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The following are definitions for both the
Common Data Set (CDS) and the Financial Aid
Definitions. |
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A
B
C
D E
F
G
H
I J K L
M
N
O
P
Q R
S
T
U
V W X Y Z |
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Note: Items preceded by an asterisk (*) represent
definitions agreed to among publishers which do not appear on the CDS document but may be
present on individual publishers’ surveys.
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A |
| *Academic advisement: Plan under which each student is
assigned to a faculty member or a trained adviser, who, through regular meetings, helps
the student plan and implement immediate and long-term academic and vocational goals. |
| Accelerated program: Completion of a college program of
study in fewer than the usual number of years, most often by attending summer sessions and
carrying extra courses during the regular academic term. |
| Admitted student: Applicant who is offered admission to a
degree-granting program at your institution. |
| *Adult student services: Admission assistance, support,
orientation, and other services expressly for adults who have started college for the
first time, or who are re-entering after a lapse of a few years. |
| American Indian or Alaska native: A person having origins
in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains cultural identification
through tribal affiliation or community recognition. |
| Applicant (first-time, first year): An individual who has
fulfilled the institution’s requirements to be considered for admission (including
payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has been notified of one of the
following actions: admission, non-admission, placement on waiting list, or application
withdrawn (by applicant or institution). |
| Application fee: That amount of money that an institution
charges for processing a student’s application for acceptance. This amount is not
creditable toward tuition and required fees, nor is it refundable if the student is not
admitted to the institution. |
| Asian or Pacific Islander: A person having origins in any
of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent, or
Pacific Islands. This includes people from China, Japan, Korea, the Philippine Islands,
American Samoa, India, and Vietnam. |
| Associate degree: An award that normally requires at
least two but less than four years of full-time equivalent college work. |
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B |
| Bachelor’s degree: An award (baccalaureate or
equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education)
that normally requires at least four years but not more than five years of full-time
equivalent college-level work. This includes ALL bachelor’s degrees conferred in a
five-year cooperative (work-study plan) program. (A cooperative plan provides for
alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or government; thus, it
allows students to combine actual work experience with their college studies.) Also, it
includes bachelor’s degrees in which the normal four years of work are completed in
three years. |
| Black, non-Hispanic: A person having origins in any of
the black racial groups of Africa (except those of Hispanic origin). |
| Board (charges): Assume average cost for 19 meals per
week or the maximum meal plan. |
| Books and supplies (costs): Average cost of books and
supplies. Do not include unusual costs for special groups of students (e.g., engineering
or art majors), unless they constitute the majority of students at your institution. |
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C |
| Calendar system: The method by which an institution
structures most of its courses for the academic year. |
| *Career and placement services: A range of services,
including (often) the following: coordination of visits of employers to campus; aptitude
and vocational testing; interest inventories, personal counseling; help in resume writing,
interviewing, launching the job search; listings for those students desiring employment
and those seeking permanent positions; establishment of a permanent reference folder;
career resource materials |
| Carnegie units: One year of study or the equivalent in a
secondary school subject. |
| Certificate: See Postsecondary award, certificate, or
diploma. |
| Class rank: The relative numerical position of a student
in his or her graduating class, calculated by the high school on the basis of grade-point
average, whether weighted or unweighted. |
| College-preparatory program: Courses in academic subjects
(English, history and social studies, foreign languages, mathematics, science, and the
arts) that stress preparation for college or university study. |
| Common Application: The standard application form
distributed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals for a large number
of private colleges who are members of the Common Application Group |
| *Community service program: Referral center for students
wishing to perform volunteer work in the community or participate in volunteer activities
coordinated by academic departments. |
| Commuter: A student who lives off campus in housing that
is not owned by, operated by, or affiliated with the college. This category includes
students who commute from home and students who have moved to the area to attend college.
