Accreditation
Official recognition from an accrediting agency stating that a college has met the standards of that agency.

Accrediting Agency (Also referred to as an accrediting body)
An organization that creates standards for colleges and evaluates their compliance with those standards. Colleges that are in compliance with the standards will receive accreditation from the agency.

Admissions Counselor
A college employee who helps prospective students with the admissions process.

Admissions Office
An office on a college campus that is responsible for recruiting and evaluating applicants for admission to the college.

Admissions Officer
A college employee who evaluates college admission applicants and completes other admissions-related tasks.

Admissions Representative
A college employee represents the college and recruits prospective students to apply for admission.

Associate Degree
A degree awarded to students by a college upon completion of specific requirements. An associate degree normally requires two-years of study.

Applicant
Person who is applying for admission to a college.

Application
Form applicants must complete to request admission to a college.

Application Fee
A fee that applicants must pay when applying to a college. In some circumstances, applicants may receive a fee waiver.

Bachelor’s Degree
A degree awarded by a college upon completion of specific requirements. A bachelor’s degree normally requires four-years of study.

Campus
The grounds of a college, including the buildings.

Campus Tour
A tour of the grounds and buildings of a college given to prospective students .

Certificate Program
A program of study that leads to mastery of a particular academic program but does not lead to a degree.

College
A post-secondary institution of higher education. When used in the strictest sense, the term describes only institutions that offer liberal arts undergraduate degrees (as opposed to institutions that offer graduate degrees or focus on technical degrees). However, the term is often used in a more general sense to describe all higher education institutions. The term college can also be used to describe an academic department within a university.

Class Rank
The ranking of students based on their grade point average.

College Fair
An exhibition of colleges in order to present information in order for various schools to recruit students.

Common Application
An application that allows students to apply for multiple colleges by completing one application form. Not all colleges participate in the Common Application.

Community College
A low-cost public college offering career education and associate degree level courses. Community colleges are open to all qualified applicants.

Counselor Statement
Part of a college application that must be completed by the applicant’s school counselor.

Early Action
An early application process where applicants are not obligated to attend the college if accepted.

Early Decision
An early application process where applicants commit to attend the college if accepted.

Entrance Examination
Standard examinations, such as the SAT or ACT, required by many colleges to determine applicants’ academic achievement.