Items preceded by an asterisk (*) represent definitions
agreed to among publishers which do not appear
on the CDS document but may be present on individual
publishers’ surveys.
*Academic advisement: Plan under which each student
is assigned to a faculty member or a trained adviser, who, through regular
meetings, helps the student plan and implement immediate and long-term academic
and vocational goals.
Accelerated program: Completion of a college
program of study in fewer than the usual number of years, most often by attending
summer sessions and carrying extra courses during the regular academic term.
Admitted student: Applicant who is offered admission
to a degree-granting program at your institution.
*Adult student services: Admission assistance,
support, orientation, and other services expressly for adults who have started
college for the first time, or who are re-entering after a lapse of a few years.
American Indian or Alaska native: A person having
origins in any of the original peoples of North America and who maintains cultural
identification through tribal affiliation or community recognition.
Applicant (first-time, first year): An individual
who has fulfilled the institution’s requirements to be considered for admission
(including payment or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has been
notified of one of the following actions: admission, nonadmission, placement
on waiting list, or application withdrawn (by applicant or institution).
Application fee: That amount of money that an
institution charges for processing a student’s application for acceptance.
This amount is not creditable toward tuition and required fees, nor is it refundable
if the student is not admitted to the institution.
Asian or Pacific Islander: A person having origins
in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, the Indian
Subcontinent, or Pacific Islands. This includes people from China, Japan, Korea,
the Philippine Islands, American Samoa, India, and Vietnam.
Associate degree: An award that normally requires
at least two but less than four years of full-time equivalent college work.
Bachelor’s degree: An award (baccalaureate or
equivalent degree, as determined by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of
Education) that normally requires at least four years but not more than five
years of full-time equivalent college-level work. This includes ALL bachelor’s
degrees conferred in a five-year cooperative (work-study plan) program. (A
cooperative plan provides for alternate class attendance and employment in
business, industry, or government; thus, it allows students to combine actual
work experience with their college studies.) Also, it includes bachelor’s degrees
in which the normal four years of work are completed in three years.
Black, non-Hispanic: A person having origins
in any of the black racial groups of Africa (except those of Hispanic origin).
Board (charges): Assume average cost for 19 meals
per week or the maximum meal plan. Books and supplies (costs): Average cost
of books and supplies. Do not include unusual costs for special groups of students
(e.g., engineering or art majors), unless they constitute the majority of students
at your institution.
Calendar system: The method by which an institution
structures most of its courses for the academic year.
*Career and placement services: A range of services,
including (often) the following: coordination of visits of employers to campus;
aptitude and vocational testing; interest inventories, personal counseling;
help in resume writing, interviewing, launching the job search; listings for
those students desiring employment and those seeking permanent positions; establishment
of a permanent reference folder; career resource materials.
Carnegie units: One year of study or the equivalent
in a secondary school subject.
Certificate: See Postsecondary award, certificate,
or diploma.
Class rank: The relative numerical position of
a student in his or her graduating class, calculated by the high school on
the basis of grade-point average, whether weighted or unweighted.
College-preparatory program: Courses in academic
subjects (English, history and social studies, foreign languages, mathematics,
science, and the arts) that stress preparation for college or university study.
Common Application: The standard application
form distributed by the National Association of Secondary School Principals
for a large number of private colleges who are members of the Common Application
Group.
*Community service program: Referral center for
students wishing to perform volunteer work in the community or participate
in volunteer activities coordinated by academic departments.
Commuter: A student who lives off campus in housing
that is not owned by, operated by, or affiliated with the college. This category
includes students who commute from home and students who have moved to the
area to attend college.
Contact hour: A unit of measure that represents
an hour of scheduled instruction given to students. Also referred to as clock
hour.
Continuous basis (for program enrollment): A
calendar system classification that is used by institutions that enroll students
at any time during the academic year. For example, a cosmetology school or
a word processing school might allow students to enroll and begin studies at
various times, with no requirement that classes begin on a certain date.
Cooperative housing: College-owned, -operated,
or -affiliated housing in which students share room and board expenses and
participate in household chores to reduce living expenses. Cooperative (work-study
plan) program: A program that provides for alternate class attendance and employment
in business, industry, or government.
*Counseling service: Activities designed to assist
students in making plans and decisions related to their education, career,
or personal development.
