The College Glossary

I’m sure there’s been some things or abbreviations I’ve said in the past that have gone right over a head or two…

So here’s a list of some words or phrases everyone in college or heading to college may need to survive!

(And I’ll do my best to do this is alphabetical order and not be too sarcastic.)

Add/Drop – You can basically add another class of drop one you don’t like without a few weeks into the start of the semester without penalty. The length of the Add/Drop period varies at different schools. This time allows you to decide if the classes you’re taking are right for you.

Advisor – Your academic advisor is there to help you. They help you choose the correct courses, review the course requirements in the program you have chosen, and guide you with any academic problems you may encounter. Not every advisor is going to be helpful so don’t rely on them too much.

Course Numbers – Classes are identified by numbers. They usually contain 3 digits. Just like you see in the movies –  Freshman English might be 101. These usually seem unimportant but when you go to take a 700 course you’ll thank me. The first digit indicates the class year in which the subject is usually taken. So if you’re a freshman and take a 400 level course, that means it’s a senior level class.

Dean’s List – Your parents will love you if you can accomplish this! This is like Honor Roll in high school. Most schools award this with a GPA 3.4 or higher. And higher than that is President’s List!

FAFSA – It stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is a federal application that must be completed to receive all federal and financial aid. The forms can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you’re lucky, your parents will take care of this like mine did.

Financial Aid – This can be awarded from stuff like grants, scholarships, and loans. This money can be used towards paying for college. Just be warned that most Financial Aid offices are extremely frustrating and may be of no help to you at all.

Incomplete – This is no bueno. It will appear as an “I” in your grades. An instructor/professor may assign an incomplete when a student has not completed a major assignment or examination. Or what happened to me was that I had too many absences. But this is not set in stone. Course requirements can be completed within a mutually agreed upon timeframe by instructor and student by a specified time or the grade gets automatically changed to an “F”. Avoid at all costs!

Registrar – You will most likely never come in contact with this person. But they are responsible for the maintenance of all academic records. They basically own your soul.

Resident Advisor – Better known as RA. They can be your best friends or your worst enemy. They are around to ensure your safety for the most part. They want you to make friends and participate in activities and feel comfortable in the dorms. But if you do something you’re not supposed to… you are in deep shit.

I’m sure I’ve forgotten some…

But these are definitely the important ones! If you want to know about anything more than just ask!