Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
As you explore Forbes Advisor’s rankings of the best online colleges or research how to apply for college, you may see unfamiliar terms or phrases. Not only are we here to help demystify things such as how to become a therapist or how to decide whether online college is right for you; we’re also here to help you understand common terms in the higher education world so you can make informed decisions about your future.
Check out a glossary of terms and definitions, as well as links to other helpful resources, from the Forbes Advisor team below.
Accreditation – Accreditation is a voluntary process during which schools or programs are evaluated by independent agencies that determine whether they meet quality education standards. Accreditors evaluate faculty, admission practices, student outcomes and more. Learn more about accreditation here, and see our entries on institutional and programmatic accreditation in this glossary.
Asynchronous – Online courses that are asynchronous do not have scheduled meeting times with real-time lectures; instead, students in asynchronous courses watch recorded lectures and complete coursework at a convenient time for them. Most asynchronous courses are not “self-paced,” however—students still must complete assignments before deadlines.
Common App – The Common Application streamlines the college application process by allowing prospective students to apply for multiple schools with a single form. More than 1,000 U.S. colleges and universities accept the Common App. Learn more about the Common App here.
FAFSA – The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a form students can complete to see if they qualify for scholarships, grants, loans or other financial aid through the U.S. government. Learn more about the FAFSA here.
GMAT – The Graduate Management Admission Test is a grad school entrance exam specifically for business schools and programs.
GRE – The Graduate Record Examination is an entrance exam some schools use for a variety of graduate-level programs. Some schools are GRE optional, while others may require prospective students to take the test and submit their scores with their grad school applications. Learn more about the GRE here.
Hybrid – Hybrid programs deliver some coursework online and some in-person, usually on the school’s campus.
In-state Tuition – This is the tuition rate for students who live in the state where a particular public college or university is located. Schools often charge substantially lower tuition for in-state students than for out-of-state students, though this isn’t always the case for online degree programs. Private schools don’t have location-based tuition. Learn more about in-state tuition vs. out-of-state tuition here.
Institutional Accreditation – Accreditation is a quality assurance standard that schools can obtain after being evaluated by third-party accrediting bodies. Institutional accreditation applies to an entire college or university (including its online programs) and is essential for a school to receive federal grants and other funding. Forbes Advisor only considers schools with institutional accreditation for our online degree program rankings. Learn more about accreditation here.
Open Admissions – Schools with open admissions policies accept all applicants who meet established requirements, such as having a high school diploma or equivalent.
Out-of-state Tuition – This is the tuition rate for students who reside in a state or territory other than where a particular public college or university is located. Out-of-state tuition is often substantially higher than in-state tuition. However, some schools charge lower tuition rates for online programs than for on-campus programs, even for out-of-state students. And some charge the same tuition rates for all online students regardless of where they live. Learn more about in-state tuition vs. out-of-state tuition here.
Practicum – A practicum is a type of experiential learning that some programs—including online programs—require. Students in these for-credit experiences typically observe professionals in their working environment, and practicums tend to be less hands-on than internships. A practicum can be a common degree requirement for certain fields, such as nursing, teaching and social work. Learn about the differences between practicums and internships here.
Programmatic Accreditation – This voluntary process evaluates departments and degree programs in a particular field, rather than colleges and universities as a whole. Programmatic accreditation isn’t necessary for some fields, though it can provide an extra level of quality assurance. It is more important in other fields, such as engineering and counseling, and some professional credentials require candidates to have a degree from an accredited program. Learn more about accreditation here.
Promise Programs – These programs, which exist at the state and local levels, are designed to help students who live in a certain geographic area pay for higher education. They may help fund a student’s education at local community colleges or technical schools, or at select universities. Promise programs often offer last-dollar scholarships, meaning they apply toward tuition and required fees not covered by Pell Grants or other student aid.
Reciprocity Agreement – This arrangement allows students to pay in-state tuition at a participating school within their region, even if it’s outside of their home state. Examples of reciprocity agreements include the Academic Common Market, Midwest Student Exchange, New England Regional Student Program and Western Undergraduate Exchange.
Residency – This is the state or territory where a student lives for the purpose of determining whether they qualify for in-state tuition. Requirements for establishing residency may include living in the state for at least a year and not being able to claim residency in another state.
Rolling Admissions – Schools and programs that don’t have established admissions deadlines have rolling admissions. This means students can apply at any point during the year.
Synchronous – Online classes that occur live, at a scheduled day and time, are synchronous. Synchronous online courses closely replicate the classroom experience, as they allow students to virtually attend lectures and interact with their instructors and classmates in real time.
Transfer Credits – Eligible college credits that students earn from one program or institution and transfer to another are called transfer credits. One common use of transfer credits is when students transfer from a community college to a four-year university.