My son almost dropped out of college accidentally. By the time he met with his academic advisor during the spring semester of his first year, he’d already decided the university he was attending wasn’t a good fit. He planned to transfer to another college, closer to home, in the fall.
But what he told his advisor was I’m going to withdraw from the university. He had no idea that withdraw means something very different from transfer. (Every time I tell this story, I point out that his advisor should have known this and asked whether my son really meant that he was leaving midway through a semester.)
Fortunately, procrastination kept him from filling out the withdrawal forms he’d been handed long enough that I could head off a disaster. But that experience taught me something important: college has a language all its own. If you don’t speak that language, you might find yourself in a big mess.
Whether you’re heading back to college this fall or sending a child into their first year at a university, I’m hopeful this glossary of basic terms will make that journey a little smoother. I’ve listed them in alphabetical order so you can find the term you’re looking for.
Academic advisor: This is the person who will help you figure out which classes to take. You will likely be required to meet with them before each registration period. Your advisor is appointed by the university.
Bachelor’s degree: This is what most people refer to as a college degree.
Catalog: An official publication of a college or university, including all degree requirements and policies for a specific time period. You will enroll for classes under a particular catalog; the policies printed there will apply to you, even if that information changes in later years. If, for instance, you enroll as a Psychology major under the 2019-20 catalog, and the requirements for a Psychology degree later change, those changes will not apply to you.
Class schedule: A list of the classes offered (and the times at which they’re being offered) for each semester. The biggest difference between high school and college is that you won’t be in class every day from 8:00 to 3:00; your class schedule will be different from one semester to the next.
Course number: This is how universities identify the classes students take. At my university, for instance, the first-year composition course is ENGL 131. Every class has an identifying number; you’ll need to know that number when you register for a class.
Credits (or credit hours, or hours): Usually, this refers to the number of hours you will spend in a class each week. A class that meets for one hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday is a 3 credit (or 3 hour) class. There are some exceptions to this general rule–a science lab that meets once a week is usually worth 1 credit, for instance, even though it lasts longer than an hour. However, figuring that 1 credit = 1 hour of class time is generally accurate. Someone who asks “How many hours are you taking this semester?” is asking about credits.
Electives: Courses that aren’t required to fulfill a major, minor, or general education requirement. A bachelor’s degree requires students to complete a standard number of credit hours. That number is set by an accrediting agency, not by the university itself. If your major and general education requirements don’t total this number, you’ll take electives to make up the difference.
Full-time student: A student who has enrolled for a specific number of credit hours in a given semester. Full-time enrollment is a good deal because it allows you to take a larger number of classes at no additional cost. At my university, 12 to 18 hours is full-time enrollment; this means that you’ll pay the same amount of money whether you take 12 hours or 18 hours.
General Education: A broad range of classes designed for all students. These are required of everyone attending the university.
GPA (Grade Point Average): This can be broken down in two ways. Each semester, you’ll earn a GPA based only on the classes you completed that term. You will also earn something called a cumulative GPA, which is based on all the classes you’ve completed at a university.
Major: A concentrated area of study. Some students choose to “double major,” meaning they fulfill the requirements for two areas of concentration. This takes careful planning, but it can be done.
Minor: A secondary, more limited area of concentration. Students often aren’t required to declare a minor, but it’s a good way to develop another area of expertise.
Office hours: The days and times when a professor is available to meet with students in their office. Typically, your professor will have 3 to 5 office hours per week. Each professor’s office hours are different each semester; they’ll be listed on the class syllabus and on the professor’s office door.
Prerequisite: A class that must be taken prior to another class, usually because it provides foundational information. For instance, Psychology 101 might be a prerequisite for any other course in Psychology.
Registration: Signing up for the next semester’s classes. Remember that you may be required to schedule an advising appointment before you’re allowed to register.
Syllabus: The policy document and daily schedule for each class. Any time you have a question about a class, check the syllabus; chances are, the answer to your question can be found there. If not, ask the professor during office hours.
Transcript: Your “report card,” listing all the classes you’ve taken at a university and the grades you’ve received. If you transfer from one university to another, you’ll be asked to provide a copy of your transcript.
These are just the basics–no doubt you’ll come across many other mysterious terms as you work your way through the process of enrolling for college classes. Feel free to ask about them in the comments section, and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.
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