Acceptance Rate
The percentage of applicants who are offered admission to the college or university.

ACT (American College Testing)
A standardized test used for college admissions in the United States, covering English, math, reading, and science reasoning.

Advanced Placement (AP)
A program by the College Board offering high school students college-level courses and exams in various subjects. Successful completion can earn students college credit, advanced placement, or both at many institutions. AP courses are more challenging than standard high school courses and can enhance college applications, potentially reducing the time and cost to earn a degree.

AP/IB Credits
College credits earned through high scores on Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) exams, allowing students to place out of certain college courses.

Articulation Agreement
An agreement between two institutions (often a community college and a four-year university) to accept certain credits and ensure a smooth transfer process for students.

Capstone Project
A culminating project or experience required in some academic programs, typically involving research or a practical application of knowledge.

Common App (Common Application)
A standardized undergraduate college application used by over 1,000 colleges and universities.

Common Data Set (CDS)
A collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers to provide a clear and consistent format for presenting college data, which includes admissions statistics, financial aid information, and student demographics. 

Consortium
A group of colleges and universities that share resources, allowing students to take courses and use facilities at other institutions within the group.

CSS Profile (College Scholarship Service Profile)
A financial aid application used by many private colleges and universities to award institutional aid.

Deferred Admission
An option for students who have been accepted to a college but choose to delay their enrollment by a semester or a year for various reasons, such as work, travel, or personal circumstances.

Deferral
When a college delays making a decision on an application, typically moving it from the early decision/action pool to the regular decision pool.

Demonstrated Interest
A measure of how interested a student is in attending a particular college, often shown through campus visits, communications with admissions staff, and application details.

Demonstrated Need
The difference between the cost of attendance and the expected family contribution, which determines how much financial aid a student is eligible for.

EA (Early Action)
An early application option (usually November deadlines) where students receive their decision early (typically in December or January) but are not obligated to attend if accepted.

ED (Early Decision)
A binding college application option where students apply early (usually by November) and receive their decision in December. If accepted, students must attend the college and withdraw all other applications.

Extracurricular Activities
Non-academic activities such as sports, clubs, volunteer work, and part-time jobs that students participate in outside of the classroom, which are considered in the admissions process.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
A form completed by current and prospective college students to determine their eligibility for financial aid, including grants, loans, and work-study programs. Available for U.S. citizens and permanent residents only.

First-Generation Student
A student who is the first in their family to attend a four-year college.

GPA (Grade Point Average)
A numerical representation of a student's academic performance, typically on a 4.0 scale. It is an average of the grades earned in courses over a specific period.

Gap Year
A year-long break between high school and college during which students may travel, work, or engage in other personal development activities before beginning their higher education.

Holistic Review
An admissions process where the college considers the whole applicant, including academic achievements, extracurricular activities, personal essays, letters of recommendation, and other factors.

Honors Program
A special program within a college or university that offers enhanced academic opportunities, such as advanced coursework, research projects, and special seminars, for high-achieving students.

International Student Financial Aid Application (ISFAA)
A financial aid application specifically designed for international students seeking financial assistance to study at colleges and universities in the United States. 

Ivy League
A group of eight private colleges and universities in the northeastern United States known for their high academic standards, prestigious reputation, and significant history. The term originally referred to their athletic conference but has since become synonymous with academic excellence and elite education. 

The Ivy League institutions are: Brown University (Providence, Rhode Island), Columbia University (New York City, New York), Cornell University (Ithaca, New York), Dartmouth College (Hanover, New Hampshire), Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts), University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Princeton University (Princeton, New Jersey), Yale University (New Haven, Connecticut)

Legacy Admissions
A practice where colleges give preference to applicants who are related to alumni of the institution, such as parents or grandparents.

LoCI (Letter of Continued Interest)

A statement that an applicant sends to colleges to express their ongoing interest in being admitted, especially after being placed on a waitlist.

Matriculation
The process of enrolling and being officially admitted to a college or university.

Merit-Based Aid
Financial aid awarded based on a student's academic, artistic, athletic, or other achievements rather than financial need.

Need-Based Aid
Financial aid awarded based on a student's financial need, determined by information provided on financial aid applications like the FAFSA and CSS Profile.

Need-Blind Admission: An admissions policy where the institution does not consider an applicant's financial situation when making admission decisions.

Net Price Calculator
An online tool provided by colleges that allows prospective students to estimate the actual cost of attending the institution, factoring in financial aid and scholarships.

Open Admissions
An admissions policy where any student with a high school diploma or equivalent is admitted, regardless of academic performance.

Personal Statement
An essay or statement written by the applicant as part of the college application. It typically highlights the applicant's experiences, goals, and reasons for applying to the institution.

PIQ (Personal Insight Questions)
Specific questions that applicants to the University of California system must answer as part of their application. These are designed to provide insight into the student's personality, background, and experiences.

Placement Tests
Exams used to determine a student's appropriate level of coursework in subjects like math, English, and foreign languages.

REA (Restrictive Early Action)
Similar to Early Action, but with restrictions. Students can apply early to the institution and receive a non-binding decision but may be restricted from applying Early Decision or Early Action to other institutions.

RD (Regular Decision)
A type of college application deadline typically in January or February. Decisions are usually released in March or April. Students are not committed to attend if accepted.

Retention Rate
The percentage of first-year students who continue at the institution for their second year. It is often used as an indicator of student satisfaction and institutional effectiveness.

Rolling Admissions
An admissions process where colleges review applications as they are submitted and make decisions throughout the admission cycle rather than waiting for a single deadline.

SAI (Student Aid Index)
The SAI is calculated using information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and determines the amount of financial aid a student is eligible to receive. The SAI is used by colleges and universities to distribute federal, state, and institutional aid.

SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test)
A standardized test used for college admissions, focusing on evidence-based reading, writing, and math.

SRAR (Self-Reported Academic Record)
A digital tool where students input their grades and coursework for college applications, allowing universities to review academic records without official transcripts during the initial application phase.

Student-to-Faculty Ratio
The number of students per faculty member, often used as a measure of the level of personal attention students may receive.

Supplemental Essays
Additional essays or questions that some colleges require as part of the application process, beyond the personal statement.

Supplemental Materials
Additional documents or items that students may submit as part of their college application, such as portfolios, writing samples, or additional essays, to showcase their talents and interests.

Transcript
An official record of a student's academic performance, listing courses taken, grades received, and often the GPA.

Transfer Student
A student who moves from one college or university to another after having started their post-secondary education elsewhere.

Undeclared/Undecided Major
A student who has not yet chosen a specific major or field of study upon entering college.

Unweighted GPA
A standard GPA that does not account for course difficulty, with all courses being measured on the same scale.

Waitlist
A list of applicants who are not initially offered admission but may be offered a place if space becomes available.

Weighted GPA
A GPA that takes into account the difficulty of the courses (e.g., honors, AP, IB), assigning higher point values to higher-level courses.

Yield Protection
A strategy used by colleges to maintain or improve their yield rate by waitlisting or rejecting highly qualified applicants who they believe are unlikely to attend if accepted.

Yield Rate
The percentage of accepted students who decide to enroll in the college or university. It is an indicator of the institution's desirability.