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| Contact hour: A unit of measure that represents an hour
of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as clock hour. |
| Continuous basis (for program enrollment): A calendar
system classification that is used by institutions that enroll students at any time during
the academic year. For example, a cosmetology school or a word processing school might
allow students to enroll and begin studies at various times, with no requirement that
classes begin on a certain date. |
| Cooperative housing: College-owned, -operated, or
-affiliated housing in which students share room and board expenses and participate in
household chores to reduce living expenses. |
| Cooperative (work-study plan) program: A program that
provides for alternate class attendance and employment in business, industry, or
government. |
| Core curriculum: A specified number of courses or credits
in the humanities, social sciences, life sciences, and/or physical sciences required of
all students, regardless of major, to ensure a basic set of learning experiences. |
| *Counseling service: Activities designed to assist
students in making plans and decisions related to their education, career, or personal
development. |
| Credit: Recognition of attendance or performance in an
instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient toward the
requirements for a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. |
| Credit course: A course that, if successfully completed,
can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving a degree, diploma,
certificate, or other formal award. |
| Credit hour: A unit of measure representing an hour (50
minutes) of instruction over a 15-week period in a semester or trimester system or a
10-week period in a quarter system. It is applied toward the total number of hours needed
for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award. |
| Cross-registration: A system whereby students enrolled at
one institution may take courses at another institution without having to apply to the
second institution. |
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D |
| Deferred admission: The practice of permitting admitted
students to postpone enrollment, usually for a period of one academic term or one year. |
| Degree: An award conferred by a college, university, or
other postsecondary education institution as official recognition for the successful
completion of a program of studies. |
| Degree-seeking students: Students enrolled in courses for
credit who are recognized by the institution as seeking a degree or formal award. At the
undergraduate level, this is intended to include students enrolled in vocational or
occupational programs. |
| Differs by program (calendar system): A calendar system
classification that is used by institutions that have occupational/vocational programs of
varying length. These schools may enroll students at specific times depending on the
program desired. For example, a school might offer a two-month program in January, March,
May, September, and November; and a three-month program in January, April, and October. |
| Diploma: See Postsecondary award, certificate, or
diploma. |
| Distance learning: An option for earning course credit at
off-campus locations via cable television, internet, satellite classes, videotapes,
correspondence courses, or other means. |
| Doctoral degree: The highest award a student can earn for
graduate study. The doctoral degree classification includes such degrees as Doctor of
Education, Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of Public Health, and the Doctor of
Philosophy degree in any field such as agronomy, food technology, education, engineering,
public administration, ophthalmology, or radiology. For the Doctor of Public Health
degree, the prior degree is generally earned in the closely related field of medicine or
in sanitary engineering. |
| Double major: Program in which students may complete two
undergraduate programs of study simultaneously. |
| Dual enrollment: A program through which high school
students may enroll in college courses while still enrolled in high school. Students are
not required to apply for admission to the college in order to participate. |
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E |
| Early action plan: An admission plan that allows students
to apply and be notified of an admission decision well in advance of the regular
notification dates. If admitted, the candidate is not committed to enroll; the student may
reply to the offer under the college’s regular reply policy. |
| Early admission: A policy under which students who have
not completed high school are admitted and enroll full time in college, usually after
completion of their junior year. |
| Early decision plan: A plan that permits students to
apply and be notified of an admission decision (and financial aid offer if applicable)
well in advance of the regular notification date. Applicants agree to accept an offer of
admission and, if admitted, to withdraw their applications from other colleges. There are
three possible decisions for early decision applicants: admitted, denied, or not admitted
but forwarded for consideration with the regular applicant pool, without prejudice. |
| English as a Second Language (ESL): A course of study
designed specifically for students whose native language is not English. |
| Exchange student program-domestic: Any arrangement
between a student and a college that permits study for a semester or more at another
college in the United States without extending the amount of time required for a degree.
