Admissions glossary.

Binding application — if admitted, you must enroll and withdraw all other applications. Deadlines are typically Nov 1; decisions back by mid-December.

Plain: If they say yes, you go. Pick exactly one school for ED.

Second binding round at some schools (Vanderbilt, NYU, Emory, etc.). Deadline ~Jan 1; decision in February. Same binding terms as ED.

Non-binding early application. You apply by ~Nov 1, hear back in December, but you can apply elsewhere and have until May 1 to commit.

Non-binding early action with restrictions on applying early elsewhere. Used by Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Stanford, Notre Dame. Rules vary per school.

Standard application round. Deadlines typically Jan 1–15; decisions by April 1; commitment by May 1.

Schools review applications as they arrive and send decisions on a rolling basis. Earlier is better — spots fill.

Single application platform accepted by 1,000+ colleges. One main essay (650 words) plus per-school supplements. Opens August 1 each year.

Alternative application platform used by ~150 schools, often paired with Common App. Includes a digital portfolio (the 'Locker') for storing work since 9th grade.

Free application + match program for high-achieving low-income students. The National College Match offers full 4-year scholarships at 50+ partner colleges.

Digital adaptive test (since spring 2024). 1600-point scale, two sections (Reading & Writing + Math). 2 hours 14 minutes total.

36-point composite from English, Math, Reading, Science. Optional writing. Some students score better on ACT than SAT — try both with practice tests.

School does not require SAT/ACT scores. Submitting strong scores still helps; weak scores are best omitted.

Plain: If your scores beat the school's middle 50%, send them. Otherwise don't.

School will not consider SAT/ACT scores even if submitted. The UC system is test-blind.

Combining your highest section scores across multiple test dates into one composite. Most schools superscore the SAT; ACT superscoring is more limited.

College-level coursework you can take in high school. AP exams (1–5), IB (1–7), A-Levels (A*–E). High scores can earn college credit and signal rigor.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Required for federal grants, loans, and most institutional aid. Opens December 1 each year.

Detailed financial-aid form used by ~250 mostly private schools. Looks at home equity, business assets, and non-custodial parents. Costs $25 + $16/school.

Expected Family Contribution (old) / Student Aid Index (new, 2024+) — the number FAFSA generates that schools use to calculate need-based aid.

Admissions decisions are made without considering ability to pay. ~100 schools claim this; very few are need-blind for international students.

School can consider your ability to pay when deciding admission. More common than schools admit publicly.

School covers 100% of demonstrated financial need (per their formula). ~75 US schools commit to this. Look for 'no-loan' policies on top of it.

Sticker price minus all gift aid (grants + scholarships). Use the school's net price calculator on their website to estimate before applying.

Plain: What you actually pay. Always lower than the sticker number.

Federal need-based grant up to ~$7,395/yr (2025–26). Doesn't need to be repaid. Eligibility tied to your SAI from FAFSA.

Scholarships awarded for academics, talent, or leadership — not financial need. More common at schools below the very top tier.

Schools weigh academics, essays, activities, recs, and context together — not just numbers. Selective US privates almost all use this.

How much you've engaged with a school (visits, info sessions, emails to admissions, opening their emails). Some schools track it; many don't.

A standout attribute that makes admissions notice you — recruited athlete, legacy, first-gen, exceptional talent, underrepresented background, or institutional priority.

Reach = admit rate well below your profile. Target = admit rate aligned with your profile. Safety = admit rate well above. Build a list with all three.

Pre-decision letter from selective schools (Ivies + a few others) signaling near-certain admission. Sent to athletes and top academic recruits in February–March.

Common App's 10-slot list of extracurriculars. 150-character description per activity. Order matters — most important first.

Tier 1 = national/international distinction (Olympiad, USAMO, RSI). Tier 4 = casual school clubs. Most students have Tier 3–4; one or two Tier 1–2 changes the calculus.

Most colleges want 2 teacher recs (junior-year teachers ideally) + 1 counselor letter. Some want a peer rec or mentor letter as well.

Percent of applicants admitted. Stanford 3.7%, Harvard 3.6%, MIT 4.5%, UCLA 9%, NYU 12%. ED rates are typically 2–3× higher than RD.

Percent of admitted students who enroll. Schools optimize for this — high-yield schools are pickier about who they admit.

Pool of students the school may admit if their yield falls short. Acceptance rate from waitlists varies wildly: 0% (Harvard most years) to 30%+ (some smaller schools).

Your early application moved to the regular decision pool. Not a no — but a soft signal you weren't a top-of-pile applicant. Send updates if you have them.

Year off between high school and college. Most selective schools encourage it if your plan is structured (work, travel with purpose, project).

Applying to switch schools after 1–2 years of college. Admit rates are usually lower than freshman admissions; some schools (Yale, Princeton) admit very few transfers.