Flash's Dictionary

ACT – a standardized test taken in high school to determine college readiness. Kent State is a test-optional school.

Admission decision – at Kent State, your grades (GPA) are the main factor in your admission decision. You may be accepted or denied. If you live in Northeast Ohio, you may be offered admission to a Regional Campus.

Admission requirements – what you need to be admitted to a university, such as grades, test scores and extracurricular activities. Kent State is test-optional at all campuses, and Regional Campuses do not have a minimum GPA requirement.

Application fee – money paid to apply to a college or university

Application fee waiver – usually a code entered on your application that removes the application fee; it may also be a document submitted by your school counselor if you have financial need.

Common Application – also known as the CommonApp; a centralized application that allows students to apply to multiple schools by filling out one form rather than multiple applications. The Kent Campus accepts the CommonApp.

Open admission – a policy in which a school accepts all applicants, regardless of GPA. Kent State Regional Campuses are open admission.

Priority deadline – at Kent State, these are dates related to admissions and financial aid to ensure you are given top consideration.

SAT – a standardized test taken to determine college readiness. Kent State is a test-optional school.

Standardized test – a test used to measure your skills in a subject area or overall college readiness. Examples include ACT, SAT, Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and others. Kent State does not require standardized test scores for admission.

Test-optional – a term used by colleges and universities to indicate that they do not require students to submit standardized test scores, such as the ACT or SAT, to be considered for admission.

Transcript – an official record of all the classes you’ve taken and grades you’ve earned from an institution. Official transcripts, sent directly from your high school and/or college, are required for admission to Kent State.

Academic advisor - professional staff or a faculty member who provides students with information about courses, programs of study and other aspects of academic life

Academic year - usually consists of two 16-week semesters, fall and spring  

Accreditation - an external review process by which experts review a college or program to make sure it meets quality standards.

Advanced Placement (AP) – national exams taken at the end of an AP course at the high school level; satisfactory scores may earn college credit at Kent State.

Associate degree – a two-year undergraduate degree that can lead to a bachelor’s degree. At Kent State, only Regional Campuses offer associate degrees.

Bachelor's degree – a four-year undergraduate degree that can lead to a master’s degree or doctoral degree

College – 1. a higher education institution, such as a community college, technical school and liberal arts colleges that grant associate and bachelor’s degrees; 2. an academic organizational division of the university offering courses and programs leading to bachelor's degrees and higher, as well as minors and certificates

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) – a testing program where you can earn college credit for previous experience

Combined bachelor’s/master’s degree programs –  allow well-prepared students to start working on a master’s degree while finishing a bachelor’s degree, saving time and money; sometimes referred to as “3+3” or “4+1” programs

Concentration – an area of focus within a major 

Course – a college class 

Course catalog – a listing of all programs and requirements to complete them. The Kent State catalog is searchable by keyword and can be sorted by degree type, interests, location and more.

Credit hours – a way to measure time spent in class. For example, a three-credit-hour class generally meets for three hours each week.

Dean – leader of an academic unit. At Kent State, each college has a dean.

Degree – a credential earned when you complete the requirements of an academic program. Associate degrees require at least 60 credit hours, and bachelor's degrees typically require 120 credit hours.

Department – an academic unit within a college consisting of similar majors (e.g., Department of Accounting)

Doctoral degree – the highest degree granted by a university following advanced graduate study and research

Double major – pursuing two or more majors for a bachelor’s degree within a college

Dual degree – pursuing two or more majors leading to one or more bachelor’s degrees

Electives or general electives – classes taken in addition to other degree requirements

General education courses – foundational classes in a variety of subjects required for graduation. Kent State’s general education requirement is the Kent Core.

International Baccalaureate (IB) – national exams taken at the end of the IB program at the high school level; satisfactory scores may earn college credit at Kent State.

Major – a primary area of academic study that follows a prescribed curriculum, leading to a degree 

Master's degree – an advanced degree earned after a bachelor’s degree, which usually takes one to three years to complete

Minor – a secondary subject of focus for academic study, added once you start taking classes, usually between 12 and 24 credit hours

Roadmap – at Kent State, a list of course requirements, laid out by semester, needed to graduate on time

School – 1. an general term for where formal learning occurs; 2. a term applied to academic units within a particular college or to a single academic unit offering programs leading to a bachelor’s or advanced degrees (e.g., School of Fashion and Merchandising)

Semester – school term (about 16 weeks long) that is one-half of the academic year (e.g., fall semester, spring semester) 

Term – synonym for semester 

Fee – a cost associated with attending a college or university that is not related to tuition (e.g., lab fee) 

Financial aid – money to help pay for college in the form of grants, loans, scholarships and federal work-study employment to help make college more affordable

Financial aid offer – a document for accepted students that includes all financial aid you are eligible to receive and an estimate of your out-of-pocket costs

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – a free form students and parents complete to help the federal government and Kent State University determine a student’s financial need and financial aid awards

Golden Guarantee – Kent State’s tuition-guarantee plan, which locks in tuition, room and dining costs for four years for Ohio residents

Grant – free money given to eligible students based upon financial need and other criteria.  A grant does not need to be paid back.

Merit scholarship – a financial award given based on academic achievement (e.g., GPA, test scores) at the high school or college level 

Net price – the actual, out-of-pocket cost you pay after accepting your financial aid awards

Pell grant – money given by the federal government directly to an undergraduate student who has demonstrated financial need based upon their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It does not need to be paid back.

Room and board – charges on a student’s bill for campus housing and dining costs

Scholarship – free money given to students based on academic achievement, financial need, specific skills, and/or interest area that does not need to be paid back. Scholarships can be awarded by Kent State University, businesses, nonprofit organizations, etc. 

Student loan – money that students borrow to help pay for college that must be paid back after graduation

Tuition – money paid to take classes at a university, usually calculated by the credit hour or using a flat fee for a certain number of credit hours (see Golden Guarantee) 

Work-study – a federal financial aid program in which students are employed on campus and receive a paycheck to cover educational costs

Campus – the grounds of a university or college where learning takes place 

Dorm – (see Residence hall) 

Internship – a hands-on work experience in a position inside or outside the university related to your major. Internships can be paid or unpaid and usually earn college credit. 

Public school – a college or university that receives part or all of its funding from the state government and is governed by a public board of trustees. Kent State is a public university.

Private school – a college or university that is funded primarily through student tuition and private donations

Residence hall – university-sponsored housing in which students live in a building with other learners; the preferred term used at Kent State. Also known as a dorm

Study abroad – also known as education abroad; short-term learning opportunities in another city or country that allow students to earn college credit toward their degree