Attrition rate
Common application
CSS PROFILE®
Early action
Early decision
Expected family contribution (EFC)
FAFSA
Federal Perkins loan
Federal subsidized Stafford loan
Good fit school
Grants
Honors program
Interdisciplinary
Internship
Ivy League
Liberal Arts
Loans
Major
Matriculation
Merit Scholarship
Mid Year Report
National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT)
NCAA Clearinghouse
Need based assistance
PLAN
PLUS loan
Reach school
Regular decision
Rolling admission
Safety school
Scholarships
School code
School profile
School recommendation
Secondary School Report
Selectivity
Seminar
Student Aid Report (SAR)
Student Profile
Transcript
Unsubsidized Stafford loans
Wait list
Work-study
 
 
Attrition rate
Attrition refers to students who either drop out or stop taking classes for a period. It is measured on a yearly basis and over the course of a four-year program. A low attrition rate means that a high percentage of students who enter college in a given year will complete a degree.
 
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Common application
The common application is an online application used by many colleges. It allows students to complete one standard application and send it to multiple schools. Over 275 selective colleges and universities use it for admission to their undergraduate programs. Students complete one common application form, photocopy it, and send the form to any of the participating colleges. The procedure simplifies the college application process and eliminates duplication of effort. Students can also complete the application online and submit it electronically. Colleges accepting the common application will often have a supplemental application that covers specific information or essays needed for that college.
 
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CSS PROFILE®
The College Scholarship Service (CSS) Financial Aid PROFILE® is the financial aid application service of the College Board. The service was created to assist with the administration of student financial aid programs. Colleges and scholarship programs use the information collected on the PROFILE® to determine eligibility for nonfederal student aid funds. Complete the form online at http://profileonline.collegeboard.com/index.jsp.
 
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Early action
Early action is similar to early decision but it is non-binding and the student may apply to other colleges if accepted. Notification of acceptance comes earlier than those applications submitted under regular admission deadlines.
 
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Early decision
Early decision allows students to apply early (deadlines for early decision applications are usually in early November) and get an admission decision from the college well in advance of the usual notification date. Early decision applications are binding; only students who are certain of the school they would like to attend should apply early decision. Students that apply Early Decision to a college and are accepted to that college, agree to attend if the college offers an adequate financial aid package. Students can apply to only one college under early decision but can apply to other colleges under regular admission. If accepted under early decision, students must withdraw all other applications.
 
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Expected family contribution (EFC)
Based on the information provided on financial aid forms, this is the amount the student and his/her family are expected to contribute toward the cost of college.
 
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FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the form used to determine eligibility for federal and state assistance programs. Federal assistance includes grants, loans, and work-study. You can complete, submit, and track your application at - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. This is the easiest way to complete the form and your data is checked before it is transmitted to the processing center, so there's less chance of making an error. Within a month after submitting the FAFSA, you will receive the Student Aid Report, or SAR. On the SAR is the Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. The EFC is a preliminary estimate of the amount your family can contribute to college costs. The EFC is sent to Indiana’s state scholarship agency as well as the colleges you listed on the FAFSA. State and federal agencies and colleges will use the EFC to determine the size of your aid award.
 
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Federal Perkins loan
A Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest loan for students with financial need. The college is the lender. The loan is made with government funds, and the college contributes a share. Students repay the college for the loan. Students can borrow up to $4,000 for each year of undergraduate study up to a maximum of $20,000.
 
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Federal subsidized Stafford loan
The federal Stafford loan is a low interest loan made to students by a lender. The loan is interest free while the student attends college. The student does not have to repay the loan while in school and has ten years to repay it following graduation or withdrawal from college. You must reapply for the Stafford loan every year.
 
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Good fit school
A good fit school is a college to which a student has a good chance (50/50) of acceptance based on the student’s academic and extracurricular record.
 
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Grants
A grant recipient does not repay the money received from the grant. Both the federal government and individual colleges offer grants. The amount of a grant can vary from year to year depending on the amount of appropriated funds. Grants may be awarded based on need only, merit only or a combination.
 
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Honors program
A program designed to encourage students to engage in a more challenging program in their area of concentration than is required.
 
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Interdisciplinary
A program of study that includes two or more fields of study.
 
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Internship
A program that allows students to gain first-hand knowledge of a career by spending a summer, semester, or year working in a chosen field.
 
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Ivy League
Conference comprised of eight highly selective northeastern colleges: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale.
 
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Liberal Arts
A broad course of instruction comprising the arts, natural sciences, social sciences, languages, literature, philosophy, religion and the classics.
 
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Loans
Federal and state loans enable students to borrow funds to meet educational costs. The loans are low-interest and repayment occurs until after graduation. Some colleges also offer loans with similar terms.
 
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Major
Subject in which a student takes the greatest concentration of courses.
 
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Matriculation
The process where a student is accepted, pays fees, and enrolls in college.
 
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Merit Scholarship
Many colleges offer scholarships based on the talents of the student. Academic ability, special talents and athletic ability are often the basis for merit scholarships. Merit scholarships are limited to only those students who distinguish themselves from the majority of applicants.
 
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Mid Year Report
The Mid Year Report is a form required by some colleges to complete the applicant’s admission file. It contains mid-year senior grades. The student is responsible for submitting the form to the office of college counseling. Dr. Fadely completes the form and submits it to the college with the student’s first semester transcript.
 