Credit: Recognition of attendance or performance
in an instructional activity (course or program) that can be applied by a recipient
toward the requirements for a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal
award.
Credit course: A course that, if successfully
completed, can be applied toward the number of courses required for achieving
a degree, diploma, certificate, or other formal award.
Credit hour: A unit of measure representing an
hour (50 minutes) of instruction over a 15-week period in a semester or trimester
system or a 10-week period in a quarter system. It is applied toward the total
number of hours needed for completing the requirements of a degree, diploma,
certificate, or other formal award.
Cross-registration: A system whereby students
enrolled at one institution may take courses at another institution without
having to apply to the second institution.
Deferred admission: The practice of permitting
admitted students to postpone enrollment, usually for a period of one academic
term or one year.
Degree: An award conferred by a college, university,
or other postsecondary education institution as official recognition for the
successful completion of a program of studies.
Degree-seeking students: Students enrolled in
courses for credit who are recognized by the institution as seeking a degree
or formal award. At the undergraduate level, this is intended to include students
enrolled in vocational or occupational programs.
Differs by program (calendar system): A calendar
system classification that is used by institutions that have occupational/vocational
programs of varying length. These schools may enroll students at specific times
depending on the program desired. For example, a school might offer a two-month
program in January, March, May, September, and November; and a three-month
program in January, April, and October.
Diploma: See Postsecondary award, certificate,
or diploma.
Distance learning: An option for earning course
credit at off-campus locations via cable television, internet, satellite classes,
videotapes, correspondence courses, or other means.
Doctoral degree: The highest award a student
can earn for graduate study. The doctoral degree classification includes such
degrees as Doctor of Education, Doctor of Juridical Science, Doctor of Public
Health, and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in any field such as agronomy,
food technology, education, engineering, public administration, ophthalmology,
or radiology. For the Doctor of Public Health degree, the prior degree is generally
earned in the closely related field of medicine or in sanitary engineering.
Double major: Program in which students may complete
two undergraduate programs of study simultaneously.
Dual enrollment: A program through which high
school students may enroll in college courses while still enrolled in high
school. Students are not required to apply for admission to the college in
order to participate.
Early action plan: An admission plan that allows
students to apply and be notified of an admission decision well in advance
of the regular notification dates. If admitted, the candidate is not committed
to enroll; the student may reply to the offer under the college’s regular reply
policy.
Early admission: A policy under which students
who have not completed high school are admitted and enroll full time in college,
usually after completion of their junior year.
Early decision plan: A plan that permits students
to apply and be notified of an admission decision (and financial aid offer
if applicable) well in advance of the regular notification date. Applicants
agree to accept an offer of admission and, if admitted, to withdraw their applications
from other colleges. There are three possible decisions for early decision
applicants: admitted, denied, or not admitted but forwarded for consideration
with the regular applicant pool, without prejudice.
English as a Second Language (ESL): A course
of study designed specifically for students whose native language is not English.
Exchange student program-domestic: Any arrangement
between a student and a college that permits study for a semester or more at
another college in the United States without extending the amount of time required
for a degree. See also Study abroad.
External degree program: A program of study in
which students earn credits toward a degree through independent study, college
courses, proficiency examinations, and personal experience. External degree
programs require minimal or no classroom attendance.
Extracurricular activities (as admission factor): Special
consideration in the admissions process given for participation in both school
and nonschool-related activities of interest to the college, such as clubs,
hobbies, student government, athletics, performing arts, etc.
First professional certificate (postdegree): An
award that requires completion of an organized program of study designed for
persons who have completed the first professional degree. Examples could be
refresher courses or additional units of study in a specialty or subspecialty.
First professional degree: An award in one of
the following fields: Chiropractic (DC, DCM), dentistry (DDS, DMD), medicine
(MD), optometry (OD), osteopathic medicine (DO), rabbinical and Talmudic studies
(MHL, Rav), Pharmacy (BPharm, PharmD), podiatry (PodD, DP, DPM), veterinary
medicine (DVM), law (LLB, JD), divinity/ministry (BD, MDiv).
First-time student: A student attending any institution
for the first time at the level enrolled. Includes students enrolled in the
fall term who attended a postsecondary institution for the first time at the
same level in the prior summer term. Also includes students who entered with
advanced standing (college credit earned before graduation from high school).
First-time, first-year (freshman) student: A
student attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level.
