Important High School and College Terms
ACT: American College Testing Program. Tests equivalent to the SAT I, one of the two CEEB (college entrance examination programs). Scores may be accepted in lieu of the SAT II.
Apprenticeship: Post-secondary employment and study leading to a Master’s license in a trade or skill. Example: Apprenticeship at a hotel as a chef leading to a Master Chef license.
Armed Forces: Any branch of the United States military: Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, Reserves, National Guard, Air Guard.
Associate’s degree: Earned after two years of post-secondary study.
ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery . Armed Services aptitude test used as a recruiting and screening tool.
Bachelor’s degree: Traditionally a 4 year college degree.
Career AND Technical Education (CTE)-These are courses offered which have a specific scope and depth and require hands-on skills.
Certificate: Earned after nine months or one year of post-secondary study. Example: a certificate in early childhood education.
Class rank: A student’s place within the class, determined by GPA. Some colleges use this information for admission.
College-preparatory courses: A series of courses that prepare a student for college education.
Credit: Value earned for passing a course at the end of the year. For example, English I class that is taken for one year is worth 1 credit.
Cumulative file: School records that follow a student from grade one to grade twelve.
Doctoral degree: Earned after a Bachelor or Master’s degree. Requires 3-6 years of college after the first four years.
Early graduation: Available at the end of first semester senior year to those seniors who have completed all graduation requirements. Typically means “doubling up” of senior English courses.
EFC: Expected Family Contribution. The amount the federal government expects the family to contribute towards a student’s post-secondary education. Calculated from data provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Elective courses: All those courses selected by a student after required courses have been chosen. Elective course possibilities increase with each year of high school. Successful graduation from high school generally requires a mix of required and elective courses.
Essay: Often part of the college application process of four-year colleges.
Extra-curricular activities: School-sponsored clubs, programs, and activities that students can participate in after school. This is very important to a student’s overall success and happiness in high school.
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Financial aid application required for all federal student aid programs.
Financial aid: The package of loans, grants and work-study that is offered to each college-bound student who completes the FAFSA.
Four-year college: Any college that offers a Bachelor’s degree after four years of study.
Freshman: Your first year in high school and/or college.
GPA: Grade point average. The average of all grades earned in a grading period. One of the factors considered in the college admissions process. Colleges/Universities will look at your GPA starting in 9thgrade/Freshman year.
Job-shadow: Spending a day with a person in a career in which you may be interested. Highly recommended as an integral part of the career planning process.
Junior: Your third year in high school and/or college.
Life-long learners: What we all must become to survive in the economy of the future.
Loan: An amount of money borrowed from someone else that must be paid back.
Master’s degree: Earned after a bachelor’s degree. Could require 1-3 years of college or more after the first four years.
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)-This is a practice test for those juniors and sophomores who wish to take the SATs.
Post-secondary education: Any education after high school.
Re-classification: Occurs when a student does not earn enough credits to advance to the next grade level. Typically means repeating failed classes and adjusting year of graduation.
Required courses: All those courses required by the State of Connecticut and your high school for graduation. Failure to complete any required course will nullify graduation.
ROTC: Reserve Officers Training Corps. A scholarship and training program offered by the Armed Services at many four-year colleges.
SAT I: Scholastic Aptitude Test. A College Board test used for admissions purposes by many colleges. The SAT I tests Language Arts, Mathematics, and Writing Skills.
SAT II: Scholastic Aptitude Subject Tests – College Board Subject Tests. Achievement tests used for admissions and placement purposes by a small number of highly competitive colleges.
Scholarship: A financial award that does not have to be paid back. Also called a grant.
Semester: One-half of the school year. Either September to January or January to June.
Senior: Your fourth year in high school and/or college.
Service Academy: Colleges created to produce officers in the Army ( West Point ); Air Force ( Colorado Springs ); Navy and Marines ( Annapolis ); Coast Guard (Coast Guard Academy); and Merchant Marine ( Kings Point , NY ). Political appointment necessary for all-expenses-paid admission.
Sophomore: Your second year in high school and/or college.
Transcript: A record of all courses taken and grades earned in high school. Useful in all post-secondary career planning.
Two-year college: Any college offering an Associate’s degree after two years of study.
