Glossary of Key Admissions Terms
Guidance counselors, admissions officers, college websites, and college guidebooks use a specialized vocabulary. Here you'll find definitions for many of the important terms.
ACT
Definition of ACT, the American College Test
AP (Advanced Placement) Exams
Definition of AP Exams, Advanced Placement Exams
Common Application
Definition of the application used by hundreds of colleges and universities
Community College
Definition of a community college
EFC: Expected Family Contribution
Definition of EFC, the Expected Family Contribution for college financial aid.
FAFSA
Definition of FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Holistic Admissions
Most of the country's highly selective colleges and universities have holistic admissions. Learn what the policy means.
Legacy Status
Legacy Status - This glossary entry defines legacy status in the college admissions process.
Liberal Arts College
Glossary definition of a liberal arts college
Match School
Definition of match school for college admissions.
Open Admissions
Glossary definition of open admissions
Private University
Definition of a private university
Public Liberal Arts College
Glossary definition of a public liberal arts college
Public University
Definition of a public university
Reach School
Definition of reach school for college admissions.
Safety School
Definition of a safety school for college admissions.
SAR: Student Aid Report
Definition of SAR, the Student Aid Report for college financial aid
SAT
What is the SAT standardized test? This glossary definition provides the answer.
TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language
Definition of TOEFL, the Test of English as a Foreign Language
Yield
Definition of "yield" within college admissions.
About Eileen Cody
Eileen Cody - Biographical blurb for Eileen Cody, a freelance writer and communications studies major at Alfred University