A college or university funded by private sources without any control by a government agency. Tends to cost more.

A college or university funded by local, state or national government that oversees and regulates the school’s operations.

A school that specializes in career readiness in fields such as hairdressing, cosmetology, and auto mechanics.

A 2 year public institution providing higher education and lower-level courses, certificates, and associate’s degrees

An institution of higher learning that grants bachelor’s degrees in liberal arts or science or both.

A school that includes many different schools - such as a college of nursing and a college of business - and has graduate students as well.

A student’s concentrated field of study. Every major includes a required set of courses. Colleges typically ask students to declare a major by the end of their sophomore year.

A student’s secondary field of study. A minor is not required to graduate.

Credit given for attending class. Most college classes are 3 credit hours, meaning their total meeting time for a week is 3 hours.

What does GPA stand for

A 2 year undergraduate degree earned at a community or junior college

A 4 year undergraduate degree earned at a college or university

The first level of graduate study. To apply for a master’s degree, you must already hold a bachelor’s degree.

The highest level of academic degrees.

What does FAFSA stand for?

the amount of money you and your family could be expected to pay for one year of college, based on the data gathered from you FAFSA.

A sum of money given to a student for the purpose of paying for college. Scholarships can be awarded based on academic achievements or other requirements based on the scholarship requirements.

Money provided by a funding source that does not have to be paid back

Money provided by a funding source that has to be paid back. In most cases payments do not begin until the student finishes school.

A program that allows students to work part time during the school year as a part of their financial aid package. The money earned is used to pay for tuition or other college charges.

A 3 hour college entrance exam which measures verbal and mathematical skills, as well as grammar and the ability to write a brief essay. Students may earn up to 2400 points.

A 2 hour and 55 minute exam that measures a student’s knowledge and achievement in english, math, science and reading to determine the student’s readiness for college-level instruction. Scored on a scale of 1-36 in each of the 4 areas. The final score is an average of the 4 areas to create a composite score.

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