University: A post-secondary institution that confers college degrees through several colleges.
Apprenticeship: Post-secondary employment and study leading to a Master’s license in a trade or skill. Example: Apprenticeship at a hotel as a chef leading to a Master Chef license.
Armed Forces: Any branch of the United States military: Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard, Reserves, National Guard, Air Guard.
Associate’s degree: Earned after two years of post-secondary study.
ASVAB: Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery . Armed Services aptitude test used as a recruiting and screening tool.
Bachelor’s degree: Traditionally a 4 year college degree.
Career AND Technical Education (CTE)-These are courses offered which have a specific scope and depth and require hands-on skills.
Certificate: Earned after nine months or one year of post-secondary study. Example: a certificate in early childhood education.
Class rank: A student’s place within the class, determined by GPA. Some colleges use this information for admission.
College-preparatory courses: A series of courses that prepare a student for college education.
Credit: Value earned for passing a course at the end of the year. For example, English I class that is taken for one year is worth 1 credit.
Cumulative file: School records that follow a student from grade one to grade twelve.
Doctoral degree: Earned after a Bachelor or Master’s degree. Requires 3-6 years of college after the first four years.
Early graduation: Available at the end of first semester senior year to those seniors who have completed all graduation requirements. Typically means “doubling up” of senior English courses.
EFC: Expected Family Contribution. The amount the federal government expects the family to contribute towards a student’s post-secondary education. Calculated from data provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Elective courses: All those courses selected by a student after required courses have been chosen. Elective course possibilities increase with each year of high school. Successful graduation from high school generally requires a mix of required and elective courses.
Essay: Often part of the college application process of four-year colleges.
Extra-curricular activities: School-sponsored clubs, programs, and activities that students can participate in after school. This is very important to a student’s overall success and happiness in high school.
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Financial aid application required for all federal student aid programs.
Financial aid: The package of loans, grants and work-study that is offered to each college-bound student who completes the FAFSA.
Four-year college: Any college that offers a Bachelor’s degree after four years of study.
Freshman: Your first year in high school and/or college.
GPA: Grade point average. The average of all grades earned in a grading period. One of the factors considered in the college admissions process. Colleges/Universities will look at your GPA starting in 9thgrade/Freshman year.
Job-shadow: Spending a day with a person in a career in which you may be interested. Highly recommended as an integral part of the career planning process.
Junior: Your third year in high school and/or college.
Life-long learners: What we all must become to survive in the economy of the future.
Loan: An amount of money borrowed from someone else that must be paid back.
Master’s degree: Earned after a bachelor’s degree. Could require 1-3 years of college or more after the first four years.
Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)-This is a practice test for those juniors and sophomores who wish to take the SATs.
Post-secondary education: Any education after high school.
Re-classification: Occurs when a student does not earn enough credits to advance to the next grade level. Typically means repeating failed classes and adjusting year of graduation.
Required courses: All those courses required by the State of Connecticut and your high school for graduation. Failure to complete any required course will nullify graduation.
ROTC: Reserve Officers Training Corps. A scholarship and training program offered by the Armed Services at many four-year colleges.
SAT I: Scholastic Aptitude Test. A College Board test used for admissions purposes by many colleges. The SAT I tests Language Arts, Mathematics, and Writing Skills.
SAT II: Scholastic Aptitude Subject Tests – College Board Subject Tests. Achievement tests used for admissions and placement purposes by a small number of highly competitive colleges.
Scholarship: A financial award that does not have to be paid back. Also called a grant.
Semester: One-half of the school year. Either September to January or January to June.
Senior: Your fourth year in high school and/or college.
Service Academy: Colleges created to produce officers in the Army ( West Point ); Air Force ( Colorado Springs ); Navy and Marines ( Annapolis ); Coast Guard (Coast Guard Academy); and Merchant Marine ( Kings Point , NY ). Political appointment necessary for all-expenses-paid admission.
Sophomore: Your second year in high school and/or college.
Transcript: A record of all courses taken and grades earned in high school. Useful in all post-secondary career planning.
Two-year college: Any college offering an Associate’s degree after two years of study.
University: A post-secondary institution that confers college degrees through several colleges.