your eligibility for any aid, see your financial aid counselor as early as you can.
Fraternity: See Greeks.
Full-Time Student: Students enrolled for a specified number of hours, such as twelve semester hours or more. At most schools, part-time students receive the same benefits as full-time students. At others, part-time students may receive limited health care and no athletic tickets. Ask your advisor about the advantages of going full- time, but remember, if you must work, raise a family, or handle other obligations, a part-time program may be the more sensible one to pursue.
Grade-Point Average (GPA): Sometimes called the cumulative average or grade-point ratio (GPR). Most colleges base grades on a four-point scale, with points assigned to each grade (A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0). To compute your GPA for one term, you need only complete three simple mathematical steps: multiply, add, divide. Multiply the number of points representing the grade you receive for each course times the number of credit hours for the course. Add the points for all courses to determine the total number of points you’ve earned for the term. Divide the total points by the number of credit hours you attempted that term. The result will be your GPA. Some colleges complicate this with a three-point system or by using grades in addition to A through F. College catalogs explain the system at individual schools.
Grades or Grading System: Most schools use the A through F system. A is the highest grade and F means failure. A through D are passing grades for which you will earn points and credits. If you ever transfer colleges, however, the D grades may not transfer. D’s and F’s are bad because most colleges require a minimum 2.0 GPA, or C average, for graduation, and you might lose financial aid, housing, and other benefits when your GPA falls below a certain level. Bad grades and low GPAs also lead to dismissal or suspension. Some schools have a pass/fail grade (P/F or S/U) and an incomplete grade (I), the latter representing work not completed during the term it was taken. Learning the grading system of your college is on of your first assignments.
Graduate Student: A person who has earned at least a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) and is presently enrolled in a program granting a master’s degree (M.A. or M.S.) and/or a doctorate (Ph.D.). Students in law school, medical school, and other specialized programs beyond the bachelor’s level are also classified as graduate students.
Greeks: Used to describe students who join fraternities or sororities. Discuss the possibility of becoming a Greek with someone whose opinions you value.
Higher Education: Any college courses you take or any degree you earn after completing high school (secondary education). Also called postsecondary education.
Honors: Most colleges recognize good grades in the form of academic honors. Dean’s List is the most common award. Honors are also awarded at graduation to superior students, and the following Latin words are used: cum laude (with praise), magna cum laude (with great praise), summa cum laude (with highest praise).
Hours: Another word for credits. If you enroll for fifteen hours this term and pass all five of your three-hour courses, you’ll earn fifteen credits. There is often a relationship between the number of credits you can earn from the course. After you accumulate the proper number of credits/hours, you will graduate with an associate or bachelor’s degree.
Incomplete: See Grades or grading system.
Independent Study: Can mean at least two things. An independent study course is one in which you complete course requirements on your own time; under the direction of a professor, and outside a classroom setting. This term may also describe some work you’ve done, either by yourself or with others, that is creative and that shows your ability to work with minimal direction.
Instructor: See Professor.
Internship: An arrangement with permits students to work and receive college credit in their major. Internships are required for graduation in some field, such as social work, psychology, nursing, and medicine. Prerequisites must be completed before you may take an internship, and you must complete an application and obtain the proper signatures before you will be allowed to intern.
Junior: See Class standing.
Junior College: See Community College.
Laboratories: Science courses often come with laboratories. Many large universities call other learning experiences “laboratories.” For example, courses in foreign language, computer science, education, psychology, and journalism may have labs. Many courses require labs whether you want to take the lab or not, but in other cases, labs may be optional. Check your catalog to see what labs are in store for you.
Learning Resources Center (LRC): Considered the HUB of the academic program at Miles College and houses approximately 100,000 volumes. Students are encouraged to visit the LRC frequently to find a book, to locate specific information on topics of interest to you or to be inspired by the cultural contributions of African Americans that are collected in the African-American Materials Center, or just to find a quiet place to study or to complete class assignments. Professional staff are available throughout the day/evening to assist you.
Leave of Absence: Another way to say you’ve withdrawn completely from college. Most students take a leave of absence while still in good academic standing, with the intention of seeking readmittance at a later date. Remember to read the rules and regulations in your catalog because colleges have different ideas about the meaning of a leave of absence.
Lecturer: See Professor.
Lower Division: Many colleges and universities have divided their academic programs into lower and upper divisions (also called pre-professional and professional). Your standing depends on the number of hours you’ve accumulated, prerequisites completed, forms completed and signed, and grade-point average. Students in the upper division usually enjoy greater privileges and certainly are closer to graduation.
