College Terms and Definitions

An offer of admission to a college for its incoming class.

A section within the Common Application where students can list and briefly describe up to 10 activities they have engaged in, ranging from arts and athletics to employment and other commitments such as caring for siblings.

The proportion of the pool of applicants that is admitted to the college. Unless a college specifies otherwise, the acceptance rate refers to the entire applicant pool across all application rounds.

Colleges specify the minimum number of high school courses in each academic discipline they want to see their applicants have taken. In order to be a competitive applicant at selective colleges, many if not most candidates will go beyond these requirements.

The outcome determined by a college's admissions committee regarding a student's application. Possible decisions include acceptance/admission, deferral to the regular decision pool (for applications submitted in the early rounds), placement on a waitlist, or denial of admission.

A conversation between a student and a representative of the college (such as a current student, alumni, or staff member), either in person or online. Interviews can be evaluative (in other words, they play a role in the admissions review process), or informational only.

College level courses for high schools students offered by the College Board that have specific curricula in a large number of subjects. Students may take an AP exam in May to potentially earn college credit. Many students choose to report these scores on their college applications.

A student who has submitted an application to a college or university.

The date and time after which applications for admission will not be accepted.

An agreement between two- and four-year public colleges that delineates which classes can be transferred for credit and what grades are necessary in those classes.

An optional question on the Common App for students who need to explain things like attending more than one high school, graduating early, taking a gap year, or having a break in schooling.

The ranking of a student within their high school class, based on their grade point average (GPA).

An alternative to the Common Application, this platform is accepted by over 150 universities in the U.S. and includes sections for a personal statement, activities, and other custom materials. It also offers resources for students with limited access to college preparatory services. The Coalition App was recently acquired by SCOIR, a college planning network. 

An online application system accepted by over 1,000 universities worldwide, it consists of a “Common App” section plus each college within the “My Colleges” section asks students to answer questions specific to their college.

A supplemental essay prompt that asks students to write about their involvement and growth in their community, whether that's a school, neighborhood, or another group.

This is a part of the Common App where students report courses taken and grades since 9th grade that some colleges require students to fill out.

A decision where a student's early application is neither accepted nor denied but is instead moved into the regular decision pool for reconsideration with other applicants.

When a student is offered admission to start in the Spring, rather than the fall. 

Students showing their interest in and enthusiasm for a particular college through means like virtual or in-person visits, communicating with the admissions office, interviewing, reading, and/or replying to emails from the college.

An application plan where students apply by a specified date, usually before the Regular Decision application deadline, and receive a decision before the Regular Decision applicants. Early Action is non-binding, meaning students are not obligated to enroll if accepted. Most EA plans allow students to apply EA or ED to other colleges, though there are exceptions (see Restricted/Single Choice Early Action below).

Similar to Early Action, but students sign a binding agreement that, if accepted, they will enroll at the college. Parents and school-based counselors are also asked to sign a form indicating they are aware of the student’s ED application. Some colleges offer a second round of ED, called ED2. The only way a student can be released from a binding early decision (1 or 2)  is if the college does not meet their financial need as indicated by that college’s net price calculator. 

How a student spends their time outside of the classroom. 

Colleges can have different definitions for who is a first-generation college student. The most widely accepted is that neither of the student's parents graduated  from a 4-year university. 

Sometimes applicants are denied admission as a first-year student but are offered the option to transfer into the college at a later date if certain conditions like minimum GPA and required courses are met.

A document supplied by high schools to colleges that summarizes the school’s grading system, course offerings, standardized test score ranges, and other important data. High schools often also provide information about school and community demographics and college acceptances for recent graduating classes. Students should ask their school counselor for a copy of their High School Profile if it is not posted on the website.

An admissions approach where colleges consider a wide range of factors about a student, not just grades, rigor, and test scores. This can include essays, recommendations, and details of a student's background, activities, and contributions to their communities.

A junior and senior year, 2-year high school program that consists of a series of higher level (HL) and standard level (SL) courses, a Theory of Knowledge class, a Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS) component, and an Extended Essay. The International Baccalaureate Program is considered very rigorous and emphasizes critical thinking and global awareness. 

Sometimes referred to as “hooks.” 

