Academic Advisor A person who is trained to help students plan their academic journey related to classes,
majors, and transferring to another college.
Accreditation/Accredited A process and certification that makes sure the quality of education students receive
at the college or university meets standards set by the government and educational
agencies.
Articulation Agreement An agreement between two colleges or universities to work together for a smoother
transition for students who are transferring. This makes sure the classes taken at
one school count right at the other school.
Associate in Arts An Associate in Arts (AA) degree includes classes that meet the general education
requirements at most colleges and universities. To earn this degree, students must
complete 62-64 credit hours and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. It is designed for students
planning to continue their education at a four-year college.
Associate in Science An Associate in Science (AS) degree is similar to the Associate in Arts (AA) but includes
more math and science classes. To earn this degree, students must complete 62-64 credit
hours and maintain at least a 2.0 GPA. This degree is designed for students planning
to continue their education at a four-year college.
Associate of Applied Science An Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree lets students develop the skills and
the hands-on training to launch a career in nursing, business, technology, agriculture,
and more. With an AAS, you can start working right after you graduate.
Audit When students want to attend a class without earning credit or a grade. Normal tuition
and fees still apply.
Bachelor's Degree A degree requiring at least 120 credit hours to complete. It is earned at a four-year
college or university and typically takes around four years to complete when enrolled
full-time.
Business Office The office responsible for processing class billing and payment.
Business Office Hold A hold put on a student’s account when they owe past-due tuition. This prevents students
from registering for new classes.
Catalog
A document that outlines admission and academic requirements. It also includes information
about available degree programs, class descriptions, and other useful details about
the college.
Credit Classes taken in college are measured by credit hours. Credits are based on the number
of hours spent in class per week.
Curriculum A set list of classes required for a degree or the specific topics that must be taught
in a class.
Dean’s List An honor given to students who earn a semester GPA of 3.50 or higher while taking
6 credit hours or more.
Developmental Course These are classes that provide a basic level of knowledge in a specific field, like
math, that prepares students to take a college-level course (numbered 100 or higher).
These classes are numbered below 100 and do not transfer to other colleges.
De-Registration When a student is removed from a class for failing to pay tuition by the due date.
This usually happens before the class starts but can also occur within the first week
of class.
Disbursement When Financial Aid money is released to pay tuition, fees, or books.
Elective A class you choose to take that is not specifically required for your degree.
Faculty The people who teach classes for the college. Faculty can mean one person or many
people.
FAFSA The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This application determines your eligibility
for loans, grants, work-study, and other scholarship programs.
Financial Aid Financial help provided in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, and part-time
work at the college. It comes from the government, the college, or private sources
and is awarded based on factors such as financial need, major, grades, test scores,
or student status and identity.
Financial Aid Refund Money returned to students when the financial aid they receive exceeds the amount
owed to the college.
Financial Aid Suspension When a student falls below the GPA requirement for financial aid, withdraws from or
takes too many classes without earning a degree, their financial aid may be taken
away. To continue receiving aid, the student must appeal to the Dean of Students and
explain the situation.
Full-time vs Part-time Enrollment Full-time Student: Enrolled in 12-18 credit hours per semester. Part-time Student: Enrolled in 6-11 credit hours per semester.
Students are considered Overload if they enroll in 19 or more credit hours, and Less
than Part-time if they take 1-5 credit hours. Anyone wanting to take more than 18
credit hours per semester (or more than 12 in the summer) must get permission from
the Dean of Students.
General Education Requirements General subject classes that are required to complete a degree. They may not specifically
relate to the major, but build background knowledge important for success.
Grades/Grade Point Average (GPA) Classes are graded with letter grades A, B, C, D, and F, with instructors optionally
adding a + or - to the letter grade. GPA reflects your average academic performance
and can be calculated for a single semester or cumulatively, covering your entire
college class history.
Prerequisite Course A class that must be taken before a more advanced class can be taken. For example,
Composition 1 must be taken before Composition 2.
President’s List An honor given to students who earn a semester GPA of 4.00 or higher while taking
6 credit hours or more.
Syllabus An outline of important information about a class, written by the instructor. It typically
includes key dates, assignments, expectations, and class policies. The syllabus is
important and is usually referenced throughout the semester.
Transcript An official record of a student’s classes, grades, credits, honors, and degrees at
a school. An official transcript includes a school stamp and/or signature, while an
unofficial transcript lacks these features and can be printed from the student portal.
Tuition The amount of money paid for each class credit hour. It does not include the cost
of books or additional fees. Tuition varies based on your state of residence and whether
the class is in-person or online.
Tutor A person who is skilled in a subject and provides extra teaching or learning support
to a student. This can be an instructor or another student.
Withdrawal Dropping or removing one or more classes from your student schedule. This must be
done before certain deadlines on the academic calendar.
