Adapted from College Greenlight
If you’re not familiar with the college admissions process,
it probably seems like it has a language all its own. To help you learn the
lingo, here are definitions of some of the college admission terms you’re
likely to come across.
Acceptance Rate: The percentage of applicants a college
accepts for admission.
Accreditation: Certification that a college meets the
standards of a state, regional or national association.
Candidates Reply Date Agreement (CRDA): This agreement,
sponsored by the National Association for College Admission Counseling, states that in order to allow
students to consider all their college options, students have until May 1 to
accept any college’s offer of admission.
Common Application: Standardized application forms
accepted by many colleges. After you fill out the Common App, you can send it to any college that accepts it as the
institution’s own application.
Competitive College: A college with a rigorous, highly
selective admissions process. Competitive colleges typically admit fewer than
25 percent of applicants.
Deferred Admission: A student’s option to defer an offer of
admission for up to two years.
Personal Statement: Sometimes referred to as a college
application essay, personal statements are essays that give admissions officers
insights into your character, personality and motivation.
Reach School: A college where admission might be a stretch
for you, based on the average GPA and test scores of accepted students and the
college’s overall admission requirements.
Retention Rate: The percentage of students who return to a
college for their sophomore year. This is an indicator of student satisfaction.
Safety School: A college where, based on the average GPA and
test scores of accepted students, you have a high likelihood of being admitted.
School-Specific Application: An application form that some schools request students do in addition to the Common App or instead of the Common App.
School-Specific Application: An application form that some schools request students do in addition to the Common App or instead of the Common App.
Student-Faculty Ratio: The number of students at a college
compared to the number of faculty. Some colleges see this as an indicator of
class size and professor accessibility, but a lower ratio doesn’t guarantee
either. For a true indication of class size and professor accessibility, speak
with students and professors at a college.
Supplemental Material: Items you include with your college
application to provide more information about your talents, experiences and
goals. Materials could include work samples, additional essays, newspaper clippings,
music CDs or art slides. Verify if a college welcomes (or requests) these
materials before sending.
Transcript: An official record of classes you have taken and
the grades you received. Usually you must provide a high school transcript with
your college application.
Waitlist: A list of students a college may eventually decide
to admit if space becomes available.
Yield: The percentage of accepted students who go on to
enroll at that college. Competitive colleges have high yield rates.
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College Greenlight Fit Fact: More than half of all students enrolling said a “very important reason” for going to college was “to find my purpose in life.” Go to CollegeGreenlight.com today to see which colleges match your fit factors. It’s free and easy!
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