Understanding College Lingo
This article will help guide you through some common lingo you will hear in college.
By Britney Cox — December 16, 2022
One of the first things I remember about my college experience is being excited about what is to come. However, I had some questions about how the campus worked and things of that nature. When I asked these questions, I was often met with some lingo I needed help understanding. Luckily, I had friends who have experienced college students who taught me what some of this lingo meant. This article will help guide you through some common lingo you will hear in college.
Advisor: This will be the person you go to discuss your schedule and other things related to your degree. It might be mandatory to see them several times or before registration.
Course Evaluations: This survey becomes available for every class you take. In course evaluations, you will likely rate various aspects of the class and the professor teaching it. This is the best time to give proper feedback.
Course Reference Number (CRN): You will use these numbers to register for courses. You will find these numbers on your university's schedule of courses website, where all the classes are listed.
Credit Hours: Refers to the number of credits each specific class has. You might need to keep up with how many credit hours you take to keep financial aid.
Drop: This likely refers to a specific class being dropped. When a class is "dropped," it means that it will no longer affect your grade point average (GPA), or you will no longer be in that class. You will likely have to go to your school's registrar with your professor's signature. There is also likely a specific date you have to do this by.
Final Exams (Finals): These tests occur at the end of a course, and likely are cumulative (meaning all of the coursework will potentially be on the test). You will likely have an entire week dedicated to completing these and a schedule for when you will need to be at your exams.
Financial Aid: This office will answer all your questions about financing your college experience. They handle things like scholarships, grants, loans, etc.
Full Time: This means that you are taking a number of credit hours that meets the requirements for you to be a full-time student. You might need this status to maintain financial aid.
Gen Ed (or General Education): These are courses everyone must take, regardless of degree or major.
Incomplete: This is when you do not complete a course by the end of the semester it was taken. You will likely have a set amount of time to finish it before it becomes a failing grade.
Part-Time: You are taking credit hours under a specific requirement, likely 12. This will likely affect your financial aid.
Pass / Fail: This means that a course does not have a numeric value or a grade letter. The only options are for you to pass or fail it.
RA (Resident Advisor): This is the person who advises your specific section of housing. They will be able to answer your questions and concerns about on-campus living.
Registrar: This is your school's place that handles enrollment issues with classes. You will likely use a registrar's website to do registration each semester, or you may have to go in person to add specific classes to your schedule.
Syllabus: A document for a class that outlines important due dates as well as class procedures. This is important to always have with you and review periodically throughout the semester.
Withdraw: A complete withdrawal means that every student's classes have been dropped or removed from their schedule. This might be for various reasons, including medical emergencies or financial instability. Withdrawing means that none of the classes reflect poorly on your GPA, but they will still be on your transcript.
This article can only attempt to cover all of the college lingoes. Each college will be different and, therefore, have much more than what is available here. To check what further definitions mean, look at your school's website to see if they have some guides to help you. In a first-year class, do not be afraid to ask questions because this is likely the space you will get answers. If the word is something to do with the social part of campus, ask a friend!
Britney Cox
Britney Cox is a writer from Huntington, WV. She has two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Literary Studies and Creative Writing. She is currently working on her Masters in English, and she plans to pursue her doctorate eventually in hopes of becoming a professor (though her longtime dream is to work in the entertainment industry). Her passions include reading, writing, theatre, and listening to Taylor Swift.
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