College terms

Academic Advisor: The person at a college who helps students decide what classes to take, what major to pursue, etc.
Academic Standards: College standards that students must maintain, such as a certain grade point average (GPA), in order to remain in good standing with the school.
Academic Year: The school year. See Calendar.
Accredited: Colleges and schools must meet specific requirements in academic programs, facilities, etc. to be certified by accrediting agencies. Usually, colleges must be accredited for their students to receive financial aid. Achievement Tests: Standardized tests given by the College Board in specific high school subjects. Colleges look at scores when making decisions about admission and course placement. These tests are not required by most schools.
ACT: A standardized admission test. See American College Testing Program. Admission Requirements: Students wanting to attend a specific college must meet requirements (high school grade point average, standardized test scores, high school courses, etc.) to be considered for admission.
Advanced Credit: Some colleges offer tests for advanced college credit. Students who receive a high score can earn credit in specific subject areas.
Advanced Placement: Tests given at the end of an Advanced Placement (AP) course taken in high school. Students with high scores on these tests can be placed in upper-level college courses and may receive credit for beginning-level courses.
Advanced or Early Registration: A period of time set by most colleges during which students can register early for classes.
Algebra: Algebra is the most basic branch of mathematics. It explains the laws that govern the other branches. Branches include arithmetic, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus. Simple algebra is concerned with the "laws" of arithmetic. For example, we can multiply two numbers either way and get the same answer. Source: Children's Encyclopedia Britannica vol.1, p.159, 1989.
Alumni: People who have graduated from a school.
American College Testing (ACT) Program: A company that produces standardized admissions tests, including the ACT and PLAN. See Standardized Admissions Tests.
Application Fee: A charge to process a student's application.
Apprenticeship: A training program, like carpentry or welding, that results in certified skills for a trade. Apprentices are usually paid for their training.
Articulation Agreements: An agreement between two schools that allows course credit to be accepted or transferred and be applied toward a degree or certificate.
Arts & Sciences: A grouping of academic studies that may include fine arts, languages, social sciences, natural sciences, and humanities. The group may be called a division, college, or school; for example, the School of Arts and Sciences.
Assistant Instructor: A graduate student who helps a professor. An AI may teach introductory classes, grade papers, or lead discussion sessions; may also be called a Teaching Assistant or TA.
Associate's Degree: The degree granted by colleges after students complete a two-year, full-time program of required courses, or its part-time equivalent. These degrees are offered by many types of colleges, including junior colleges, technical colleges, and colleges and universities that offer bachelor's degrees.