Frequently Used Terms
ACT - A standardized college admission test. It features four main sections: English, math, reading and science — and an optional essay section.
Admission Tests - Also known as college entrance exams, these are tests designed to measure students’ skills and help colleges evaluate how ready students are for college-level work. The ACT and the College Board’s SAT are two standardized admission tests used in the United States.
Certificate of Completion (COC) - Certificate awarded to students who have completed the 24-credit option per section 1003.4282, F.S. but failed to earn passing scores on the state approved graduation test or earn a concordant and/or comparative score and/or to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Note: A COC is not a high school diploma.
Class Rank - A measurement of how your academic achievement compares with that of other students in your grade. This number is usually determined by using a weighted GPA that takes into account both your grades and the difficulty of the courses you’ve taken.
College Application Essay - An essay that a college requires students to write and submit as part of their application. Some colleges offer applicants specific questions to answer, while others simply ask applicants to write about themselves. Colleges may refer to this as a “personal statement.”
Common Application - A standard application form accepted by all colleges that are members of the Common Application association. You can fill out this application once and submit it to any one — or several — of the 475-plus colleges that accept it.
Community Service - Voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area.
Deferred Admission - Permission from a college that has accepted you to postpone enrolling in the college. The postponement is usually for up to one year.
Dual Enrollment - When a student simultaneously earning high school credit toward a high school diploma, along with college credit toward an Associate Degree or credit toward a vocational certificate for an eligible course.
Early Action - An option to submit your applications before the regular deadlines. When you apply early action, you get admission decisions from colleges earlier than usual. Early action plans are not binding, which means that you do not have to enroll in a college if you are accepted early action.
Early Decision - An option to submit an application to your first-choice college before the regular deadline. When you apply early decision, you get an admission decision earlier than usual. Early decision plans are binding. You agree to enroll in the college immediately if admitted and offered a financial aid package that meets your needs.
Financial Aid - Money given or loaned to you to help pay for college. Financial aid can come from federal and state governments, colleges, and private organizations.
FSA (Florida State Assessment) – The State of Florida’s assessments given annually to students in grades 3-10 beginning in 2014- 15.
Grade Point Average (GPA) - A number that shows overall academic performance. It’s computed by assigning a point value to each grade you earn.
Placement Tests - Tests that measure the academic skills needed for college-level work. They cover reading, writing, math and sometimes other subjects. Placement test results help determine what courses you are ready for and whether you would benefit from remedial classes.
Priority Date or Deadline - The date by which your application — whether it’s for college admission, student housing or financial aid — must be received to be given the strongest consideration.
Rigorous Coursework - Honors, Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment courses that a student takes in high school.
Rolling Admission - An admission policy of considering each application as soon as all required information (such as high school records and test scores) has been received, rather than setting an application deadline and reviewing applications in a batch. Colleges that use a rolling admission policy usually notify applicants of admission decisions quickly.
SAT - The College Board’s standardized college admission test. It features three main sections: math, reading and writing, which includes a written essay.
SAT Subject Tests - Hour-long, content-based college admission tests that allow you to showcase achievement in specific subject areas: English, history, math, science and languages. Some colleges use Subject Tests to place students into the appropriate courses as well as in admission decisions.
Transcript - The official record of your course work at a school or college. Your high school transcript is usually required for college admission and for some financial aid packages.
Waiting List - The list of applicants who may be admitted to a college if space becomes available. Colleges wait to hear if all the students they accepted decide to attend. If students don’t enroll and there are empty spots, a college may fill them with students who are on the waiting list.
Weighted Grade Point Average (GPA) - A grade point average that’s calculated using a system that assigns a higher point value to grades in more-difficult classes.
Admission Tests - Also known as college entrance exams, these are tests designed to measure students’ skills and help colleges evaluate how ready students are for college-level work. The ACT and the College Board’s SAT are two standardized admission tests used in the United States.
Certificate of Completion (COC) - Certificate awarded to students who have completed the 24-credit option per section 1003.4282, F.S. but failed to earn passing scores on the state approved graduation test or earn a concordant and/or comparative score and/or to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. Note: A COC is not a high school diploma.
Class Rank - A measurement of how your academic achievement compares with that of other students in your grade. This number is usually determined by using a weighted GPA that takes into account both your grades and the difficulty of the courses you’ve taken.
College Application Essay - An essay that a college requires students to write and submit as part of their application. Some colleges offer applicants specific questions to answer, while others simply ask applicants to write about themselves. Colleges may refer to this as a “personal statement.”
Common Application - A standard application form accepted by all colleges that are members of the Common Application association. You can fill out this application once and submit it to any one — or several — of the 475-plus colleges that accept it.
Community Service - Voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area.
Deferred Admission - Permission from a college that has accepted you to postpone enrolling in the college. The postponement is usually for up to one year.
Dual Enrollment - When a student simultaneously earning high school credit toward a high school diploma, along with college credit toward an Associate Degree or credit toward a vocational certificate for an eligible course.
Early Action - An option to submit your applications before the regular deadlines. When you apply early action, you get admission decisions from colleges earlier than usual. Early action plans are not binding, which means that you do not have to enroll in a college if you are accepted early action.
Early Decision - An option to submit an application to your first-choice college before the regular deadline. When you apply early decision, you get an admission decision earlier than usual. Early decision plans are binding. You agree to enroll in the college immediately if admitted and offered a financial aid package that meets your needs.
Financial Aid - Money given or loaned to you to help pay for college. Financial aid can come from federal and state governments, colleges, and private organizations.
FSA (Florida State Assessment) – The State of Florida’s assessments given annually to students in grades 3-10 beginning in 2014- 15.
Grade Point Average (GPA) - A number that shows overall academic performance. It’s computed by assigning a point value to each grade you earn.
Placement Tests - Tests that measure the academic skills needed for college-level work. They cover reading, writing, math and sometimes other subjects. Placement test results help determine what courses you are ready for and whether you would benefit from remedial classes.
Priority Date or Deadline - The date by which your application — whether it’s for college admission, student housing or financial aid — must be received to be given the strongest consideration.
Rigorous Coursework - Honors, Advanced Placement or Dual Enrollment courses that a student takes in high school.
Rolling Admission - An admission policy of considering each application as soon as all required information (such as high school records and test scores) has been received, rather than setting an application deadline and reviewing applications in a batch. Colleges that use a rolling admission policy usually notify applicants of admission decisions quickly.
SAT - The College Board’s standardized college admission test. It features three main sections: math, reading and writing, which includes a written essay.
SAT Subject Tests - Hour-long, content-based college admission tests that allow you to showcase achievement in specific subject areas: English, history, math, science and languages. Some colleges use Subject Tests to place students into the appropriate courses as well as in admission decisions.
Transcript - The official record of your course work at a school or college. Your high school transcript is usually required for college admission and for some financial aid packages.
Waiting List - The list of applicants who may be admitted to a college if space becomes available. Colleges wait to hear if all the students they accepted decide to attend. If students don’t enroll and there are empty spots, a college may fill them with students who are on the waiting list.
Weighted Grade Point Average (GPA) - A grade point average that’s calculated using a system that assigns a higher point value to grades in more-difficult classes.