GLOSSARY OF TERMS

College, Careers & Cash: Vocabulary

Types of Schools:

Vocational/Career College: A vocational school, sometimes called a trade school or vocational college, is a post-secondary educational institution designed to provide the technical skills required to perform the tasks of a particular job. For example, there are specific schools that train students for careers in technology, animal care, the automotive industry, beauty and cosmetology, and the culinary field.

Community College: Two-year schools provide affordable post-secondary education as a pathway to a four-year degree. Community colleges do not offer four-year baccalaureate degrees. They have a two-year curriculum that typically terminates with an associate’s degree. Shorter programs may lead to specific professional certifications. Many students transfer from community colleges to four-year colleges.

Liberal Arts College: A liberal arts college is a four-year college with an emphasis on undergraduate study in the liberal arts and sciences. A liberal arts college aims to impart a broad general knowledge and develop general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum.

University: An institution of learning of the highest level, having a college of liberal arts and a program of graduate studies together with several professional schools, such as theology, law, medicine, and engineering, and authorized to confer both undergraduate and graduate degrees.

Types of Degrees:

Associate Degree: An Associate’s Degree typically take two years to complete, usually requiring 60 hours of coursework, including general education courses and courses associated with a major. Associates Degrees are often earned at community colleges, but are also available through four - year schools. Students often apply the credits earned in an associate’s program towards a Bachelor’s Degree program.

Careers available with an associates degree include dental hygienist, police office, registered nurse and web developer

Bachelor Degrees: Not only is the Bachelor’s Degree the degree of choice among employers looking to fill entry-level positions, but students who want to pursue a graduate or professional degree must first earn a Bachelor’s Degree. Bachelor’s Degrees typically take four years to complete, requiring 120 course hours including general education and courses associated with a major. Bachelor’s Degrees are awarded by liberal arts colleges and universities.

There are many careers available to individuals with Bachelor’s Degrees, including teaching,engineering, journalism, sales & marketing, hospitality managers and pilots

Master’s Degrees: A Master’s Degree is a graduate degree that is only available to individuals who have earned a bachelor’s degree. Master’s Degrees typically require one to three years of school to complete and allow students to select a specific focus of interest/specialization. Master’s Degrees are most commonly awarded by universities.

Individuals with Master’s Degrees typically earn more money than those with Bachelor’s degrees and are able to work in specialized jobs such as social worker, counselor or physical therapist.

Doctoral Degree (PhD): A doctorate or doctor’s degree, more commonly known as a PhD is the highest academic degree awarded by universities outside of professional degrees. Many PhD programs require students to have already earned their Master’s Degree, though many do not as this requirement varies by field of study. PhD programs typically take four to six years to complete and require intensive study of a specialized topic.

Individuals with Doctoral Degrees are typically awarded the top positions in their field. Those with PhD’s are also often colle with Doctoral Degrees include university professor.

Professional Degrees:

Career Oriented Majors: Some college majors focus on preparing students for very specific careers. For example, a nursing major gives you the technical skills and knowledge you need to work as a nurse, and prepares you to pass the licensing exam for that career. We can call majors like these career-oriented majors.

MD: Doctor of Medicine. Medical schools in the United States and Canada award an M.D. degree, usually after 4 years undergraduate study at a college or university followed by 4 years of medical school.

JD: Juris Doctor. Anyone pursuing law will likely be interested in obtaining a Juris Doctorate degree or JD Degree. This is the highest education available in the legal profession in the United States and is considered a professional degree. The J.D. will prepare the student to take the state bar exam allowing them to practice law in their state. The Juris Doctorate degree is obtained by going to a law school that has been approved by the American Bar Association.

DDS and DMD: They both mean the same thing—your dentist graduated from an accredited dental school. The DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Medicine in Dentistry or Doctor of Dental Medicine) are the same degrees. Dentists who have a DMD or DDS have the same education.

DNP: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) is a terminal professional degree in nursing. The DNP is one of two doctorate degrees in nursing, the other being the PhD (Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing).

Academic Fit Vocabulary

Academic Fit: what area of study you would like to major in and what type of learning environment is best for you - large classes versus small, online versus in person, etc.

Major: an academic area you specialize in usually comprised of a group of courses required to receive a college degree.

College Admissions: the process of applying for entrance to institutions of higher education.

College Admissions Requirements: minimum academic standards and additional paperwork required for admission to an institution of higher education (these requirements vary by school).

GPA: Most colleges require a minimum high school grade point average to be admitted.

Coursework: Most colleges require students to have taken specific high school courses (these requirements usually align with high school graduation requirements).

ACT: The ACT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States and is commonly used in the mid-US states, including Wyoming. ACT Scores range from 1 - 36, with a score of 20.8 being the average score. This test can be taken multiple times if you are not pleased with your score. All JHHS students will take this test free of charge during April of their Junior year.

SAT: The SAT is another standardized test used for college admissions in the united states. It is commonly used on the east and west coasts. SAT scores range from 400 - 1600 with 1050 being the average score. This test can also be taken multiple time and though JHHS will not provide you a free opportunity to take this test, you are able to take it at an official testing site.

Personal Statement: a written description of ones achievements, interests, etc that is included as part of a college or job application.