See also Study abroad. |
| External degree program: A program of study in which
students earn credits toward a degree through independent study, college courses,
proficiency examinations, and personal experience. External degree programs require
minimal or no classroom attendance. |
| Extracurricular activities (as admission factor): Special
consideration in the admissions process given for participation in both school and
non-school-related activities of interest to the college, such as clubs, hobbies, student
government, athletics, performing arts, etc. |
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F |
| First professional certificate (post
degree): An award
that requires completion of an organized program of study designed for persons who have
completed the first professional degree. Examples could be refresher courses or additional
units of study in a specialty or subspecialty. |
| First professional degree: An award in one of the
following fields: Chiropractic (DC, DCM), dentistry (DDS, DMD), medicine (MD), optometry
(OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), rabbinical and Talmudic studies (MHL, Rav), Pharmacy
(BPharm, PharmD), podiatry (PodD, DP, DPM), veterinary medicine (DVM), law (LLB, JD),
divinity/ministry (BD, MDiv). |
| First-time student: A student attending any institution
for the first time at the level enrolled. Includes students enrolled in the fall term who
attended a postsecondary institution for the first time at the same level in the prior
summer term. Also includes students who entered with advanced standing (college credit
earned before graduation from high school). |
| First-time, first-year (freshman) student: A student
attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. Includes students
enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first time in the prior summer
term. Also includes students who entered with advanced standing (college credits earned
before graduation from high school). |
| First-year student: A student who has completed less than
the equivalent of 1 full year of undergraduate work; that is, less than 30 semester hours
(in a 120-hour degree program) or less than 900 contact hours. |
| Freshman: A first-year undergraduate student. |
| *Freshman/new student orientation: Orientation addressing
the academic, social, emotional, and intellectual issues involved in beginning college.
May be a few hours or a few days in length; at some colleges, there is a fee. |
| Full-time student (undergraduate): A student enrolled for
12 or more semester credits, 12 or more quarter credits, or 24 or more contact hours a
week each term. |
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G |
| Geographical residence (as admission factor): Special
consideration in the admission process given to students from a particular region, state,
or country of residence. |
| Grade-point average (academic high school GPA): The sum
of grade points a student has earned in secondary school divided by the number of courses
taken. The most common system of assigning numbers to grades counts four points for an A,
three points for a B, two points for a C, one point for a D, and no points for an E or F.
Unweighted GPA’s assign the same weight to each course. Weighting gives students
additional points for their grades in advanced or honors courses. |
| Graduate student: A student who holds a bachelor’s
or first professional degree, or equivalent, and is taking courses at the
post-baccalaureate level. |
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H |
| *Health services: Free or low cost on-campus primary and
preventive health care available to students. |
| High school diploma or recognized equivalent: A document
certifying the successful completion of a prescribed secondary school program of studies,
or the attainment of satisfactory scores on the Tests of General Educational Development
(GED), or another state-specified examination. |
| Hispanic: A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban,
Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race. |
| Honors program: Any special program for very able
students offering the opportunity for educational enrichment, independent study,
acceleration, or some combination of these. |
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I |
| Independent study: Academic work chosen or designed by
the student with the approval of the department concerned, under an instructor’s
supervision, and usually undertaken outside of the regular classroom structure. |
| In-state tuition: The tuition charged by institutions to
those students who meet the state’s or institution’s residency requirements. |
| International student: See Nonresident alien. |
| Internship: Any short-term, supervised work experience
usually related to a student’s major field, for which the student earns academic
credit. The work can be full- or part-time, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid. |
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L |
| *Learning center: Center offering assistance through
tutors, workshops, computer programs, or audiovisual equipment in reading, writing, math,
and skills such as taking notes, managing time, taking tests |
| *Legal services: Free or low cost legal advice for a
range of issues (personal and other). |
| Liberal arts/career combination: Program in which a
student earns undergraduate degrees in two separate fields, one in a liberal arts major
and the other in a professional or specialized major, whether on campus or through
cross-registration. |
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M |
| Master’s degree: An award that requires the
successful completion of a program of study of at least the full-time equivalent of one
but not more than two academic years of work beyond the bachelor’s degree. |
| Minority affiliation (as admission factor): Special
consideration in the admission process for members of designated racial/ethnic minority
groups. |
| *Minority student center: Center with programs,
activities, and/or services intended to enhance the college experience of students of
color. |
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N |
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Nonresident alien: A person who is not a citizen or
national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary basis and
does not have the right to remain indefinitely. |
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O |
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*On-campus day care: Licensed day care for students’
children (usually age 3 and up); usually for a fee. |
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Open admission: Admission policy under which virtually
all secondary school graduates or students with GED equivalency diplomas are admitted
without regard to academic record, test scores, or other qualifications. |
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Other expenses (costs): Include average costs for
clothing, laundry, entertainment, medical (if not a required fee), and furnishings. |
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Out-of-state tuition: The tuition charged by institutions
to those students who do not meet the institution’s or state’s residency
requirements. |
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P |
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Part-time student (undergraduate): A student enrolled for
fewer than 12 credits per semester or quarter, or fewer than 24 contact hours a week each
term. |
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*Personal counseling: One-on-one or group counseling with
trained professionals for students who want to explore personal, educational, or
vocational issues. |
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Post-baccalaureate certificate: An award that requires
completion of an organized program of study requiring 18 credit hours beyond the
bachelor’s; designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate degree but do not
meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of master. |
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Post-master’s certificate: An award that requires
completion of an organized program of study of 24 credit hours beyond the master’s
degree but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. |
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Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma (at least one but
less than two academic years): Requires completion of an organized program of
study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in at least one but less
than two full-time equivalent academic years, or designed for completion in at least 30
but fewer than 60 credit hours, or in at least 900 but fewer than 1,800 contact hours. |
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Private institution: An educational institution
controlled by a private individual(s) or by a nongovernmental agency, usually supported
primarily by other than public funds, and operated by other than publicly elected or
appointed officials. |
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Private for-profit institution: A private institution in
which the individual(s) or agency in control receives compensation, other than wages,
rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk. |
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Private nonprofit institution: A private institution in
which the individual(s) or agency in control receives no compensation, other than wages,
rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk. These include both independent
nonprofit schools and those affiliated with a religious organization. |
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Proprietary institution: See Private for-profit
institution. |
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Public institution: An educational institution whose
programs and activities are operated by publicly elected or appointed school officials,
and which is supported primarily by public funds. |
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Q |
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Quarter calendar system: A calendar system in which the
academic year consists of three sessions called quarters of about 12 weeks each. The range
may be from 10 to 15 weeks. There may be an additional quarter in the summer. |
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R |
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Race/ethnicity: Category used to describe groups to which
individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community. The categories
do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins. A person may be counted
in only one group. |
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Race/ethnicity unknown: Category used to classify
students or employees whose race/ethnicity is not known and whom institutions are unable
to place in one of the specified racial/ethnic categories. |
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Religious affiliation/commitment (as admission factor):
Special consideration given in the admission process for affiliation with a certain church
or faith/religion, commitment to a religious vocation, or observance of certain religious
tenets/lifestyle. |
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*Religious counseling: One-on-one or group counseling
with trained professionals for student who want to religious problems or issues. |
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*Remedial services: Instructional courses designed for
students deficient in the general competencies necessary for a regular postsecondary
curriculum and educational setting. |
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Required fees: Fixed sum charged to students for items
not covered by tuition and required of such a large proportion of all students that the
student who does NOT pay is the exception. Do not include application fees or optional
fees such as lab fees or parking fees. |
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Resident alien or other eligible non-citizen: A person who
is not a citizen or national of the United States and who has been admitted as a legal
immigrant for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident alien status (and who holds
either an alien registration card [Form I-551 or I-151], a Temporary Resident Card [Form
I-688], or an Arrival-Departure Record [Form I-94] with a notation that conveys legal
immigrant status, such as Section 207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant
Parolee or Cuban-Haitian). |
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Room and board (charges)—on campus: Assume double
occupancy in institutional housing and 19 meals per week (or maximum meal plan). |
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S |
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Secondary school record (as admission factor):
Information maintained by the secondary school that may include such things as the
student’s high school transcript, class rank, GPA, and teacher and counselor
recommendations. |
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Semester calendar system: A calendar system that consists
of two semesters during the academic year with about 16 weeks for each semester of
instruction. There may be an additional summer session. |
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Student-designed major: A program of study based on
individual interests, designed with the assistance of an adviser. |
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Study abroad: Any arrangement by which a student
completes part of the college program studying in another country. Can be at a campus
abroad or through a cooperative agreement with some other U.S. college or an institution
of another country. |
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*Summer session: A summer session is shorter than a
regular semester and not considered part of the academic year. It is not the third term of
an institution operating on a trimester system or the fourth term of an institution
operating on a quarter calendar system. The institution may have 2 or more sessions
occurring in the summer months. Some schools, such as vocational and beauty schools, have
year-round classes with no separate summer session. |
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T |
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Talent/ability (as admission factor): Special
consideration given to students with demonstrated talent/abilities in areas of interest to
the institution (e.g., sports, the arts, languages, etc.). |
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Teacher certification program: Program designed to
prepare students to meet the requirements for certification as teachers in elementary,
middle/junior high, and secondary schools. |
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Transfer applicant: An individual who has fulfilled the
institution’s requirements to be considered for admission (including payment or
waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has previously attended another college or
university and earned college-level credit. |
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Transfer student: A student entering the institution for
the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary institution at the
same level (e.g., undergraduate). The student may transfer with or without credit. |
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Transportation (costs): Assume two round trips to
student’s hometown per year for students in institutional housing or daily travel to
and from your institution for commuter students. |
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Trimester calendar system: An academic year consisting of
3 terms of about 15 weeks each. |
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Tuition: Amount of money charged to students for
instructional services. Tuition may be charged per term, per course, or per credit.
