Apply:  A one-time application process in which the college accepts you as a student, not to be confused with registering for classes.

Advisor:  A faculty member who helps guide a student through college in selecting courses, and other academic concerns.

Audit:  Students who audit a course gain information, but do not earn college credit. Auditing students attend class and make individual arrangements with the instructor regarding attendance, completion of assignments, and examinations. Audited coursed can never be used to fulfill the requirements for a degree or certificate.

Core Classes: Classes that all students in a major program are required to take.

Course Number: Numbers assigned to courses to show their level of difficulty or depth. A 100-level course is less difficult or broader in scope than a 200-level courses.

Course Load:  The number of credit hours for which a student is registered.

Credit: How schools measure students' progress toward a diploma or a degree. For a semester, three hours of credit for one college class is common.

Curriculum: The available courses in a program of study.

Dean: The highest officer of a division, college, or school, such as Dean of Education.

Dean’s List:  An academic honor awarded for high grades earned each term.

Degree: After finishing a program of study at a college, students receive an academic title.

Elective: An optional class, instead of required.

Enroll: To officially select classes.

Fee: Money charged by a college for services provided to a student. Fees are often charged for lab materials and recreational facilities.

Finals Week: Time at the end of the semester when classes do not meet and final tests are given.

Financial Aid: Federal, state, college, and private programs which help students pay for college costs. Financial aid can be in the form of grants and scholarships, loans, or work-study programs.

Financial Aid Counselor: A college staff member who helps students and parents fill out financial aid forms and processes financial aid money.

Full-time Student: A student who carries a minimum number of credits or hours to be considered "full time" by a college. The number of credits considered to be a full-time load is 12 credits.

General Education Requirements: Many colleges require students to take a variety of classes in different academic areas. For example, they may require a certain number of courses in science, foreign language, and math.

Grade Point Average (GPA): A system for evaluating the overall scholastic performance of students. A student's GPA is found by dividing the sum of grade points by the number of course work credits or hours. Grades are often measured on a four-point scale in which four equals `A,' three equals `B,' etc. This is called grade points. Total points are found by multiplying the number of hours for a course by the student's grade point.

Major:  A student's primary field of study, leading to a degree in that field.

Office Hours: Hours set aside by an instructor to meet with students.

Part-time Student: A student enrolled in a number of course credits or hours that are less than full time. Usually, this is less than twelve.

Prerequisite: Beginning class that prepares students for a more difficult class.

President:  Chief administrator of the college.

Program: Set of required courses for a degree in a major area of study.

Registrar: Person in a school who manages class schedules and academic records.

Registration: Officially enrolling in classes for the upcoming grading period.

Remedial Course: A course that teaches skills that are needed to succeed in college courses. These skills are in the areas of math, writing, reading, etc.

Requirements: A set of conditions that must be met in order to do something, such as being accepted to a college, complete a degree, etc.

Scholarship: Financial aid awarded for academic and other. Scholarships do not have to be paid back.

Semester: Calendar system used by some schools. Classes and grade reports are divided into two periods, each lasting about 15 weeks.

Syllabus:  An overview of the assignments and activities to be included in a course.

Transcript: The official record of a student's educational progress; it may include listings of classes, grades, major area and degrees earned.

Tuition: The cost of classes or credits at a school.

Tutor: Tutors are experienced adults or students who help others study a specific subject.

Waiver: A requirement which is not enforced, such as class waiver or fee waiver.