Glossary

Gap Year A year between the completion of high school and enrollment at a post-secondary institution that some students opt to take in order to travel or work. Many students who take a gap year are first admitted to an institution and then choose to defer their admission by a year versus waiting a year to apply.

General Education Requirements The first part of a degree that students have to complete before moving onto to courses in their area of specialization. Requirements usually include subjects such as literature, history, philosophy, math, and science.

General Studies A degree offered at the BA and AS level that focuses on subjects from a wide breadth of disciplines and prepares students for careers across many different industries. It is a good fit for students who don’t want to narrow their academic or professional focus yet.

Grade Point Average (GPA) A number that represents the average value of accumulated final grades earned in courses over time. Unweighted GPA is usually calculated out of a 4.0 scale. The higher a student’s GPA is, the better their performance has been.

Graduate Degrees An advanced academic degree in a specialized field of study that usually takes between one to two years to finish and is done after prior completion of a BA or BS. Master’s degrees are offered in many different fields and subjects including in business, public health, and education.

Graduate School An institution that awards postgraduate degrees. Students may not enroll in graduate school until after they have completed their bachelor’s degree.

Graduation Rates The percentage of students that earn a degree from a post-secondary institution within the number of years that their degree program is supposed to take.

Greek Life Participation in fraternities and sororities.