Admissions Terms A - E

Accreditation
Official recognition from an accrediting agency stating that a college has met the standard 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 form the agency.

Admissions Counselor
A college employee who helps prospective students with the admissions process and completes other admissions-related tasks.

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, as well as completes other admissions-related tasks.

Associate Degree
A degree awarded to students by a college upon completion of specific requirements. An associate degree normally requires 2-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 4-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 school 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 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 public college offering associate degrees.

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

Deferred Admission
Postponing college enrollment for a future date.

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.

Enrollment
Matriculation and enrollment in college.

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

Essay
A question that is part of many admissions applications, which requires a brief composition to provide an answer.