When you apply to college, it can often feel like you need to learn a whole new language. Just when you thought you had a grasp of high school terminology, here comes a wave of new acronyms, terms, and processes for you to learn. For both students and parents, understanding terms like “FAFSA” and “FERPA” or “Early Decision” and “Early Action” can be confusing!
To make this journey a bit smoother, we’ve compiled a glossary of the most common college application terms. This guide is designed to help families understand the essentials so you can tackle the college application with confidence.
Activity List: A section in the Common Application where students list and describe their extracurricular activities, jobs, volunteer work, and other non-academic pursuits.
Learn more about what counts in the Activity List here.
Additional Information: A section in the Common Application where students can provide extra details about academic or personal circumstances that may need some extra context. This is a place to include relevant information not covered elsewhere in the application.
Learn more about how to use the Additional Information section here.
Application Fee: There is (usually) a cost for every application a student submits. The application fee varies by institution. Make sure you consider application fees—they can add up if you apply to many colleges! Fee waivers are often available for students with financial need.
Coalition Application: A college application platform accepted by many colleges and universities, similar to the Common App but with different features and member schools.
Common App: The most widely used college application platform. The Common App allows students to apply to multiple colleges with one application. Colleges can add sections to the application, but students only need to enter their personal information once and write one personal statement.
Counselor Recommendation: A recommendation letter written by the student’s high school counselor, providing insights into a student's academic and personal growth. Counselor recommendations can also give context about the student’s high school, like unusual grading practices or curriculum.
CSS Profile: A financial aid application used by some colleges to determine eligibility for non-federal financial aid.
See the list of schools requiring the CSS Profile here.
Early Action: An application deadline option that allows students to apply in the fall of their senior year and receive an admission decision early—usually by February. There is no commitment to enroll if admitted.
Learn more about the Early Action deadline here.
Early Decision: An application deadline option where students commit to attending a particular college if admitted. It is binding, meaning the student must withdraw all other college applications if admitted. Students may only apply to one school’s Early Decision deadline.
Learn more about the Early Decision deadline here.
FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, a form used to apply for financial aid from the federal government, states, and colleges.
Learn more about the FAFSA here.
FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act protects the privacy of a student’s education records and gives students certain rights regarding those records. Students will encounter FERPA in the application process when they add their recommenders for the first time. Students are asked to waive their rights to view confidential letters of recommendation.
Honors & Awards: A section in college applications where students list any honors or awards they have received. In the Common App, this section is intended for “academic” honors.
Honors Application: The application for students seeking admission to a college's honors program. This application may be part of the general college application or an additional application to complete once the general application is submitted. Honors college applications may require essays, recommendation letters, and details about the student's academic achievements and extracurricular involvement.
Learn more about honors programs here.
Interview: An optional or required meeting with an admissions representative or alumni to discuss the applicant’s qualifications and interest in the college.
Merit-Based Aid: Financial aid awarded based on a student's academic, artistic, athletic, or other achievements rather than financial need.
Learn more about merit-based aid here.
Need-Based Financial Aid: Financial aid awarded based on a student's financial need, determined by the FAFSA and sometimes the CSS Profile.
Read all of our financial aid blog posts.
Net-Price Calculator: An online tool provided by colleges to estimate the total cost of attendance minus any grants or scholarships a student might receive.
Official Score Report: A report sent to colleges directly from the testing agency (ACT or College Board), showing a student's standardized test scores. Some colleges require an official score report if a student submits test scores. There is an associated fee for sending an official score report.
Other Recommenders: Additional people in a student’s life who can provide recommendation letters, such as employers, coaches, or mentors. These recommendations are usually optional and can offer further insights into the applicant’s abilities and character.
Personal Statement: Also called the Common App essay or the college essay, the personal statement is the main college essay that gives colleges the opportunity to learn more about who the student is as a person and what's important to them. This is a student’s opportunity to speak directly to the person reading their application. Students should use this space to tell their stories and be their authentic selves.
Read more about the personal statement here, including the importance of the personal statement, tips for writing the personal statement, essay topics to avoid, and the role of ChatGPT in essay writing.
PIQs (Personal Insight Questions): Specific questions required by the University of California (UC) application, designed to get to know applicants through their responses.
Portal: An online account provided by each college after a student submits their applications. This is where applicants can check the status of their applications, upload documents, and receive updates.
Priority Deadline: An earlier application deadline at some colleges that may give students eligibility for certain programs and scholarships or even a better chance of admission.
Regular Decision: The standard application process with deadlines typically occurring in January. Students receive their admission decisions in the spring, usually by April 1.
Residency: For public institutions, residency refers to whether a student is considered an in-state or out-of-state resident, which can impact tuition costs and admission policies.
Rolling Admission: An application deadline option where colleges review applications as they are received and make decisions throughout the admission cycle rather than waiting until after a fixed deadline.
Learn more about rolling admission here.
Scholarship Application: This is the application for students seeking scholarships based on criteria such as academic achievement, extracurricular involvement, leadership, or financial need. It may be an application for outside scholarships or an institutional scholarship application specific to the college. These applications often require essays, recommendation letters, and detailed information about the student's accomplishments and goals.
School-Based Application: An application associated directly with an institution. Students use this system to apply directly to that school.
School Profile: A document provided by high schools that gives colleges context about the school’s environment, grading system, course offerings, and student population.
Self-Reported Test Scores: When students report their own standardized test scores on college applications, with official scores required upon enrollment. This lets students avoid the fees associated with sending official score reports to every school on their list.
SRAR/SSAR (Self-Reported Academic Record / Self-Reported Student Academic Record): Systems where students enter their high school courses and grades directly into their college applications. These systems are used by some colleges in place of official transcripts during the initial application review.
Supplemental Essays: Additional essays that some colleges may require or recommend in the application process. Supplemental essays focus on specific questions and sometimes include topics related to the college or program the student is applying to.
Learn more about supplemental essays here.
Teacher Recommendation: A letter of recommendation written by a high school teacher highlighting the student’s academic abilities, character, and potential for success in college. Some colleges have specific requirements for teacher recommendations, such as including a letter from a core subject teacher.
Learn more about teacher recommendations here.
Test-Optional: This is an institutional policy where submitting standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) is not required as part of the college application. Students will not be penalized in the admissions process if they choose not to submit test scores.
Learn more about testing policies here.
Transcript: The official record of a student's academic performance in high school, showing courses taken and grades earned. Transcripts are usually sent directly from the high school to the colleges.
UC Application: The application used for all undergraduate campuses in the University of California system. It includes specific sections like Personal Insight Questions (PIQs).