Terminology

Listed below are commonly used terms in the American higher education system.

Undergraduate: Refers to Bachelors programs
Graduate: Refers to post-Bachelors programs like Masters and PhD programs
Common Application: The Common Application (more commonly known as the Common App) is an undergraduate college admission application that applicants may use to apply to over 1,000 member colleges and universities in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
Financial Aid: Money that is given or lent to students in order to help pay for their education. Many American universities like Harvard College and MIT offer Financial aid to all eligible students (including international students).
Need-Based Financial Aid: “need-based” is a designation that is based on a student's financial need. For example, a need-based grant might be awarded based on a student's low income.
- Some schools that offer 100% of demonstrated financial need for international students: Amherst College, Bowdoin College, California Institute of Technology, Davidson College, Middlebury College, Trinity College, Duke University, Colgate University, Columbia University, Princeton University, Swarthmore College, Vassar College, Williams Colleg
Regular Decision: Regular decision is a non-binding entrance plan, meaning that if you are admitted to a school through Regular Decision, you are not committed to attending.
Early Action: Early action (EA) is a college admissions option that allows students to apply earlier than the regular deadline and receive their admission decision earlier
Restrictive Early Action: The simplest definition of “restrictive early action” is an admissions policy used by some colleges and universities that allows students to apply early and receive a decision earlier than regular admission applicants. Under this policy, students are not required to attend if admitted, but they are restricted from applying early to other schools.
Early Decision: Early Decision is a “binding” admissions process, which requires the student to attend the school if accepted. This option is designed for students who are certain about which college they want to attend.
SAT: The SAT is a standardized test widely used for college admissions in the United States. Students will normally choose between taking the SAT or ACT when applying to colleges in the United States.
SAT Subject Tests: SAT Subject Tests were a set of multiple-choice standardized tests given by The College Board on individual topics, typically taken to improve a student's credentials for college admissions in the United States.
ACT: The ACT is a standardized test used for college admissions in the United States.
Transcripts: Your high school transcript is a complete record of your academic achievements in high school. It starts with the first grading period of your first year of high school and is updated each term until you graduate. The website linked includes the main components found on a transcript.