ADMISSIONS/FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
FINANCIAL AID
PROCESS
o Aid package - A combination of aid (possibly including a scholarship, grant, loan, and work-study) determined by a college financial aid office.
o Expected Family Contribution (EFC) - An amount you and your family are expected to contribute toward your education. It is used in determining your eligibility for federal student aid.
o FAFSA - The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the application used to determine a student’s eligibility for federally subsidized loans, grants, and work study funds.
o Fees - Special charges made by a college for activities or services, such as health services and student government that are usually separate from tuition.
o Federal Pell Grant - Financial assistance Candidate's reply date - A policy among subscribing institutions that permits students to wait until May 1 to choose, without
o penalty, among offers of admission/financial aid.
o Federal Subsidized
o Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan Program - Provides low-interest federal loans which are not based on need, and the student must pay the interest Candidate's reply date - A policy among subscribing institutions that permits students to wait until May 1 to choose, without penalty, among offers of admission/financial aid.
o Financial Aid - The money awarded to a student based on financial need which can included loans, grants, work study money, and merit-based scholarships.
o Grant - Money awarded to a student that does not have to be repaid. Grants may come from state, federal or school funds.
o Loans - A form of financial aid provided to students and parents that must be paid back.
o Scholarship - Money awarded to students based on merit or ability, usually academic or athletic. Sometimes scholarships consider financial need and ethnicity, but not always.
o Student Aid Report - The information you will receive approximately 2 - 4 weeks after your FAFSA has been processed. It will report the information form your application and, if there are no questions or problems with your application, your SAR will report your EFC.
o Tuition - The charge made by a college to cover the cost of teaching and instruction.
o Work Study Program - A financial aid program in which students work while they attend school. Usually work study is part of a students’ financial aid “package.”
ADMISSIONS
PROCESS
o
Academic Subjects - Course such as English, science, history, social studies,
mathematics or foreign language. Courses such as music, tech arts, student aide,
farm studies, business, keyboarding, and drivers education usually are not
academic courses.
o
Admission - The acceptance of an applicant by a college or
university. Admission requirements vary.
o
Admissions Test - Aptitude, achievement or placement tests used as part
of admissions evaluations - usually the ACT or SAT I.
o
Advanced Placement - Placement of a college freshman
in an advanced class on work completed in high school. Advanced placement may
be given with or without credit hours.
o
Associate Degree - The degree for college programs requiring at least
two but fewer than four years of study. Typically awarded by tow-year colleges.
o
Bachelor’s Degree - The degree for undergraduate
college programs usually requiring four years of study.
o Candidate's reply date - A policy among subscribing institutions that permits students to wait until May 1 to choose, without penalty, among offers of admission/financial aid.
o Certificate - The award usually given for completing a college programs or vocational/technical specialty requiring less than two years of study.
o Course - A single subject usually taken for one term, either quarter or semester.
o Credit hour - A unit of academic credit that often represents one hour of class time per week for a period of study (semester, quarter, etc.).
o Dual Enrollment - (concurrent enrollment) High school students enrolled in both high school and college courses at the same time have dual enrollment.
o Elective - A non-required course that students may choose. Note that the Higher Education Admission Requirements call for completion of academic elective courses.
o Junior College - Another term for a two-year college.
o Liberal Arts - A course of study in the arts, humanities, social sciences and natural sciences as distinguished from a specific course of study in business, education, engineering, architecture, etc.
o
o Major - The subject of study in which the student chooses to specialize in.
o Non-Resident Student - any Student who does not qualify for in-state tuition at a public college due to his or her residency status in another state or short time as a resident in the state where the college is located.
o Open Admissions - An admissions policy that does not use traditional admissions criteria such as grades, test scores and high school curriculum.
o Placement Tests - Aptitude or achievements tests that are used for counseling or to place students in correct level of college courses.
o Remedial Class - A course that helps college students overcome deficiencies from their pre-collegiate coursework.
o Rolling admissions - The admissions process in which colleges and university evaluate students’ applications soon as they are complete. Students are then notified of the admission decision.
o Transcript - The official record of high school or college courses and grades generally required as part of the college application.
o Undergraduate - A college student who has not received an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.
o Unit - In high school, two semesters or one year of work in a single subject. A specified number of units, and sometimes specific units, is required for admission to colleges and universities.
o Wait list - By placing a student on the wait list, an institution does not offer or deny admission, but extends the possibility in the future, before the admission cycle is concluded.