Admissions Glossary

and the amount the student can contribute from earnings. Savings account(s) and any amount that is being contributed as a non-repayable gift are also considered. The student and parents are responsible for paying what they can. Financial Aid is intended to supplement such efforts, not substitute for them.

To be considered for financial aid, you are required to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which is available Oct. 1. Many states use the FAFSA for state grant or scholarship consideration. The FAFSA may also be used to determine institutional aid.

5. Find Scholarships and Avoid Scams

Some scholarships are awarded to students based on grades, accomplishments, and other personal characteristics, rather than financial need. However, few students receive scholarships out of the blue. Maximize your chances by researching scholarships and completing the applications. Contact the financial aid offices of the colleges that interest you and ask about their merit or non- need-based scholarships. Other scholarship sources include:

 Organizations that you or your family are involved in;  Corporations—ask your parents to check at their place of work;  Local volunteer organizations;  Local or national religious organizations;  National organizations relating to your talent/interests. “Full-ride” scholarships are limited. Seek a variety of scholarships to help fund your education. To research scholarships outside of your area, look for scholarship directories in your school counseling office or online.

While scholarships can be helpful in financing your college education, estimates show that families lose millions of dollars to scholarship fraud every year. Be careful, and choose your sources wisely.

6. Weigh Your Options

In spite of your hard work and research, it’s possible for a college to offer you admission, but not financial aid. Colleges are not obligated to provide financial assistance to all accepted students, so it’s a good idea to apply to at least one college whose cost is within your reach without substantial aid.

7. Get Help

Refer to the following resources for help as you make your way through the financial aid process:  Your college counselor

 College financial aid offices  Web resources can be found on our resources page in the appendix.

APPENDIX

529 Savings Plans

Admissions Glossary

State-sponsored investment plans — officially called qualified tuition programs (QTP) — that help families save money for college. The plans have tax benefits so your savings can grow faster. The money in the accounts can be used only for education expenses.

Academic Common Market (ACM)

The Academic Common Market (ACM) is a tuition-savings program that operates on the premise that if public institutions (not including private institutions) in a student’s home state do not offer a degree program major (undergraduate or graduate) that a student intends on pursuing, then they may attend a participating ACM out-of-state institution offering the degree of interest through the ACM and be granted a waiver of out-of-state tuition charges. Currently, participating states include Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia. A full list of participating institutions and programs can be found online.

ACT

A standardized college admission test. It features four main sections: English, math, reading and science — and an optional essay section.

Art School

An institution that specializes in the visual, performing, and/or creative arts. These schools generally require the submission of a portfolio on top of the standard college application requirements.

Award Letter

The document you receive from a college that explains the terms of the financial aid that the college is offering you. The information includes the types and amounts of financial aid offered, what you are expected to do to keep the award and a deadline for accepting the award.

Bursar

The college official responsible for handling billing and payments for tuition, fees, housing and other related expenses.

Campus Interview

A personal, face-to-face interaction between an applicant and an institutional representative (e.g. an admissions officer, alumnus, current student, etc.). While few schools require interviews, you should always take advantage of the opportunity to interview if it’s offered.

Candidates Reply Date Agreement (CRDA)

An agreement many colleges follow that -gives 41 applicants until May 1 to accept or decline offers of admission. This agreement gives -students time to get responses from most of the colleges they have applied to before deciding on one.

Class Rank

A measurement of how your academic achievement compares with that of other students in your grade. This number is usually determined by using a weighted GPA that takes into account both your grades and the difficulty of the courses you’ve taken. Calvert Hall neither calculates nor reports class rank to colleges and universities, and if you are asked in a college or scholarship application, you should also respond that Calvert Hall does not report class rank. An exception – percentile ranges are provided as part of Academy applications.

Coalition Application (www.coalitionforcollegeaccess.org)

A standard application form accepted by members of the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success. You can use this application to apply to any of the colleges and universities that are members of the Coalition, and some colleges and universities may only accept the Coalition Application.

College Credit

What you get when you successfully complete a college-level course. You need a certain number of credits to graduate with a degree. Some colleges may also grant credit for scores on exams, such as AP tests.

Common Application (www.commonapp.org)

A standard application form accepted by all colleges that are members of the Common Application association. You can fill out this application once and submit it to any one — or several — of the nearly 1000 colleges that accept it.

Cost of Attendance

The total amount of college expenses before financial aid. Cost of attendance includes money spent on tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and living expenses.

CSS PROFILE (cssprofile.collegeboard.org)

A financial aid application used by more than 300 colleges, universities and private scholarship programs to award their financial aid funds. The CSS PROFILE is available through College Board.

Deferred Admission

Typically only seen in early action (EA) or early decision (ED) or other early admissions processes, students receiving this admissions decision aren’t yet admitted to an institution, nor are they denied. Rather, the college wishes to reconsider their application during the review of regular decision (RD) applications. In some cases, the college will ask students to submit updated grades or standardized test scores (which can be a hint to raise your senior year grades or to take the SAT or ACT again).