For application purposes, a student who is not a permanent resident or citizen of the United States, regardless of where they attend high school, is considered an international applicant.

Colleges define this differently, ranging from having a parent who attended the college to siblings, grandparents, and other relatives. Being a legacy applicant can be an institutional priority at some institutions, while others and some states have banned it.

A letter sent by an applicant to a college expressing ongoing interest in attending after being deferred or waitlisted, often including recent achievements or further reasons for wanting to attend that college.

Not to be confused with a letter of continued interest. A letter of intent is a binding agreement signed by a recruited athlete committing to a Division I or II college program.

Sometimes referred to as an LOR or “rec,” these are letters supplied to colleges by teachers, school-based counselors and other people who know the student well and who can provide an assessment of the student’s performance, notable characteristics and impact in the settings in which they have interacted with the student.

The student-written essay that forms an integral part of the college application. It's a chance for students to convey personal stories, reflections, and aspirations, helping admissions officers understand who they are beyond their grades and test scores. When used in conjunction with applications to international universities in Europe, the personal statement takes on a different purpose and should be used by students to explain their interest in applying for a certain course of study. 

Applications submitted before this date will receive preference, but students who submit their application afterward may still be considered.

A non-binding application plan with due dates ranging from October until several months later. Many colleges only offer Regular Decision, while others offer early application options and receive the majority of their applications during those early rounds.

This is an application option that allows students to apply early without the obligation to attend if accepted. This is currently utilized by only two super selective institutions Notre Dame and Georgetown. Under REA, applicants are restricted from applying Early Decision to another institution until they receive a decision from their REA school. Typically, they may apply early action to any other institution. 

This is often used in the context of how challenging or advanced the courses taken by a high school student have been.

A flexible college application process where applications are evaluated as they arrive, rather than after a set deadline. This means students can apply anytime within a window that usually starts in early fall and continues through spring, or until all spots in the incoming class are filled. Colleges with rolling admissions typically send out decisions shortly after each application is reviewed, allowing applicants to hear back sooner than they might with regular admission cycles.

Self-reported academic record. Some colleges require students to fill this out and they use it instead of a student’s transcript. 

A graphic depiction of past admissions decisions from your high school. These are often not the best way to determine your chance of acceptance. 

This is when a student self-reports their test scores on the Common Application rather than sending their scores directly from the College Board or ACT.

This is an application option that allows students to apply early to one college without the obligation to attend if accepted. This is currently utilized by just a handful of super selective institutions including Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and Stanford. However, under SCEA, applicants are restricted from applying early to any other private school, whether Early Decision or Early Action, until they receive a decision from their SCEA school. Typically, they may apply early action to public institutions, service academies and international universities as long as they are non-binding applications. After hearing back from their SCEA schools, they are free to apply to other schools if they wish.

Applications that are submitted to colleges with no discernible engagement from the student beforehand.

A type of essay that some colleges require in addition to the main personal statement. Colleges can have more than one supplemental essay or none at all. 

A college admissions policy where standardized test scores (like the SAT or ACT) are not considered at all, even if a student submits them. These colleges may still look at your AP scores. 

Some colleges allow students to submit scores from tests like the AP or IB program scores, instead of ACT or SAT scores, to satisfy their testing requirement.

A policy adopted by some colleges where submitting SAT or ACT scores is not mandatory. Students can choose whether or not to include their standardized test scores as part of their application. 

A record from a student's school listing all courses taken, grades received, and sometimes it includes test scores, honors, and awards. 

The process for students who have started their college education at one institution and wish to continue it at another. This process varies by college but generally involves submitting all college transcripts, a new application, essays, and sometimes recommendations.

A measure of a student's average grades that does not consider the difficulty of the courses taken. It represents a straightforward average of grade points earned across classes, and may be computed for core academic classes, or for all classes taken by the student including electives and requirements like Physical Education.

A status used by colleges to indicate that they have not yet made a final admission decision for certain applicants. Students on the waitlist may be offered admission if spots become available after the initial round of acceptances.

A GPA calculation that gives additional points for courses that are more challenging, like Honors or Advanced Placement (AP) classes. 

The percentage of admitted students who decide to enroll in a particular college. Colleges track their yield to assess the effectiveness of their admissions process and gauge how appealing they are to potential students.