Major: Your field of specialization in college. As much as 30 percent of the courses you need for graduation may fall into this category. Major courses usually carry higher course numbers. Your advisor will explain the requirements of your major to you.
Master Schedule: See Schedule of classes.
Master’s Degree Students: Students who have chosen to continue their education in either a Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Science (M.S.) program. Master’s students may have entered a different program from the one in which they earned their bachelor’s degree. Comprehensive exams, a thesis, and/or practicums and internships may be required. See also Thesis.
Matriculate: An uncommon term, used by the admissions office. It means you’ve applied for a degree program, have been accepted in that program, and have enrolled for classes. At that point, you’re considered matriculated.
Minor: A group of courses that may or may not be required for your degree. Not all colleges require a minor. Your advisor may tell you that your minor must be “academically related” to your major, as government is to history. Minors may also consist of curses taken in a professional school, such as business administration.
Oral: An examination during which your professor will ask you questions about your class and you will answer aloud. Undergraduate students usually don’t have to undergo orals.
Orientation: Most colleges now set aside a single day, several days, or even longer for orientation. During this period, new students and their parents are introduced to academic programs, facilities, and services provided by the college. Orientation may also include academic advisement and pre-registration for classes.
Part-Time Student: See Full-time student.
Pass/Fail or Pass/No Pass or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory: Many colleges allow you to take certain courses on a pass/fail system. By passing the course, you will earn credits toward graduation, but the grade will not count in your GPA. Pass/fail grades do not have grade points assigned to them. Most schools will not allow you to take core courses, major courses, or minor/cognate courses on this system, but may allow free electives as pass/fail options. To take courses pass/fail, you must fill out the proper forms before the established deadline in the term.
Placement: Several definitions are appropriate here. Placement tests tell academic departments what level of knowledge you’ve achieved in their subject. A college placement office can help you in resume writing and interviewing. This office may, with your permission, keep a job file on you and release information to prospective employers upon request. Recruiters from business and industry often recruit graduating seniors through college placement offices.
Practicum: Generally, a practicum experience covers a limited amount of material in depth, rather than trying, as an internship does, to provide an overview of an area. The terms may be used interchangeably, however, and refer to practical types of learning experiences, usually for college credit.
Preregistration: Many colleges employ preregistration systems (often computer-assisted) to simplify the process of signing up for the courses. Preregistration usually occurs in the middle of the term prior to the one you’re registering for. This early registration also tells colleges what courses students want, when they’ll want them, and what professors they request. Preregistration gives students a greater chance of receiving the courses and sections asked for.
Prerequisite: A prerequisite is a course or courses that must be completed as a condition for taking another course. Catalogs state prerequisites. Often a GPA or class standing may constitute a prerequisite for certain classes.
President: The chief executive officer of the university or college. Presidents report directly to governing boards (trustees). Unless you attend a small school, you won’t see this person often, except at official functions such as commencement.
Probation: A warning that you are not making satisfactory academic progress toward your degree. Probation is followed by suspension/dismissal unless the situation is corrected. Probation may also exist for disciplinary reasons.
Professor: College teachers are ranked as teaching assistant, instructor, lecturer, or professor. Professor is the highest rank and includes three levels: assistant professor, associate professor, and (full) professor. To avoid confusion, note how your teacher introduces himself or herself the first day of class. When in doubt, use “professor.” While most professors have earned a doctorate degree, this is not a rigid rule for holding professorial rank.
Proficiency Exam: A test used to measure whether or not you’ve reached a certain level of knowledge. Such exams may allow you to exempt, with or without credit, certain lower level courses. Math and foreign language departments make use of proficiency exams.
Quarter Hour: A unit of credit given at colleges whose terms are classed quarters, which last approximately ten weeks. See also Semester hour.
Quarter System: Colleges operating on this system have four terms, or quarters: fall, winter, spring and summer. If you attend full time and plan to finish in four years without attending summer school, you’ll take courses for twelve quarters. See also Semester system.
Registrar: The college administrator who maintains your transcript, directs the registration process, and performs other academic duties as assigned by the faculty. When faculty submit final grades, the registrar posts them to your transcript, and mails you a copy.
Reinstatement or Readmission: A return to college following suspension or a leave of absence; you must apply for reinstatement or readmission. In some cases, you’ll be readmitted with on restrictions. If your GPA is low, you may be readmitted on probation. Check the academic regulations at your school.
Residence Hall: A fancy term for dormitory, a residence hall is operated by the college as student housing. Ask your residence hall or dorm counselor to explain the rules that apply to your place of residence on campus.
