Common Admissions Terms

ACT: The ACT, administered by American College Testing of Iowa City, Iowa, is a three-hour test that measures a student's aptitude in English, mathematics, reading, and science reasoning. Some colleges will accept the ACT or SAT. Most students take the ACT or the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school.

Applicant Pool: The total number of students applying to a given college or university in a particular year.

Common Application: This application allows a student to complete a single application, and send it to more than 150 colleges and universities that participate in the program. A list of these schools (and the application itself) is available at www.commonapp.org.

Deferred Admissions: A program that permits an accepted student to postpone the college enrollment date for personal reasons (e.g., Year in Israel, personal hardship, illness, etc.). 
 
Early Decision: Through this program offered by many colleges and universities, students willing to commit to a school if accepted submit their application by a date well before the general admission deadline. If accepted, the student must enroll in that school, so students should only apply early decision to their first choice school.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC): An amount, determined by a formula that is specified by law, that indicates how much of a family's financial resources should be available to help pay for school. The EFC is used in determining eligibility for federal need-based aid.

Grant: A grant is a sum of money given to a student for the purposes of paying at least part of the cost of college that does not have to be repaid.

Loan: A loan is a type of financial aid that must be repaid. In many cases, however, payments do not begin until the student completes college.

Merit-Based Financial Aid: Financial aid is given to students who meet requirements not related to financial needs. Most merit-based aid is awarded on the basis of academic performance or potential and is given in the form of scholarships or grants.

Need-Based Financial Aid: Financial aid given to students who are determined to be in financial need of assistance based on their income and assets and their families' income and assets.
 
Open Admissions: This term means that a college admits most or all students who apply to the school. At some colleges it means that anyone who has a high school diploma or a GED can enroll. At other schools it means that anyone over 18 can enroll. "Open admissions," therefore, can mean slightly different things at different schools.

Pell Grants: Federal need-based grants.

Perkins Loans: Federal low-interest loans for undergraduates and graduate students with exceptional financial need. Loans are awarded by the school.
 
PSAT/NMSQT: The Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a practice test that helps students prepare for the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT I). Although colleges do not see a student's PSAT/NMSQT score, a student who does very well on this test and who meets many other academic performance criteria may qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program.
 
SAT: The Scholastic Assessment Test, is administered by the College Board, a non-profit organization with headquarters in New York City. The SAT is a test that measures a student's mathematical, verbal reasoning, and writing abilities. Some colleges accept this test or the ACT. Most students take the SAT or the ACT during their junior or senior year of high school.

SAT Subject Test: SAT subject tests (also known as SAT II tests) are offered in many areas of study including English, mathematics, many sciences, history, and foreign languages. Some colleges require students to take one or more SAT subject tests when they apply for admission.
 
Stafford Loans: There are two types of Stafford Loans — one need-based and another non-need-based. Under the Stafford Loan programs, students can borrow money to attend school and the federal government will guarantee the loan in case of default.

Waiting List: A term used by colleges and universities to describe a process in which they may initially delay offering or denying admission. The school extends the possibility of admission until after receiving decisions from students already admitted.