Includes students enrolled in the fall term who attended college for the first
time in the prior summer term. Also includes students who entered with advanced
standing (college credits earned before graduation from high school).
First-year student: A student who has completed
less than the equivalent of 1 full year of undergraduate work; that is, less
than 30 semester hours (in a 120-hour degree program) or less than 900 contact
hours.
Freshman: A first-year undergraduate student.
*Freshman/new student orientation: Orientation
addressing the academic, social, emotional, and intellectual issues involved
in beginning college. May be a few hours or a few days in length; at some colleges,
there is a fee.
Full-time student (undergraduate): A student
enrolled for 12 or more semester credits, 12 or more quarter credits, or 24
or more contact hours a week each term.
Geographical residence (as admission factor): Special
consideration in the admission process given to students from a particular
region, state, or country of residence.
Grade-point average (academic high school GPA): The
sum of grade points a student has earned in secondary school divided by the
number of courses taken. The most common system of assigning numbers to grades
counts four points for an A, three points for a B, two points for a C, one
point for a D, and no points for an E or F. Unweighted GPA’s assign the same
weight to each course. Weighting gives students additional points for their
grades in advanced or honors courses.
Graduate student: A student who holds a bachelor’s
or first professional degree, or equivalent, and is taking courses at the post-baccalaureate
level.
*Health services: Free or low cost on-campus
primary and preventive health care available to students.
High school diploma or recognized equivalent: A
document certifying the successful completion of a prescribed secondary school
program of studies, or the attainment of satisfactory scores on the Tests of
General Educational Development (GED), or another state-specified examination.
Hispanic: A person of Mexican, Puerto Rican,
Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless
of race.
Honors program: Any special program for very
able students offering the opportunity for educational enrichment, independent
study, acceleration, or some combination of these.
Independent study: Academic work chosen or designed
by the student with the approval of the department concerned, under an instructor’s
supervision, and usually undertaken outside of the regular classroom structure.
In-state tuition: The tuition charged by institutions
to those students who meet the state’s or institution’s residency requirements.
International student: See Nonresident alien.
Internship: Any short-term, supervised work experience
usually related to a student’s major field, for which the student earns academic
credit. The work can be full- or part-time, on- or off-campus, paid or unpaid.
*Learning center: Center offering assistance
through tutors, workshops, computer programs, or audiovisual equipment in reading,
writing, math, and skills such as taking notes, managing time, taking tests.
*Legal services: Free or low cost legal advice
for a range of issues (personal and other).
Liberal arts/career combination: Program in which
a student earns undergraduate degrees in two separate fields, one in a liberal
arts major and the other in a professional or specialized major, whether on
campus or through cross-registration.
Master’s degree: An award that requires the successful
completion of a program of study of at least the full-time equivalent of one
but not more than two academic years of work beyond the bachelor’s degree.
Minority affiliation (as admission factor): Special
consideration in the admission process for members of designated racial/ethnic
minority groups.
*Minority student center: Center with programs,
activities, and/or services intended to enhance the college experience of students
of color.
Nonresident alien: A person who is not a citizen
or national of the United States and who is in this country on a visa or temporary
basis and does not have the right to remain indefinitely.
*On-campus day care: Licensed day care for students’ children
(usually age 3 and up); usually for a fee.
Open admission: Admission policy under which
virtually all secondary school graduates or students with GED equivalency diplomas
are admitted without regard to academic record, test scores, or other qualifications.
Other expenses (costs): Include average costs
for clothing, laundry, entertainment, medical (if not a required fee), and
furnishings.
Out-of-state tuition: The tuition charged by
institutions to those students who do not meet the institution’s or state’s
residency requirements.
Part-time student (undergraduate): A student
enrolled for fewer than 12 credits per semester or quarter, or fewer than 24
contact hours a week each term.
*Personal counseling: One-on-one or group counseling
with trained professionals for students who want to explore personal, educational,
or vocational issues.
Post-baccalaureate certificate: An award that
requires completion of an organized program of study requiring 18 credit hours
beyond the bachelor’s; designed for persons who have completed a baccalaureate
degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title
of master.
Post-master’s certificate: An award that requires
completion of an organized program of study of 24 credit hours beyond the master’s
degree but does not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral
level.
