College Terminology A-C

Assigned upon enrollment, they provide support and counsel on which classes to take and when to take them.

• Department heads
• Student mentors
• Course coordinators
• Academic advisors

A student may be placed on this when they fail to meet minimum GPA or grade requirements. During this time, they must improve their academic performance or risk suspension or dismissal.

• scholastic alert
• grade review
• academic probation
• academic warning

The combined fall and spring semesters makes this up.

• Academic year
• Semester system
• School year
• Term schedule

Signals that a school adheres to certain educational standards set by state, federal, and non-government agencies. 

• Endorsement
• Accreditation
• Licensing
• Certification

Most colleges have an this period of 1-2 weeks at the beginning of a semester. During this time, students can change their courses after they have begun attending class. 

• semester adjustment time
• registration period
• course selection phase
• add/drop period

A type of online education that allows students to watch lectures and complete assignments at their own pace. Students can access course materials and submit assignments anytime, anywhere.

• Group study sessions
• Self-study with textbooks
• Asynchronous learning

• Traditional classroom learning

An undergraduate academic degree that usually requires four years of full-time study to complete. It can lead to myriad entry-level positions after graduation.

• Associate's degree
• Bachelor's degree
• Master's degree
• Diploma

Where learning takes place; where some students live; and where resources such as libraries, counseling services, academic advisors, and study abroad offices reside.

• Public library
• High school
• Online learning platform
• University or college campus

Employers looking to hire upcoming graduates often attend these to share what their companies do and recruit potential job candidates.

• job interviews
• career fairs
• networking events
• internship programs

Refers to a group of students that enter a particular degree program together and progress alongside one another until graduation, usually taking the same classes simultaneously. 

• Group
• Cohort
• Batch
• Class