“But my 10th grader IS a college student, why is the college saying he isn’t?” Understanding the lingo is super helpful as your teen earns college credit. Here are a few terms you really need to know so you’re speaking the same language as the college personnel.
While in High School
Dual Enrollment / Dual Credit / Concurrent Enrollment / Early College / PSEO/ Running Start / Pre-College / etc.
Wouldn’t it be great if we all had one name for taking college classes during high school? Here’s the problem- the names colleges and states use for programs that allow high school students to take college classes are not universal. This trips up parents all the time, especially in our support groups, where people are from all over the country. My #1 suggestion is to assume nothing. When you’re looking at a program from any state, don’t assign any special meaning to the title of the program; learn each from scratch.
Example: the term “dual credit” is the official statewide term used in college catalogs in Texas. In Colorado, “dual credit” is when public school students take courses at the college, but in Oregon and Missouri, “dual credit” is when college courses are taught in the high school by public school teachers.
Non-Degree Seeking
Technically, this has nothing to do with whether or not your student can earn a degree or will do so! This is a classification used by government education authorities and colleges to distinguish your student from those who have graduated from high school. Non-degree seeking students can earn degrees at colleges that allow high school students to persist towards a degree. This is often the case in dual enrollment programs that can lead to an associate degree. Your student may be in a program that leads to an associate degree, but will still be counted as “non-degree seeking.”
After High School
First-time freshman/freshman applicant
A student who has not yet attended college after high school. A student is still a first-time freshman if they earned college credit through dual enrollment in high school. Nontraditional college credit (CLEP, AP, DSST, ACE, NCCRS) is excluded in every case.
Transfer student/transfer applicant.
A student who has attended college after high school and is applying to college again.
Degree-seeking
A college student enrolled in a program to earn a degree.
Special Student / Transient Student / Visiting Student
A student who is taking one or more classes at a college without being formally admitted into a degree program. These students often plan to transfer the credits back to another college or are taking the class for personal enrichment.
Matriculated
A student who has been officially admitted into a college’s degree program. (You’re paying money) Once matriculated, their coursework counts toward completing that specific degree.
Classification / Rank of Students
At the beginning of each semester, all students are officially classified or ranked by the Office of the Registrar. Class standing is based on number of earned credit hours.
- Freshman 0-29.99 credit hours
- Sophomore 30-59.99 credit hours
- Junior 60-89.99 credit hours
- Senior 90 or more credit hours
Full-time
A student who is enrolled in the minimum number of credits required by the college to be considered full-time, usually 12 or more credit hours per semester for undergraduates. Full-time status is often required for certain financial aid, scholarships, and housing. Note, you will not graduate in 4 years if you only take 12 credits per semester.
Part-time
A student enrolled in 1-11 semester credit hours.
