A2C: Applying to College; common abbreviation used in college-applying generation.
Admission: Getting an offer from the college. Let them know by May 1st.
August 1: Common App application opens for that year.
BigFuture: Resource for College Board to find colleges.
Binding: If you apply and if they offer you the admission, you must get enrolled.
CoA: Cost of Attendance
College freshman: First year of college (equivalent to class 13)
College junior: Third year of college (equivalent to class 15)
College Senior: Fourth year of college (equivalent to class 16)
College Sophomore: Second year of college (equivalent to class 14)
CSS: College Scholarship Services; used by International students who can not apply for aid through FAFSA.
DN: Demonstrated Need
DS -160: US Embassy Visa Interview form.
Early Action: Applied early during November, non- Binding
Early Decision: Applied early during November, binding
ED2, ED3: Second and third Early Decision rounds.
EFC: Expected Family Contribution
Endowment: money received from alumni by the college. Great source of earning for private colleges, since they don’t get tax benefit.
Enrollment: Admitting into the program by paying and registering for the class.
FAFSA: Free Application For Federal Student Aid. Applicable for those who are US Citizens or permanent residents.
Flagship Campus: Main campus when the college has multiple campuses.
Full-ride scholarship: Aid that covers tuition and other expenses including meal, lodging and sometimes flight.
Full-tuition Scholarship: Aid that covers tuition and some related fees.
High school freshman: Student of Class nine
High school junior: Student of Class eleven, equivalent to HSC first year in Bangladesh.
High school senior: Student of Class twelve, equivalent to HSC second year in Bangladesh.
High school sophomore: Student of Class ten
I-20: Form I-20 which the College sends you to apply for the Visa.
In-state tuition: Reduced tuition for state- residents, given by state (public) universities. Not seen in private universities.
LAC: Liberal Arts College; small teaching-focused and mainly private colleges.
Legacy: (secondary meaning) Tendency or bias to give privileges to requests received from big donors of the university.
National College Decision Day: May 1
Non-binding: If you receive the offer, you may decline.
October 1: FAFSA and CSS opening day
Out-of-state tuition: higher tuition that out-state residents or international students pay, especially in the state universities.
Priority dates: Dates before which Rolling Admission programs give priority.
REA: Restrictive Early Action; you can’t apply to other programs at the same time.
Rolling admission: No deadline; you can apply until their class is full.
SCEA: Single Choice Early Action (similar to REA).
SEVIS: Student and Exchange Visitor Information System
STEM: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
Sticker price: Tuition fee before an aid is awarded.
Yield: Percentage of students who actually get enrolled after receiving the admission offer.