Lesson 8: Last Minute Vocabulary & It's Off To College!
Vocabulary Q-Z
Registrar A college department where the student adjusts their schedule, sometimes pays their fees and declares their major. One of the more important college departments for all students.
Required elective A course which is required for a major field of study, but may be selected from within a given list of choices.
Rolling admission College does not schedule all acceptance/denials at the same time. The first round of acceptance letters may be in January, while the last group considered for decision may be in May. A nice policy: guarantees that those who are not the first applications received may still be considered.
SAR Student aid report. This is the report generated by your child’s FAFSA application. It basically states what the EFC is, what governmental (federal and/or state) aid may be available and other sources of financial aid.
SAT Scholastic aptitude test. Still the standard high school test required by most U.S. colleges. Includes verbal and math timed sections. SAT IIs are a new form of this exam, based on specific subjects. Required by some colleges; most still prefer the SAT scores.
Special term study A time period of study which does not follow the usual college calendar. Special arrangements for class times, duration of class, etc. to be determined between college/instructor and student. Not widely used. Not offered everywhere.
Student ID All colleges require a photo ID, which generally includes the student’s name, photo, grade level and perhaps student #. This number is generally assigned by the college and is NOT the social security number. A student ID is part of the college package for 4 years. Most cards now have the ability to be used as a meal card in the cafeteria, as a debit card for laundry, snack machines, photocopies. Sometimes may be linked to a bank account as an ATM card or even credit card.
Transcript The written record of a student’s grades. The college version of a report card. Many colleges make grades available online and a written transcript is only sent if requested by the student. NOTE: If your child is 18 or over, federal regulations require that s/he sign a waiver for you, the parents, to receive a copy of the transcript. Since most parents are footing the bill for college, you have the leeway to coerce your child into this waiver.
Transfer credit College credit which was received at another institution, be it a high school advanced placement course or a college tie-in course, or another college, which is transferable to the college the student is presently attending. Counts towards credits for degree.
Tuition The cost of attending classes in college. Most colleges offer a one price per semester for full-time students and a per credit tuition for less than fulltime study. E.g.: John and Mary both attend University X. John is taking 15 credits this semester, while Mary is carrying a credit load of 17. Both families paid $7,000 for tuition. John’s sister is taking 6 credits (as a part-time student) and pays $250 per credit, or $1500. NOTE: Tuition does not include books, lab fees, registration fees, and so on. Most colleges list tuition and then room/board as the two big costs. The smaller fees can also add up to a considerable amount of money per semester.
Tutor Someone who can help a student with the course material. Some colleges have students who work as tutors for free. There are usually tutors for-hire on any college campus: upper classmen, grad students or instructors. A school which offers free tutoring service is advantageous if your child will need additional help. Even for those who have fared well up to the college level; it is a nice benefit.
Undergraduate Someone who has not received their first bachelor’s degree.
University College which offers a master’s degree program or above.
Wait List Students are placed on a wait list if they are not immediately accepted/rejected by a college. Since most students apply to several schools, this policy makes sense and should not be seen as a negative. If your child is accepted into 3 of her 4 choices, she will have to decline 2 of those schools. Some other student may wish to attend. While a wait list can be disheartening and nerve-wracking, think of the positives: it is not an out and out rejection and there is a possibility that your child will get to attend the school.
Waiver A permission slip, usually signed by the instructor or department chairperson, allowing a student to participate in a class for which s/he does not meet the pre-requisites.
Withdrawal Removing oneself from a particular class. Most colleges have a specific time period, during which withdrawal is automatically accessible. Once this time period has passed (usually within the first few weeks of a semester), permission from the instructor/department chairperson is usually required. Failure to withdraw officially may result in a failure or an incomplete grade, both of which negatively impact the GPA and may affect degree requirements.
