College Admissions Vocabulary

AMERICAN COLLEGE TESTING (ACT)

Accepted by all colleges . We strongly encourage Westminster students to consider and sit for the ACT . Westminster is not an ACT test site, but we do have registration information for the test at a nearby test site with quidance from the college office .

ADVANCED PLACEMENT TEST (AP)

Given in May to students who have completed an AP level course . Colleges award credit for sufficiently high scores on the test and may use test results for placement in college courses .

BACHELOR OF ARTS (BA or AB)

Degree awarded which indicates the student has studied one or more subjects in depth (including the sciences) and has also taken a wide distribution of courses in the humanities, social sciences, foreign languages and behavioral sciences . Often the only degree awarded by a liberal arts college .

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (BS)

Degree awarded which indicates the student has studied one or more subjects in depth (typically in the sciences, engineering, business, computers, etc .) but has not been required to take as many courses outside the field of concentration . Typically awarded by universities and some colleges .

BUCKLEY AMENDMENT: FERPA

Under the provisions of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment) you have the right to review your educational records if you enroll at a given college or university . Therefore, on both teacher recommendation forms and on secondary school report forms you will see a section stating your rights under the Buckley Amendment . We suggest that you waive your rights of access to your recommendations . This will tell our teachers and counselors that you trust them to write a truthful recommendation on your behalf . By signing the waiver you waive your right of access to those recommendations, not to the rest of your file at the college .

CANDIDATE NOTIFICATION DATE

The date by which a college notifies applicants of their admission decision .

CANDIDATE REPLY DATE

The date by which admitted students must notify colleges of their enrollment intentions . Variable for Early Decision . May 1 for regular admission .

CLASS RANK

Students are not ranked at Westminster School beyond the top ten .

COLLEGE BOARD

A membership organization of colleges and secondary schools which sponsors programs such as the ETS and the College Scholarship Service .

COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP SERVICE (CSS Profile)

An organization which processes information provided by financial aid applicants and distributes the information to the colleges where students are applying .

COMMON APPLICATION

A single application (available in hard copy, or via the Internet) which is accepted by over 750 selective colleges . After completing the original application form, the student electronically submits it to his/ her college choices which are members the Common Application .

EARLY ACTION (EA)

Early Action is used primarily by highly selective colleges . Early Action follows the same timetable as

Early Decision but allows the accepted candidates until May 1 to accept or decline the offer of admission . Under Early Action programs, it is possible for an applicant to be denied admission outright and not automatically deferred for later consideration .

EARLY ADMISSION

Many colleges have a program that allows a student to apply for admission during the junior year . The Early Admission program at most colleges is reserved for truly exceptional students whose academic preparation and achievement level are sufficient for early entrance to college .

EARLY DECISION (ED)

Not to be confused with early admission, Early Decision is a plan under which a student applies to the first-choice college early in the fall (usually by November 1st) of the senior year and agrees by contract to enter that college if offered admission . Early decision applicants are judged primarily on the basis of their junior year test scores, and grades .

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are several variations of Early Decision and Early Action at different colleges . Read the literature of each college carefully, and ask questions if you do not understand the program entirely .

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSIONS COUNSELORS (NACAC)

An organization of college admission and college counseling individuals which aims to help students make the transition from secondary school to college .

ETS (EDUCATIONAL TESTING SERVICE)

A nonprofit agency established by The College Board to produce its tests .

FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)

Standardized forms required of students who are applying for financial aid . Used to determine eligibility for state and federal grants and scholarships . Available in October online . Must be filed each year aid is sought .

FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE

Typically consists of campus employment, loans and grants . Usually based on need and designed to fill the gap between a family’s ability to pay and the cost of college .

FRESHMAN PROFILE

A college publication that shows statistical information about an entering freshman class . Can be useful in predicting admissions prospects . Available in the College Office .

GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA)

Colleges often compute a high school grade point average based on all grades earned in high school . It is usually on a 4 .0 scale .

HIGH SCHOOL CEEB CODE

College Entrance Exam Board identification number assigned to each school by the College Board . The Westminster CEEB code is 070680 .

LEGACIES

Sons and daughters of an alumna/alumnus (graduate) of the college to which you are applying . At many colleges, legacies have slight preference in the admissions process . Generally speaking, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles or cousins are not considered legacies .

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM and NATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM

Designed to recognize and award scholarships to exceptionally talented students . Based on results of the junior PSATs .

NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER

The organization which oversees athletic recruitment and NCAA eligibility . Division I prospects should visit www .eligibilitycenter .org in the spring of their fifth form year or fall of their sixth form year . Registration forms and informational booklets are available online . (see page 23)

PELL GRANTS

Awarded to students with high need by the federal government . The amount for which the student is eligible can be applied to tuition at any college .

PROFILE

College Scholarship Service form required by many colleges as part of their financial aid application .

PSAT/NMSQT

Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test . The PSAT/NMSQT is a practice test designed to prepare juniors for the SAT and is used in the awarding of merit scholarships . PSAT scores are not used by colleges as admission criteria .

ROLLING ADMISSIONS

Policy whereby a college announces decisions on applications as each file becomes complete . It is usually advisable to apply early to colleges which have this policy .

SCHOLASTIC ASSESSMENT TEST (SAT)

The SAT measures developed verbal, writing and mathematical reasoning abilities related to successful performance in college . Importance for admissions varies widely from college to college . SAT Subject Tests measure knowledge and the ability to apply that knowledge in specific subject areas . Many colleges require two . Plan with your advisor, teachers and college counselor .

SINGLE CHOICE EARLY ACTION

This program is like other non-binding plans in that candidates who are admitted early need not respond to the offer of admission until May 1, and may apply Regular Decision to other schools . Being admitted early would, for example, allow you to compare offers of financial aid in the spring . This early plan is unlike standard Early Action programs in that you may not apply Early Action or Early Decision to any other school . The college office has more information on the specifics of each early program .

STUDENT SEARCH

An optional College Board service to students and colleges . Students may submit information when they register for College Board tests . Colleges receive names of registrants who may be likely admissions candidates and contact those students directly .

TEST OF ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE (TOEFL)

The purpose of this test is to evaluate the English proficiency of people whose native language is not English . If you believe this test would be appropriate for you to take, consult with your college counselor .

WAITING LIST

The waiting list is made up of candidates who are qualified for admission to an institution, but who ranked lower than those accepted . If the college does not fill its freshman class through its regular admissions process, it will turn to the waiting list to fill the remaining spaces .