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National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (NMSQT)
Students take the test, also known as the PSAT, in the autumn of the junior year. Results are evaluated and given an index score (Verbal + Math + Writing). Students whose selection index score is in the 99th percentile often will qualify as National Merit Semifinalists and become eligible to continue in the National Merit Scholarship competition.
 
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NCAA Clearinghouse
A branch of the National Collegiate Athletic Association established to monitor the eligibility of student-athletes interested in participating in intercollegiate athletics at the Division I and Division II levels. A student considering this level of athletic participation must complete a form and submit it to the Clearinghouse at the end of the junior year.
 
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Need based assistance
Need based financial aid is money awarded to students who demonstrate financial need. For need-based aid, you must submit the FAFSA. Many schools also require the CSS PROFILE®. The financial aid package is usually a combination for grant, loans and work-study.
 
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PLAN
The preliminary test for the ACT. Students take the test during their sophomore year.
 
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PLUS loan
The PLUS loan is for families that do not demonstrate financial need based on FAFSA calculations. The Federal Parent PLUS Loan for Undergraduate Students enables parents and family members with good credit histories to borrow the education expenses of dependent undergraduate students enrolled at least half time in college. Families can borrow up to the total cost of undergraduate education including tuition, room and board, supplies, lab expenses, and travel. Families do not have to demonstrate need, only credit worthiness so anyone can apply. The interest rate is low and capped to never exceed 9%.
 
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Reach school
A reach school is a school to which a student would like to go but there may be some question as to whether or not the school will accept the student. These are highly selective schools. Examples of reach schools are Stanford University and Harvard University. These schools accept less than 10% of their applicant pool and most students who are denied admission are qualified to attend.
 
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Regular decision
Colleges that have specific application deadlines offer a regular decision option. The deadline is the date when the application form, fee, secondary school report, transcript and letter of recommendation must be mailed. .Most regular decision deadlines are between December 15 and February 15. It is important to know whether the deadline is a postmark by date or received by date. Some institutions want to have all materials in their hands by the deadline date; others want the materials mailed by the deadline.
 
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Rolling admission
Colleges that have rolling admission process applications as soon as a student’s file is complete. Notification occurs immediately after the college processes the application, usually within three to four weeks. Places are filled on a first come first served basis. Programs that are competitive within the college or university may fill early. If a student is applying to a rolling admission school, we recommend that the application be sent to the school in late August or early September.
 
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Safety school
A safety school is a college to which a student is very likely to be accepted.
 
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Scholarships
Scholarships are money that does not have to be paid back and are usually offered to students who demonstrate high academic achievement or have a special talent.
 
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School code
National testing agencies assign a six-digit number to each high school for identification purposes. The University High School code is 150448. This code is required on each standardized test and every college application.
 
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School profile
University High School has a two-page profile that contains pertinent information on the school. It includes information on the size of University High School, the mission, the number of faculty members, list of class offerings, accreditation, and more. The school mails a school profile with each application processed through the college counseling office.
 
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School recommendation
The school recommendation accompanies the Secondary School report. Written by the director of college counseling, it looks beyond the grades a student obtains and refers to who the student is as a person. We send a school recommendation to every college to which a student applies. We ask that students obtain teacher recommendations for each college also.
 
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Secondary School Report
The Secondary School Report is a form required by most colleges to consider the applicant for admission. Dr. Fadely completes the form and submits it to the college with the student’s transcript, the University High School profile and the school’s letter of recommendation.
 
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Selectivity
The level of difficulty in gaining admission to a college. Colleges that receive more applications than available spaces are selective in the admission process.
 
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Seminar
Course in which a small group of students, headed by a professor, engage in research and discussion.
 
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Student Aid Report (SAR)
A form that is part of the financial aid process, the SAR confirms figures listed on the FAFSA. It provides the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC).
 
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Student Profile
This is the student’s high school resume. Students maintain their student profile throughout their career at University High School. The student profile supplies the school with information about the student’s activities in and out of University, academic highlights and personal accomplishments. Participation in clubs, student government organizations, sports, fine and performing arts, community service and employment give college admissions representatives a picture of how a student might contribute to their community. Note any leadership position held or any achievements accomplished. The staff uses the information contained in the student profile when writing the school’s letter of recommendation.
 
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Transcript
An official report from a school listing the coursework and grades earned.
 
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Unsubsidized Stafford loans
These loans are for students who do not demonstrate financial need as calculated by the FAFSA. The terms are similar to the federal Stafford loan but interest begins accumulating while the student attends college and repayment begins upon graduation or withdrawal from college.
 
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Wait list
It is impossible to predict whether students wait listed by a college will eventually be admitted. Some colleges will act on a wait list by mid-May, others will retain the list throughout the summer. If a student wishes to remain on the waiting list, the student should write to the college notifying it of continued interest. Include any updated information that may interest the admission committee such as academic and non-academic activities not covered during the application process. Meanwhile, submit a deposit to another college in case you are not taken off the wait list.
 
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Work-study
Work-study is a way to assist with college expenses. The college employs the student and provides an opportunity for the student to earn money to offset the costs of the school.
 
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