Residency: State-supported colleges and universities charge a higher tuition to students who do not reside (maintain residency) the year around in the same state and who are not considered legal residents of that state. If you live in the same state in which you attend college, you have residency in that state and are eligible for in-state tuition, provided you meet other specific requirements of your school.
Sabbatical: A period of paid or semi-paid release time awarded every six or seven years to professors, who are expected, during this period, to conduct academic research or writing that makes a contribution to their academic discipline.
Schedule of Classes: Also called a master schedule, this is a listing of all classes that will be offered during the coming term, including days and times of class meetings, name of instructor, building and room, and other registration information.
Scholarship: A financial award made for academic achievement. Many scholarships are reserved for new freshmen and may be renewed annually, provided grades are satisfactory. The money is applied to tuition.
Section: The different classes offered for a single subject. For example, a large college might offer fifty different sections of freshman English. Depending on the section you register for, you may have a different teacher, different textbook, and different meeting time than your friends who are taking different sections of the same course.
Semester Hour: The unit of credit you earn for course work that takes a semester to complete. Many college courses carry three credits, or semester hours.
Semester System: As opposed to the quarter system, a semester system consists of a fall semester, a spring semester, and summer term. A full-time student can complete a bachelor’s degree in eight semesters without attending summer school.
Seminar: A class containing fewer students than a lecture class, in which the teacher leads discussions and all students participate. The majority of classes in graduate school are operated this way, although you’ll find seminars in undergraduate programs as well.
Senior: See Class standing.
Sophomore: See Class standing.
Sorority: See Greeks.
Special Student: In most colleges, this is a student who has not matriculated (has not been accepted into a degree program). A special student may have one degree, but may wish to continue his or education by selecting courses without regard to a degree program. Military personnel are often admitted as special students. Special students may be exempted from certain prerequisites, but they can’t receive financial aid or free athletic tickets.
Student Teaching: An internship that all education majors must complete before graduation.
Student Union: A building, also called the student center, where you can eat, see a movie, meet friends, and take part in extracurricular activities.
Summer Session (Summer School): For students who wish to make up deficiencies, get ahead, or just can’t seem to get enough of school. Classes meet every day for longer periods than during the regular sessions. Since things move quickly, good academic advisement is essential before you consider summer school. You may also take summer courses as a transient student at another school, provided your advisor has given you prior approval. Since many schools will not let you take courses you failed at another school, be careful.
Suspension: See Dismissal.
Syllabus: One or more pages of class requirements a professor will give you on the first day. The syllabus acts as a course outline, telling when you must complete assignments, readings, and so on. A professor may also include on the syllabus her or his grading system, attendance policy, and a brief description of the course. Be sure you get one and use it.
Technical (Tech) Schools: Technical education systems established by many states offer specialized two-year degrees and certificates. While these schools may be accredited, course work may be so technically oriented that it won’t transfer to a bachelor’s degree program. If you plan to attend a tech school, be certain to ask about the “college parallel curriculum.” See also Associate degree.
Term Paper: Not all college courses require one, but when you’re assigned a term paper, you should treat it as a very important portion of the course. The instructor may give you the entire term to research and write a term paper — hence, its name. Be certain to know which style manual your teacher prefers, and follow it.
Thesis: A longer research paper, usually written as partial fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s degree. Some schools still require a senior thesis of graduating students.
Transcript: The official record of your college work, which is maintained and updated each term by the registrar. Your courses, grades, GPA, and graduation information will be included in your transcript.
Transfer Credit: If you should transfer from one college or university to another, the number of courses the new college accepts and counts toward your degree are your transfer credits.
Transient Student: A student who receives permission from his or her regular college to take courses (usually in the summer) from another college.
Tuition: The money you pay for your college courses. See also Fees.
Upper Division: The opposite of lower division and much closer to graduation. See also Lower division.
Validation of Credits: Procedure in which a school determines which credits from another school may be transferred. Despite good grades, not all of your courses may be accepted. A grade of D normally will not transfer. If you ever consider transferring from one college to another, it’s your responsibility to learn which courses and grades will transfer.
Withdraw: Although you may withdraw from one course, this term usually denotes the dropping of all courses for one term and leaving school for whatever reasons you may have. Withdrawal requires a form and signatures, and if you don’t follow the prescribed procedure, you may receive failing grades on all courses, which could place you on academic suspension. Withdrawal in good academic standing, following established procedures, will allow you to request readmission later. See also Reinstatement or readmission and Leave of absence.
   
Survival Kit for New Students Index