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*Tutoring: May range from one-on-one tutoring in specific
subjects to tutoring in an area such as math, reading, or writing. Most tutors are college
students; at some colleges, they are specially trained and certified. |
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U |
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Unit: a standard of measurement representing hours of
academic instruction (e.g., semester credit, quarter credit, contact hour). |
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Undergraduate: A student enrolled in a four- or five-year
bachelor’s degree program, an associate degree program, or a vocational or technical
program below the baccalaureate. |
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V |
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*Veteran’s counseling: Helps veterans and their
dependents obtain benefits for their selected program and provides certifications to the
Veteran’s Administration. May also provide personal counseling on the transition from
the military to a civilian life. |
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*Visually impaired: Any person whose sight loss is not
correctable and is sufficiently severe as to adversely affect educational performance. |
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Volunteer work (as admission factor): Special
consideration given to students for activity done on a volunteer basis (e.g., tutoring,
hospital care, working with the elderly or disabled) as a service to the community or the
public in general. |
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W |
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Wait list: List of students who meet the admission
requirements but will only be offered a place in the class if space becomes available.
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Weekend college: A program that allows students to take a
complete course of study and attend classes only on weekends. |
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White, non-Hispanic: A person having origins in any of the original
peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East (except those of Hispanic origin). |
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*Women’s center: Center with programs, academic
activities, and/or services intended to promote an understanding of the evolving roles of
women. |
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Work experience (as admission factor): Special
consideration given to students who have been employed prior to application, whether for
relevance to major, demonstration of employment-related skills, or as explanation of
student’s academic and extracurricular record. |
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Financial Aid
Definitions |
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Financial aid applicant: Any applicant who submits any
one of the institutionally required financial aid applications/forms, such as the
FAFSA. |
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Financial need: As determined by your institution using
the federal methodology and/or your institution's own standards. |
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Indebtedness: Aggregate dollar amount borrowed by the
student. |
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Institutional and external funds: Endowment, alumni, or
external monies for which the institution determines the recipient and the dollar amount
awarded. |
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Need-based aid: College-funded or college-administered
award from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must have
financial need to qualify. This includes both institutional and non-institutional student
aid (grants, jobs, and loans). |
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Need-based gift aid: Scholarships and grants from
institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must have financial
need to qualify. |
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Non-need-based gift aid: Scholarships and grants, gifts,
or merit-based aid from institutional, state, federal, or other sources (including
unrestricted funds or gifts and endowment income) awarded solely on the basis of academic
achievement, merit, or any other non-need-based reason. When reporting questions H1 and
H2, non-need-based aid that is used to meet need should be counted as need-based aid. |
Note: Suggested order of precedence for counting non-need
money as need-based:
| Non-need institutional grants |
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| Non-need tuition waivers |
Non-need outside grants |
| Non-need athletic awards |
Non-need student loans |
| Non-need federal grants |
Non-need parent loans |
| Non-need state grants |
Non-need work |
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Scholarships/grants from external sources: Monies
received from outside (private) sources that the student brings with them (e.g., Kiwanis,
NMSQT scholarships). The institution may process paperwork to receive the dollars, but it
has no role in determining the recipient or the dollar amount awarded. |
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Self-help aid: Need-based loans and jobs up to the level
of institutionally determined need. |
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Work study and employment: Federal and state work study
aid, and any employment packaged by your institution in financial aid awards. |
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