aa degree - Associate of Arts degree

academic advisor - a counselor who helps students with graduation requirements

academic Probation - When student falls below the requirements by the school to be in good academic standing. Usually this is when a student falls below a 2.0.

academic usspension - When a student is dismissed from a college or university for failing to maintain a passing GPA

adjunct professor - A part-time professor

associates degree - a 2-year college degree earned at a community college

audit - when you take a college class for the experience, but choose not to take credit towards the degree

ba degree - Bachelor of Arts degree

bachelor's Degree - a four year degree

bs degree - Bachelor of Science degree

bursar - The Office of Bursars is responsible for the biling of the student tuitions accounts

commencement - A graduation ceremony where students get their diploma

common application - A standardized accepted application form used by over 450

colleges for admission.

commuter - student who doesn't live on campus housing, they commute to and from school

conditional admission - An acceptance to a college or university that is dependent on the student first completing coursework or meeting specific criteria before enrollment

core requirement - core classes required for a student to earn a specific degree

cost of attendance - Total amount it will cost you to go to a university (includes tuition and fees as well as personal expenses).

course catalog - The list of what classes are offered for an upcoming term

course load - The number of courses or credits a student takes during a specific term.

course numbering - Courses in the 100 series are generally for first year students, course in the 200 series are for second year students, etc.

English 101, for example, is a freshman course. Courses with numbers below 100 are developmental courses; developmental course credits generally cannot be used to fulfill graduation requirements.

credit hour - The number of hours assigned to a specific class. This is usually the number of hours per week you are in the class. The number of credit hours you enroll in determines whether you are a full-time student or a part-time student.

dean - The head of a division/department of a college or university.

double major - A program of study that allows a student to complete the course requirements for two majors at the same time.

drop/add - Students who want to drop or add a course must complete the required form(s) before the drop/add deadline(s).

early action - A program offered by some colleges and universities that allows students to submit their applications early, typically in November or December, and receive decisions early, usually in mid- or late December. Students are not required to accept the admissions offer and have until May 1 to decide.

early decision - A program offered by some colleges and universities that allows students to submit an application to their top-choice school early, typically in November or December, and receive the decision early, usually in mid- or late December. If accepted, students are required to enroll at that school and withdraw all applications to other schools.

elective - a course that is not required but can be chosen by students according to their interests

finals - an exam at the of a course, term, or class

Grade Point Average (GPA) - A student's overall academic performance, which is calculated as a numerical average of grades earned in all courses.

midterm - Examination given halfway through the term in a class

pre-requisite - when students must take one or more classes before they can take another; the class taken before would be the prerequisite

syllabus - outline of the subjects covered in a course of study or teaching plan that professors give on the first day (usually)