LSAT (Law School Admission Test)

A standardized test required for admission into law school. The exam measures reading comprehension, analytic reasoning, and logical reasoning skills.

Letter of Recommendation

A letter written on behalf of a student that assesses their qualifications and skills. They are usually required for admission to a program of study or as part of the application process for a fellowship, internship, scholarship, etc.

MCAT (Medical College Admission Test)

A standardized test required for admission into medical school. The exam measures verbal reasoning, writing skills, and physical and biological sciences knowledge.

Major

An area of specialization, consisting of a number of courses in a discipline of study, chosen by undergraduate students. Students are usually required to choose their major before the end of their sophomore year.

Major Professor

A professor that serves as an advisor and mentor for students at the graduate level. The student is typically responsible for choosing their major professor, but the preferred professor must agree to the arrangement.

Master's Degree

A degree awarded after the completion of an advanced program of study at a college or university. A master's degree program typically requires one to two years of study past the bachelor's degree. It is awarded as a master of arts (M.A.), Master of science (M.S.), And master of business administration (M.B.A.).

Matriculated

Enrolled in a program of study leading to a degree at a college or university.

Midterm Exam

An exam given in the middle of an academic term that covers all the material studied in a particular course to that point.

Minor

A secondary area of specialization chosen by undergraduate students.

Non-traditional Student

A student that enters a college or university a year or more after high school graduation, pursues their college education while working full time, returns after a number of years away from formal education, and/or attends college while raising a family.

Noncredit

A course taken that does not apply to a degree program. Noncredit courses are taken by students who need developmental work in order to be accepted into a program of study. Noncredit courses can also be taken for one's own professional development or interest.

Nonresident

A student that does not meet a state's requirements for residency. Colleges and universities usually have higher tuition rates for nonresident students. A nonresident student can also refer to a student that does not live on campus or in campus housing.

Open Admissions

A college or university's non-selective policy to accept all students who have completed high school regardless of their grades and/or standardized test scores.

Orientation

A college or university's official process of welcoming new students to campus and providing them with relevant information on campus policies, financial aid, housing, dining, courses, etc.

Part-time Student

A student that is enrolled in 12 credit hours or less per semester.

Pass/Fail

A grading system that results in a pass or a fail and not a traditional letter grade.

PhD Candidate

A student who has completed all their coursework, passed their qualifying or comprehensive exam, and is in the dissertation writing process.

Plagiarism

The illegal use of another person's words or ideas as your own without acknowledging that person through an academically accepted citation process. Many colleges and universities have strict policies and punishments for plagiarism.

Postdoc (Postdoctoral scholar)

A recent phd recipient engaged in a temporary period of mentored research, scholarly training, or teaching in order to acquire professional skills.

Prerequisite

A required course that must be completed before a student is permitted to enroll in a more advanced course.

Probation

A status given to students with a low GPA and unsatisfactory academic work as defined by their college or university. The probationary period requires students to improve their performance or be dismissed from school.

Promotion

The process of gaining tenure and moving from assistant professor to associate professor to full professor.

Provost

The chief academic officer at a college or university responsible for overseeing academic policies and curriculum-related matters.

Qualifying Exams

Similar to the comprehensive exam taken by students at the conclusion of a master's program or following the completion of doctoral coursework.

RA (Research Assistant)

A graduate student employed part-time to assist faculty with research.

Registration

The process in which students choose and enroll in courses for an academic term.

Reserves

Refers to course items like textbooks and additional research material placed on reserve by a professor at the library for student use throughout the academic term.

SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test)

A standardized test required for admission into a college or university and is usually taken in the junior or senior year of high school. The exam measure reading, writing, and math skills.

Scholarship

A type of financial aid that consists of free money given to a student by a school, individual, organization, company, charity, or federal/state government to help pay for college tuition and expenses.

Section Number

A number that is used to distinguish between multiple classes of the same course.