The College Dictionary
There are a lot of terms being thrown at you, FASFA, SAR, MA, etc. Here is a college dictionary that will help you know what all these terms really mean.
Adviser: a staff member or professor who gives advice on programs and classes.
Associate's Degree: a 2-year degree form a community college (Note: Only certain 2-year degrees will transfer to a 4-year school, so if you plan to transfer, be sure to tell your community college advisor and ask for help in planning which classes to take and degree to earn to ensure that you won't be wasting your time and money!)
BA (Bachelors of Art): a 4-year college degree in Humanities or Social Sciences
BS (Bachelors of Science): a 4-year college degree in the Sciences
Credit hours: the credit or point value of a course; many colleges charge tuition based on how many credit hours you enroll in (12-18 hours is usually considered "full-time").
Dual Credit: college credit that you can earn in high school by taking college-level classes (i.e. College Algebra, College Chemistry, etc); there is a fee associated with enrolling in dual credit, but it is almost MUCH cheaper than taking that class in college, PLUS it puts you ahead!
Electives: classes not required for a major. These classes allow you to explore interest outside of your major.
General Education Requirements: required introductory courses in various subject that all students must take (i.e. American History/Government, College Algebra, English 1000, etc).
Grants: FREE federal/state money given out according to financial need ( and sometimes merit); you do NOT have to pay these back!
Loans: money that you borrow for the government or a bank; you must pay this money back with interest after you graduate!
MA (Master of Arts): a graduate degree in Humanities or Social Sciences (after you get your bachelors).
Major: the subject a student specializes in and recieves a degree in during college
Minor: a subject a student takes extra courses in but does not choose as a major.
PhD: the highest university degree a person can get
Prerequisite: a class or proficiency required before a student can take a particular class (i.e. You may need to complete Chemistry 1010 with a passing grade before you can take Chemistry 2010).
Scholarships: Free Money awarded to a student for good grades, talent, community service/leardership, and/or financial need; you do NOT have to pay these back!
Transcripts: Official records of student work, showing courses and grades
Work study: an on-campus job that is considered financial aid
Associate's Degree: a 2-year degree form a community college (Note: Only certain 2-year degrees will transfer to a 4-year school, so if you plan to transfer, be sure to tell your community college advisor and ask for help in planning which classes to take and degree to earn to ensure that you won't be wasting your time and money!)
BA (Bachelors of Art): a 4-year college degree in Humanities or Social Sciences
BS (Bachelors of Science): a 4-year college degree in the Sciences
Credit hours: the credit or point value of a course; many colleges charge tuition based on how many credit hours you enroll in (12-18 hours is usually considered "full-time").
Dual Credit: college credit that you can earn in high school by taking college-level classes (i.e. College Algebra, College Chemistry, etc); there is a fee associated with enrolling in dual credit, but it is almost MUCH cheaper than taking that class in college, PLUS it puts you ahead!
Electives: classes not required for a major. These classes allow you to explore interest outside of your major.
General Education Requirements: required introductory courses in various subject that all students must take (i.e. American History/Government, College Algebra, English 1000, etc).
Grants: FREE federal/state money given out according to financial need ( and sometimes merit); you do NOT have to pay these back!
Loans: money that you borrow for the government or a bank; you must pay this money back with interest after you graduate!
MA (Master of Arts): a graduate degree in Humanities or Social Sciences (after you get your bachelors).
Major: the subject a student specializes in and recieves a degree in during college
Minor: a subject a student takes extra courses in but does not choose as a major.
PhD: the highest university degree a person can get
Prerequisite: a class or proficiency required before a student can take a particular class (i.e. You may need to complete Chemistry 1010 with a passing grade before you can take Chemistry 2010).
Scholarships: Free Money awarded to a student for good grades, talent, community service/leardership, and/or financial need; you do NOT have to pay these back!
Transcripts: Official records of student work, showing courses and grades
Work study: an on-campus job that is considered financial aid