Deferred Enrollment

Permission from a college that has accepted you to postpone enrolling in the college. The postponement is usually for up to one year. Many schools will use the term “gap year” to describe the year away, and some schools are encouraging of this practice.

Demonstrated Interest

An umbrella term for the many ways a student can express their desire to attend a particular college or university. This can include, but isn’t limited to, visiting the campus, contacting admissions officers, attending a visit from a college in the Calvert Hall counseling office, and even opening emails from colleges in a timely fashion (because colleges can see if a student has opened their emails!). Not every school factors demonstrated interest into their admissions decisions (though you can ask an admissions representative if they do), but if they do, it’s imperative that you do any and all actions that communicate their interest in that school.

Demonstrated Need

The difference between your expected family contribution (EFC) and the total cost of attendance for a particular college.

Early Action (EA)

An option that some schools offer to submit an application before the regular decision deadlines. If you apply early action, you receive admission decisions from colleges earlier than usual. Early action plans are not binding, which means that you do not have to enroll in a college if you are admitted early action. Some colleges have an early action option called EA II, which has a later application deadline than their regular EA plan but is still not binding.

Early Decision (ED)

An option some schools offer to submit an application before the regular deadline. If you apply early decision, you receive an admission decision earlier than usual. Early decision plans are binding. When you submit an early decision application, you, your parents, and your college counselor sign a form that promises you will enroll in the college immediately if admitted and offered a financial aid package that meets your needs. Some colleges have an early decision option called ED II, which has a later application deadline than their regular ED plan but is still binding.

Enrollment Status

A classification based on the number of credit-hours you are taking; for example, your enrollment status may be full-time or half-time. Some loans or aid may be available only to students with a certain enrollment status, usually half-time or more.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC) * See: Student Aid Index

A measure of your family’s financial strength. States and colleges use this number to help determine your financial aid award. The EFC is calculated using information you supply about your family’s financial circumstances. Per the FAFSA Simplification Act, the EFC will be replaced with the Student Aid Index in July 2023.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) (studentaid.gov)

The free application form you submit to apply for federal financial aid. It is required for all students seeking federal student grants, work-study programs, and loans. Most colleges require it as well. The FAFSA may also qualify you for state-sponsored financial aid.

Financial Aid

Money given or loaned to you (or to your parents) to help pay for college. Financial aid can come from federal and state governments, colleges, and private and social organizations.

Financial Aid Office

A college office that serves as a resource for students who need help paying for college costs. Financial aid officers can help you to apply for and receive grants, loans, scholarships and work-study employment. The financial aid office is available as a resource to parents as well, and that service extends to parents of prospective students as well as current students.

Financial Aid Officer

College employees trained to help students and families apply for and receive grants, loans, scholarships and work-study employment. They can answer questions about ways to make college more affordable.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

A number that indicates overall academic performance. It’s computed by assigning a point value to each grade you earn. Calvert Hall, like many schools, provides both a weighted GPA and an unweighted GPA on their transcript. For students enrolled in honors and AP courses, those courses are weighted .7 when calculating weighted GPA.

Grant Aid

A kind of "gift aid" — financial aid that doesn’t have to be paid back. Grants are usually awarded based on need.

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs)

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, defines an HBCU as: “…any historically black college or university that was established prior to 1964, whose principal mission was, and is, the education of black Americans, and that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency or association determined by the Secretary [of Education] to be a reliable authority as to the quality of training offered or is, according to such an agency or association, making reasonable progress toward accreditation.” HBCUs offer all students, regardless of race, an opportunity to develop their skills and talents. There are over 100 HBCUs in the United States.

Legacy Applicant

A college applicant with a relative (usually a parent, and sometimes a grandparent) who graduated from that college (typically, colleges only consider a student to be a legacy applicant if the parent or grandparent received their undergraduate degree at that college). Some colleges give preference to legacy applicants (also called “legacies”), though for selective and highly-selective colleges, that preference is usually only offered during either early action (EA) or early decision (ED) application reviews.

Liberal Arts College

Institutions that focus on the undergraduate student and intellectual development in the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, rather than training for a specific vocation. Liberal Arts Colleges tend to be smaller, offer more accessibility to professors and academic services, and focus more attention on the cultivation of a campus community.

Loan

Money you (or your parents) borrow from the government, a bank or another source. Loans need to be paid back, usually over an agreed period of time. Some student loans offer a grace period – usually a period of a few months after the student graduates from college – before the first loan payment is due.

Merit Aid

Financial aid given to students based on their personal achievements. Most scholarships are considered merit aid, as they are generally awarded for success in school, the arts, athletics or another area.

Need-Based Financial Aid

Financial aid (grants, scholarships, loans and work-study opportunities) given to students because they and their families are not able to pay the full cost of attending a certain college. This is the most common type of financial aid.