Postsecondary award, certificate, or diploma: Includes
the following three IPEDS definitions for postsecondary awards, certificates,
and diplomas of varying durations and credit/contact hour requirements:
Less Than 1 Academic Year: Requires completion of an organized program of
study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree) in less than
1 academic year (2 semesters or 3 quarters) or in less than 900 contact hours
by a student enrolled full-time.
At Least 1 But Less Than 2 Academic Years: Requires completion of an organized
program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree)
in at least 1 but less than 2 full-time equivalent academic years, or designed
for completion in at least 30 but less than 60 credit hours, or in at least
900 but less than 1,800 contact hours.
At Least 2 But Less Than 4 Academic Years: Requires completion of an organized
program of study at the postsecondary level (below the baccalaureate degree)
in at least 2 but less than 4 full-time equivalent academic years, or designed
for completion in at least 60 but less than 120 credit hours, or in at least
1,800 but less than 3,600 contact hours.
Private institution: An educational institution
controlled by a private individual(s) or by a nongovernmental agency, usually
supported primarily by other than public funds, and operated by other than
publicly elected or appointed officials.
Private for-profit institution: A private institution
in which the individual(s) or agency in control receives compensation, other
than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk.
Private nonprofit institution: A private institution
in which the individual(s) or agency in control receives no compensation, other
than wages, rent, or other expenses for the assumption of risk. These include
both independent nonprofit schools and those affiliated with a religious organization.
Proprietary institution: See Private for-profit
institution.
Public institution: An educational institution
whose programs and activities are operated by publicly elected or appointed
school officials, and which is supported primarily by public funds.
Quarter calendar system: A calendar system in
which the academic year consists of three sessions called quarters of about
12 weeks each. The range may be from 10 to 15 weeks. There may be an additional
quarter in the summer.
Race/ethnicity: Category used to describe groups
to which individuals belong, identify with, or belong in the eyes of the community.
The categories do not denote scientific definitions of anthropological origins.
A person may be counted in only one group.
Race/ethnicity unknown: Category used to classify
students or employees whose race/ethnicity is not known and whom institutions
are unable to place in one of the specified racial/ethnic categories.
Religious affiliation/commitment (as admission factor): Special
consideration given in the admission process for affiliation with a certain
church or faith/religion, commitment to a religious vocation, or observance
of certain religious tenets/lifestyle.
*Religious counseling: One-on-one or group counseling
with trained professionals for students who want to explore religious problems
or issues.
*Remedial services: Instructional courses designed
for students deficient in the general competencies necessary for a regular
postsecondary curriculum and educational setting.
Required fees: Fixed sum charged to students
for items not covered by tuition and required of such a large proportion of
all students that the student who does NOT pay is the exception. Do not include
application fees or optional fees such as lab fees or parking fees.
Resident alien or other eligible non-citizen: A
person who is not a citizen or national of the United States and who has been
admitted as a legal immigrant for the purpose of obtaining permanent resident
alien status (and who holds either an alien registration card [Form I-551 or
I-151], a Temporary Resident Card [Form I-688], or an Arrival-Departure Record
[Form I-94] with a notation that conveys legal immigrant status, such as Section
207 Refugee, Section 208 Asylee, Conditional Entrant Parolee or Cuban-Haitian).
Room and board (charges)—on campus: Assume double
occupancy in institutional housing and 19 meals per week (or maximum meal plan).
Secondary school record (as admission factor): Information
maintained by the secondary school that may include such things as the student’s
high school transcript, class rank, GPA, and teacher and counselor recommendations.
Semester calendar system: A calendar system that
consists of two semesters during the academic year with about 16 weeks for
each semester of instruction. There may be an additional summer session.
Student-designed major: A program of study based
on individual interests, designed with the assistance of an adviser.
Study abroad: Any arrangement by which a student
completes part of the college program studying in another country. Can be at
a campus abroad or through a cooperative agreement with some other U.S. college
or an institution of another country.
*Summer session: A summer session is shorter
than a regular semester and not considered part of the academic year. It is
not the third term of an institution operating on a trimester system or the
fourth term of an institution operating on a quarter calendar system. The institution
may have 2 or more sessions occurring in the summer months. Some schools, such
as vocational and beauty schools, have year-round classes with no separate
summer session.
Talent/ability (as admission factor): Special
consideration given to students with demonstrated talent/abilities in areas
of interest to the institution (e.g., sports, the arts, languages, etc.).
