College Admissions Glossary for Parents
Plain-language definitions of admissions, financial aid, GPA, and testing terms parents encounter in the college application process. Each definition is written from the parent's perspective with practical guidance on what to actually do with the information.
Admissions
- Admission RateThe percentage of applicants a college admits in a given year. Calculated by dividing total admitted students by total applicants.
- Yield RateThe percentage of admitted students who choose to enroll at a college. A high yield signals strong applicant preference.
- Holistic ReviewAn admissions process that evaluates the whole applicant — grades, scores, essays, activities, character — rather than relying on numbers alone.
- Demonstrated InterestA measure of how strongly an applicant has shown interest in a specific college through visits, communication, and engagement. Some schools weigh it heavily.
- Early DecisionA binding early-application option that requires the student to enroll if admitted. Typically due in November with December notification.
- Early ActionA non-binding early-application option that returns a decision in December but lets students apply elsewhere and choose later.
- Restrictive Early ActionA non-binding early option that prohibits applying to other private schools' early plans. Used by Stanford, Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Notre Dame.
- Regular DecisionThe standard application deadline at most colleges, typically January 1 with decisions returned in late March or early April.
- Rolling AdmissionsAn admissions process where colleges review applications and return decisions on a continuous basis until the class is full.
- Common Data SetA standardized data report colleges publish annually with admissions, enrollment, financial aid, and outcomes data. The most authoritative public source.
Application Process
Curriculum
- A-G RequirementsThe 15-course college-prep sequence required for admission to the University of California and California State University systems.
- APAdvanced Placement. College-level courses and exams offered in U.S. high schools by the College Board. Strong AP scores can earn college credit.
- IBInternational Baccalaureate. A two-year college-prep program offering individual course exams or a comprehensive Diploma Programme.
- Dual EnrollmentA program that lets high school students take college courses for both high school and college credit, often at a local community college.
Financial Aid
- FAFSAThe Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The main form for federal grants, loans, and most state and institutional aid in the U.S.
- CSS ProfileA supplementary aid form used by ~250 selective colleges to award their own institutional aid. Goes beyond FAFSA in detail.
- Pell GrantA federal need-based grant for undergraduate students that does not need to be repaid. Maximum award rises annually with inflation.
- EFCExpected Family Contribution. The legacy term for what families were expected to pay annually toward college, now replaced by SAI.
- SAIStudent Aid Index. The current FAFSA-calculated number used to determine federal and most institutional financial aid eligibility.
- Net PriceWhat a family actually pays after grants and scholarships, as opposed to the published sticker price. The number that should drive budgeting decisions.
GPA
- Weighted GPAA GPA that gives extra points for honors, AP, and IB courses, typically allowing the maximum to exceed 4.0 (often 4.5 or 5.0 scale).
- Unweighted GPAA GPA on a 4.0 scale where every A counts as 4.0 regardless of course difficulty. The simplest, most comparable GPA measure.
- UC GPAThe University of California's recalculated GPA, capped at 4.4 weighted with limited honor-points credit. Used by all UC campuses and CSUs.
- Recalculated GPAThe GPA a college calculates internally from the transcript using its own formula. Often differs from the GPA on a student report card.
Testing
- Test-OptionalAn admissions policy where students may choose whether to submit SAT or ACT scores. The school evaluates submitted scores when present.
- Test-BlindAn admissions policy where SAT and ACT scores are not considered at all, even if submitted. The most common case is the University of California system.
- SuperscoreA composite SAT or ACT score combining a student's best section scores across multiple test dates.
- Score ChoiceThe option to send only specific SAT score reports to colleges, not the full testing history. Some schools require all sittings.