GLOSSARY
OF COLLEGE TERMS
Accreditation & Transfer Credits
Most colleges are accredited by regional accrediting associations
(Northwest Accrediting Association, Northcentral Accrediting Association,
etc.). Colleges approved by these agencies have been
thoroughly investigated, and are certified to provide you with a quality education.
College credits usually transfer easily between these schools.
Colleges that are not accredited come with no seal of
approval, and courses you take at these schools most likely WILL NOT TRANSFER
to another
college. In addition, your degree from a non-accredited school may not be
accepted or valued by prospective employers.
So if you want to impress your
admissions rep, ask about accreditation.
You will certainly learn something valuable.
Advisor
A staff or faculty member appointed by the college to assist
you in die selection of your courses and the establishment of your
educational goals. In the UAA School of Nursing, that person is Marie Samson.
Marie is trained to know what is available at the college to help you succeed.
But your advisor
cannot help if you do not go to them. College is a complicated and ever-changing
process. Don't try to go it alone, or you
could waste precious semesters taking courses you do not need and which
do not help you achieve your goals.
Application for Admission
Though you may be able to register
for some classes without applying to a specific college, you will be required
to apply at a certain stage of your educational journey. At UAA, you will
need to apply to the School of Nursing after you have completed
certain steps and classes.
Credit Hours
The courses you take in college will be classified by the
number of hours you spend in the classroom. For a one credit hour
course, you should spend one hour per week in class during the semester.
For a two credit hour course, you should spend two hours. And so on. Keep
in mind that each course also requires homework and/or time spent in labs (computer
labs, language labs & science labs).
Dean
Most colleges have two deans you should get to know (if
possible). The Academic Dean is responsible for all issues regarding
classroom instruction. She or he will make decisions regarding your
appeals, should you need them. The Dean of Student Affairs is usually responsible
for all issues regarding housing, athletics, learning assistance,
activities, student government, etc. Any disciplinary
appeal will most likely be heard by this person.
FAFSA
The Free Application for Student Aid. You must complete
and submit this form in order to qualify for federal aid (Pell
Grant, Stafford Student Loans, SLOG). Most federal aid is based on this financial
information provided by you and your parents. You can complete this form at any time, but the sooner the better. Apply in January
to assure that the money is available.
Fees
Most colleges also charge specialized fees in addition
to tuition. These fees could include: lab fees, technology fees, distance
fees, student government fees, athletic facility fees, etc.
GPA
The numerical representation for your grades. A=4, B=3,
C=2, D=l, F=O. If you take 12 credits during your first year, and get
A's in 9 of them, and get an F in the remaining 3 credit class, your GPA will
be 3.0. You will hear people say that a GPA drops like a rock and rises like
molasses. The important thing to keep in mind is that once your grades
drop, it is hard to bring them back up.
Handbook & Catalog
Although few students read these manuals from front to
back, you will be responsible for their contents. If you break a rule
or policy that is stated in one of these books, you will not be able to claim
ignorance simply because you have not read them. You are expected to read
them, so do. You will find wonderful and helpful information there (along
with boring stuff you may think you will never need). Mostly, use these
books as references. Know how to look something up if you need to. Skim through them
during the first week of class. The handbook contains information regarding college services, personnel, procedures
and policies (rules). The catalog contains information regarding programs
of study (what courses you need to take to complete your degree), college services & procedures, and a brief summary
of each course taught by die college.
Loans, Grants, & Scholarships
A
grant is money provided for you to attend college, usually based on your financial
need or other association. It is money
you do not need to repay. A scholarship is money provided for you to attend
college, usually based on your prior academic performance or other indicated
ability. It is money you do not need
to repay. A loan is money loaned
to you to pay for college. It can be based on need or residency. It is money you will pay back after graduating
or leaving college.
Always
seek grants and scholarships before utilizing loans.
Orientation
Most
colleges provide a process of welcoming you to college. This orientation process
varies from college to college. Wherever
you decide to attend, rest assured that these programs are designed to provide
you with two things: 1) the information you NEED to succeed at that particular
school, and 2) the time to develop relationships with other
students, staff and faculty members. You WILL need orientation, despite what your roommate or other freshmen may tell
you. So start right, and attend.
Placement Tests
Exams designed to tell the college which courses you are
academically prepared to take. If you attend UAA you will need to take
the ASSET test before you register for classes the first time. The ASSET
test will test your skills in math and English. Try not to let the thought
of this test make you nervous though. Think of it this way: you probably do not want to take
a course which is way over your head (in
which case you arc likely to fail), or a course which is way under your level
(in which case you will be bored
stiff).
Registrar
The
staff person responsible for registration. You will generally register for
your courses and make changes in your schedule at the Registrar's Office,
unless you use the Wolfline. (see Wolfline)
Registration
The process of selecting your courses for the semester.
Usually this is done after you have met with your advisor. (see Advisor)
Resident Assistant
A
student assistant in the residence hall who serves as mentor, resource guide,
community builder, and rule enforcer.
These students are usually upper-class students and are carefully screened
and trained.
Room & Board
If you will be living on-campus,
your room fee is for the residence hall room you will occupy. The board
fee is for the meals you will cat on campus. Usually, if you live on campus,
you will be required to select and pay for a board plan.
Syllabus
The crucial information you will
need to know about any course you take in college. It generally includes
an outline and schedule for the course, the instructor's expectations regarding
attendance and coursework, a list of references you will need in the
class, and information regarding how to contact the instructor if you
need assistance. You will learn to live by these things. Never throw them away.
If you transfer to another school after you take a college course, you may
need to show the new school the syllabus in order to receive transfer
credit.
Transcripts & Grades
Your transcript is your record
of courses (including grades) you have taken at a particular institution.
It is an official document, and can only be issued by the registrar's office.
If you transfer to another college, you will need to have your current college
send your new college a copy of your transcript (as well as one from your high
school). You may also be required to submit a copy of your transcript
to prospective employers. Several grades can be recorded on your transcript.
Most colleges use A-B-C-D-F-WD, although each school may vary slightly. While
"C" and "D" arc acceptable for many classes, they
may not be acceptable for coursework in your major area of study. And they are
almost never acceptable for graduate coursework. You will not receive credit for an "F". "WD"
indicates that you withdrew from a course after the deadline to drop courses.
It will not be calculated into your GPA at most schools.
Tuition
The
cost of attending a particular course. Tuition is usually designated per credit
hour. For instance, the tuition
cost of UAA is $82 per credit hour (for an undergraduate Alaska resident in
a lower division course). Keep in mind that if you
attend a college outside of Alaska, you will pay higher tuition rates
than students who attend college in their home state. Tuition does not include:
fees, books, room, board, transportation, etc.
WOLFLine
The
phone system at UAA that allows you to register for classes. Each semester
there is a certain time period the Wolfline system is open for calls. If you
miss that time period you will have to go register for classes in person and
likely have to standing in line. You can see where it is a good thing to use
the Wolfline if you can. No one likes standing in line.