Teacher certification program: Program designed
to prepare students to meet the requirements for certification as teachers
in elementary, middle/junior high, and secondary schools.
Transfer applicant: An individual who has fulfilled
the institution’s requirements to be considered for admission (including payment
or waiving of the application fee, if any) and who has previously attended
another college or university and earned college-level credit.
Transfer student: A student entering the institution
for the first time but known to have previously attended a postsecondary institution
at the same level (e.g., undergraduate). The student may transfer with or without
credit.
Transportation (costs): Assume two round trips
to student’s hometown per year for students in institutional housing or daily
travel to and from your institution for commuter students.
Trimester calendar system: An academic year consisting
of 3 terms of about 15 weeks each.
Tuition: Amount of money charged to students
for instructional services. Tuition may be charged per term, per course, or
per credit.
*Tutoring: May range from one-on-one tutoring
in specific subjects to tutoring in an area such as math, reading, or writing.
Most tutors are college students; at some colleges, they are specially trained
and certified.
Unit: a standard of measurement representing
hours of academic instruction (e.g., semester credit, quarter credit, contact
hour).
Undergraduate: A student enrolled in a four-
or five-year bachelor’s degree program, an associate degree program, or a vocational
or technical program below the baccalaureate.
*Veteran’s counseling: Helps veterans and their
dependents obtain benefits for their selected program and provides certifications
to the Veteran’s Administration. May also provide personal counseling on the
transition from the military to a civilian life.
*Visually impaired: Any person whose sight loss
is not correctable and is sufficiently severe as to adversely affect educational
performance.
Volunteer work (as admission factor): Special
consideration given to students for activity done on a volunteer basis (e.g.,
tutoring, hospital care, working with the elderly or disabled) as a service
to the community or the public in general.
Wait list: List of students who meet the admission
requirements but will only be offered a place in the class if space becomes
available.
Weekend college: A program that allows students
to take a complete course of study and attend classes only on weekends.
White, non-Hispanic: A person having origins
in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East
(except those of Hispanic origin).
*Women’s center: Center with programs, academic
activities, and/or services intended to promote an understanding of the evolving
roles of women.
Work experience (as admission factor): Special
consideration given to students who have been employed prior to application,
whether for relevance to major, demonstration of employment-related skills,
or as explanation of student’s academic and extracurricular record.
Financial Aid Definitions
Financial aid applicant: Any applicant who submits
any one of the institutionally required financial aid applications/forms, such
as the FAFSA.
Indebtedness: Aggregate dollar amount borrowed
through any loan programs (federal, state, subsidized, unsubsidized, private,
etc.; excluding parent loans) while the student was enrolled at an institution.
Student loans co-signed by a parent are assumed to be the responsibility of
the student and should be included.
Institutional and external funds: Endowment,
alumni, or external monies for which the institution determines the recipient
or the dollar amount awarded.
Financial need: As determined by your institution
using the federal methodology and/or your institution's own standards.
Need-based aid: College-funded or college-administered
award from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student
must have financial need to qualify. This includes both institutional and noninstitutional
student aid (grants, jobs, and loans).
Need-based gift aid: Scholarships and grants
from institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must
have financial need to qualify.
Need-based self-help aid: Loans and jobs from
institutional, state, federal, or other sources for which a student must demonstrate
financial need to qualify.
Non-need-based gift aid: Scholarships and grants,
gifts, or merit-based aid from institutional, state, federal, or other sources
(including unrestricted funds or gifts and endowment income) awarded solely
on the basis of academic achievement, merit, or any other non-need-based reason.
When reporting questions H1 and H2, non-need-based aid that is used to meet
need should be counted as need-based aid.
Note: Suggested order of precedence for counting
non-need money as need-based: Non-need institutional grants Non-need tuition
waivers Non-need athletic awards Non-need federal grants Non-need state grants
Non-need outside grants Non-need student loans Non-need parent loans Non-need
work
Non-need-based self-help aid: Loans and jobs
from institutional, state, or other sources for which a student need not demonstrate
financial need to qualify. Scholarships/grants from external sources: Monies
received from outside (private) sources that the student brings with them (e.g.,
Kiwanis, National Merit scholarships). The institution may process paperwork
to receive the dollars, but it has no role in determining the recipient or
the dollar amount awarded.
Work study and employment: Federal and state
work study aid, and any employment packaged by your institution in financial
aid awards.
