College 101

COLLEGE JARGON

SAT- A college admissions exam that tests knowledge of critical reading, writing, and mathematics.

GPA- Grade Point Average

FAFSA-Free Application for Federal Student Aid

ACT- A college admissions exam that consists of subject area tests in English, mathematics, reading, and science.

JC- Junior College

4-Year- A university or college that awards bachelor’s degrees

Undergrad-an education level that gains a first level or tertiary degree

General Ed-general education classes that students have to take such as English, math and science

AA or AS- Associate Degrees- Association of Arts or Association of Science; also called a 2-year degree

BA or BS- Bachelor Degrees-Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science; also called a 4-year degree

Major- area of specialization in college; often linked to your career or future plans

Minor- secondary area of specialization often when a student links related electives in a meaningful way

types of schools

UNIVERSITIES

Universities are institutions of higher learning that consist of graduate schools, professional schools (medicine, law, business, and the

like), and an undergraduate program. A university awards both graduate degrees (masters and doctorate) and undergraduate degrees (bachelor of arts and bachelor of sciences) and tends to be larger and more research-oriented.

COLLEGES

Colleges are usually smaller than universities, and their emphasis is on undergraduate education. Liberal arts colleges offer a more traditional and general education in subjects such as literature, history, mathematics, natural science, social science, language, art, and music.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Public schools are state-supported institutions of learning that may

offer incentives to in-state residents in terms of admission and funding. Private schools are independently funded and self-governing.

COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS

There’s a major misconception out there that private schools are automatically more expensive than public, but that’s not necessarily true, especially if you are a student applying to a college out of state. Don’t rule out private schools for cost reasons before doing some research about their actual affordability.

ART INSTITUTIONS

Art, conservatory, and design schools offer two- or four-year degrees (bachelor or associate) in such areas as drawing, music,performance, fashion, dance, theater, architecture, and photography. These schools offer very specialized courses of study and often require an additional audition or portfolio in order to be considered for admission.

TWO-YEAR/JC'S

Community or technical colleges offer two-year programs or associate degrees at a lower cost, with the possibility of transferring those credits toward a four-year degree at a university or liberal arts college, or immediately entering the workforce with practical training in fields

like health or technology.

VOCATIONAL/TRADE SCHOOLS

Vocational or trade schools offer hands-on training and certification in a particular field or occupation, such as automotive services, cosmetology, culinary arts, or information technology. The programs can last anywhere from several weeks to a few years, eventually

earning you an associate degree.

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