Letter of Recommendation: a letter in which a teacher or job supervisor evaluates an individual’s skills, work habits and achievements as part of a college or job application.

Social Fit Vocabulary

Social Fit: feeling as though you “fit” into the culture of the school you attend.

Residential: a college where students can, or are required to, live on campus.

Dormitory: a university or college building in which students live. Dormitories can be single-gender or coed and students can live alone in a dorm room or share a dorm room with roommates.

Extracurricular: a non-academic school activity pursued in addition to normal study (ex: sports, drama, music, honor society, etc)

Intercollegiate: existing or conducted between multiple colleges or universities (ex: intercollegiate sports are sports in which teams play teams from other colleges or universities.)

Intramural: taking place within a single educational institution and usually more casual/inclusive than intercollegiate activities (ex: intramural sports are sports in which teams play teams from the same college or university.)

Sorority: a society for female students in a university or college, typically for social purposes but can also be a academic or career network.

Fraternity: a society for male students in a university or college, typically for social purposes but can also be a academic or career network.

Financial Fit Vocabulary

When you first see the cost of college, you may think that it is too expensive for your family. There is a lot of financial aid available so don’t assume you that can’t afford college. There are four main sources of aid: Federal, State, Institutional and Private.

Need-Based Financial Aid: is money that is given or loaned to you, to help pay college costs, and is based on financial need. Financial aid can come from federal and state governments, colleges, and private and social organizations.

Merit-Based Financial Aid: is money that is given to students based on their personal achievements. Most scholarships are considered merit aid, as they are generally awarded for success in school, the arts, athletics or another area.

Financial Aid Office: A college office that serves as a resource for students who need help paying for college costs. Financial aid officers can help you to apply for and receive grants, loans, scholarships and work-study employment. The financial aid office may also offer programs to help you manage your money.

College Cost Vocabulary

COA-Cost of Attendance: The total amount of college expenses before financial aid. Cost of Attendance includes money spent on tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and living expenses. What is quoted is not always what you will have to pay as many schools offer generous grants and scholarships.

Tuition and Fees: the charge or fee for instruction plus expenses for things like lab classes.

Room and Board: lodging and meals (a place to live and food to eat).

Books and Supplies: the estimated cost of the books and school supplies that you will need for
one year of college.

Living Expenses: the estimate of how much money you will need for incidentals during one year
of college.

EFC-Expected Family Contribution: The amount of the Cost Of Attendance that a family is expected to pay. This is roughly the COA minus financial aid. States and colleges use this number to help determine your financial aid award. The EFC is calculated using information you supply about your family’s financial circumstances.

Demonstrated Need: The difference between your expected family contribution (EFC) and the total cost of attendance (COA) for a particular college.

Net Price: Net price is the true amount a student will pay for a college.

Net Price Calculator: An online tool that gives you a personalized estimate of what it will cost to attend a specific college. Most colleges are required by law to post a net price calculator on their websites.

Sources of Financial Aid

Federal Financial Aid: this is money from the Federal Government. To apply for this, you go to https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa and complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). There are three types of Federal Financial Aid:

Grants: These are also called gift aid because grants don't have to be repaid and you don't need to work to earn them. Grant aid comes from federal and state governments and from individual colleges. Grants are usually awarded based on financial need.

Work-Study: Student employment and work-study aid helps students pay for education costs such as books, supplies and personal expenses. Work-study is a federal program that provides students with part-time employment to help meet their financial needs and give them work experience.

Loans: This is aid that MUST be repaid. Most loans that are awarded based on financial need are low-interest loans sponsored by the federal government. These loans are subsidized by the government so no interest accrues until you begin repayment after you graduate. If you take a loan that isn’t subsidized by the government, you will most likely also have to pay interest on this loan
even while in college. These types of loans should be avoided.

State Aid: this is money that comes from your state of residence.

Hathaway Scholarship: The main source of aid in Wyoming is the Hathaway Scholarship which can be used at the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Community Colleges (see a full list at: http://hathawayscholarship.org/colleges/)

Western Undergraduate Exchange Program (WUE): Students who are residents of WICHE states (Wyoming is a WICHE state) are eligible to request a reduced tuition rate of 150% of resident tuition at participating two- and four-year college programs outside of their home state. The WUE reduced tuition rate is not automatically awarded to all eligible candidates. Many institutions limit the number of new WUE awards each academic year, so apply early.
http://www.wiche.edu/wue

Institutional Aid: private colleges and universities often offer scholarships that are funded by their school or by graduates of their school. Students are usually automatically considered for this aid when they apply to the school.

Private Aid: this is money that comes from private sources, like local scholarships funded by the Rotary Club and The National Museum of Wildlife Art. To receive this aid, students need to apply for each scholarship. JHHS has the list of local scholarships available in the Counseling Office.

Scholarships: These are also called gift aid because scholarships don't have to be repaid and you don't need to work to earn them. Scholarships may be awarded based on merit or partially on merit. That means they’re given to students with certain qualities, such as proven academic or athletic ability. Scholarships are usually awarded by individual colleges or private organizations.

Outside Scholarships: Also called “private scholarships”. A scholarship offered by a private organization — not the government or a college. Outside scholarships are offered by all kinds of groups, individuals, corporations and nonprofit organizations.