Terminology

Important Terminology

One of the biggest barriers for first generation college students and first-time college applicants is terminology.

During the college application process, admission representatives and university professionals reference many offices, forms, and procedures. We have included links and definitions below to some of the most common terms you may hear.

ED, EA, & RD

Most colleges and universities offer three different types of application deadlines: ED, EA, and RD. ED refers to Early Decision, which is a binding early admission program. In other words, if you are accepted, you are making a commitment to attend that institution. Only apply Early Decision if you feel confident that the university is your first choice and you have had a thorough conversation with your family about how you will pay for college. If you are considering Early Decision, it is always best to consult with your school counselor, your parent(s), and even your assigned admission counselor at that institution. You can apply to only one school under an Early Decision deadline.

EA refers to Early Action, which is a non-binding admission program. The deadline is often in November or December, and students who apply Early Action will typically hear by January or February if they are admitted (sometimes even earlier). However, students have until the National Decision Deadline of May 1 to make their final college choice. You can typically apply Early Action to as many schools as you want!

The last type of deadline is RD or Regular Decision. RD is the final deadline, so make sure to submit your application before this deadline. Still not sure which deadline is right for you? Read our Admission blog on this topic here.

Merit Aid vs. Need-Based Aid

Financial aid packages include a lot of information, and they can be confusing. Basically, all of the aid a school offers can be divided into two categories: merit aid and need-based aid. Merit aid is money given by the college to recognize your academic achievements or talents, regardless of your financial need. For example, a music scholarship based on your amazing bassoon audition would count as merit aid. To learn more about Ohio Wesleyan’s merit aid options, check out our list of scholarships. Some schools, including OWU, host competitions to let students compete for more merit aid during the winter or spring of their senior year. You might receive an invitation to these competitions at the time of admission or shortly after you have been notified of your admission status.

Need-based aid is calculated and awarded based on your demonstrated financial need. Your need is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Some schools also require you to submit the College Scholarship Service (CSS) profile. Both of these online forms ask for your financial records and estimate the amount that your family can reasonably pay to help fund your college education. This estimated amount is known as your Expected Family Contribution or EFC. These online forms require information from your parent(s) or guardian(s), including tax returns and details about savings and other sources of income. You can select the institutions to which you want to send this information.

Upon receiving your FAFSA (and CSS profile, if required) a financial aid office may offer you need-based aid. Some institutions will meet your full demonstrated financial need (Cost of Attendance - Expected Family Contribution = Financial Need), but not all institutions have the resources to be this generous. Many colleges and universities may choose to meet a percentage of your aid with grant assistance.

Grants are funds that the college or university offers a student to cover some or all of the cost of attendance. If you receive a grant, you normally do not need to pay this money back to the institution. Need-based aid may also include federal and state government grants or access to a work study program (see below.) You can learn more about these aid options and loans on our financial aid website.

Office of the Registrar

You may have heard about this office if you took AP (Advanced Placement), IB (International Baccalaureate), CCP (College Credit Plus), Dual Enrollment, or similar classes in high school.

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for awarding credit for your courses. For example, if you took AP Biology, this office would determine whether you qualify to receive college credit for the course. Most colleges list their policies regarding AP and IB on their website in order for prospective students to understand how their credits may transfer and what scores they need to receive credit.

You can read OWU’s policies here. Incoming students must send any college-level transcripts for evaluation by the Registrar. You can learn more about the Office of the Registrar here.

Work Study

Work study programs function differently at each college and university. There are two types of work study: Federal Work-Study (FWS) and institutional work study. The Federal Work-Study program is financed through the government. The government offers qualified colleges and universities a certain amount of work study funding that institutions then award to qualified students who demonstrate a predetermined level of financial need. To receive this type of aid, students must work their allotted hours each semester on campus, so this money is not guaranteed if the student does not secure campus employment or does not work enough hours.

Some colleges and universities also offer institutional work study programs. For these programs, the institution—instead of the federal government—supplies the funding for the hours worked. A student can choose whether their pay is applied toward their tuition balance, or if they keep their wages earned. Each institution decides their maximum allotment of federal and/or institutional work study hours. Therefore, a student could be given the option to work a range of work study hours from three to 20 hours per week. The average work study allotment at OWU, for instance, is 8-10 hours per week.

Not all students are eligible for federal or institutional work study depending on an institution’s policies for awarding that resource. At most universities, you can work a variety of jobs to fulfill your work study requirement. You can read more about Ohio Wesleyan’s work study program here.

Enrollment Deposit

Once you’ve decided which college you’ll attend, you need to submit an enrollment deposit. Depending on the university, these deposits can range from $50-$1000, and paying a deposit is a big step! At many colleges and universities, your deposit is nonrefundable. If this is the case, it should be stated in your offer of admission. After your deposit, you are officially a member of the incoming class, and you will start to receive information relevant to new students, such as housing, orientation, and class registration. Basically, your enrollment deposit is your promise to enroll full-time in the upcoming year.

BA vs. BS vs. BFA

Most universities offer a couple of different types of degrees. The majority of undergraduate students pursue a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Even though “arts” is in the name, these degrees can be in any subject, including the humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Some students choose to pursue a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. Normally, this degree requires more courses and credits than a BA program. Despite the name, these degrees may be offered in more than just the scientific majors and departments. To earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree, students must major in the arts, such as theatre, music, or art. Students in a BFA program normally need to complete more courses and credits than those enrolled in a BA program.