Advising Tools and Resources

Accredited 

An accredited university or college is certified to provide high-quality education in the United States. Most employers and graduate programs only consider degrees from accredited schools. You will want to ensure a college / university has regional accreditation.  ACC is accredited through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) 

Add / Drop Period 

A grace period at the beginning of each semester during which you can decide to add or drop a course without penalty.  Your drop date can be found in myACC under Student and Detailed Schedule with Drop and Withdraw Dates. 

Associate of Applied Science (AAS) 

Any degree with an “applied” title usually focuses on a direct transfer of skills to the business world. The AAS degrees consist of coursework in the major area so you can be prepared for a new career. These degrees can be stacked well with certificates in a similar discipline.   

Associate of Arts (AA) 

A minimum of 60 credits / credit hours with a specific coursework topic (including general education units) leads to an Associate of Arts degree. Common AA degree categories include English, Psychology, Business, and Philosophy. The Associate of Arts is a common transfer degree into a Bachelor of Arts program.   

Associate of Science (AS) 

A minimum of 60 credits / credit hours with a specific coursework topic (including general education units) leads to an Associate of Science degree. Common AS degree categories include Biology, Chemistry, and Computer Science. The Associate of Science is a common transfer degree into a Bachelor of Science program.   

Asynchronous Learning 

A type of online education, asynchronous learning allows students to watch lectures and complete assignments on their own time each week rather than having to attend classes during specific times. Please consult the Tuition and Fees rates for the online course options.   

Bridge to Bachelor’s Degree Program 

The Bridge to Bachelor’s Degree program is made possible through collaborative agreements between CCCS and select Colorado 4-year universities. Thanks to these creative partnerships, more Colorado students will be able to attend college and complete their 4-year degree.  

Census Day 

A date set by the college typically marks the end of the period when students can add or drop classes. 

Certificate 

A certificate verifies that a student has received education in a specialized topic. Certificate programs typically take less than a year to complete. 

COF (The College Opportunity Fund) 

Created by the Colorado Legislature, provides a stipend to eligible undergraduate students. The stipend pays a portion of the total in-state tuition when attending a participating college. 

Qualifying students may use the stipend for eligible undergraduate classes. The stipend is paid on a per credit hour basis directly to the college at which the student is enrolled. 

Commencement 

After completing all degree requirements, learners qualify for graduation. Commencement is the ceremony in which students celebrate their achievements. ACC Graduation is once a year usually in the month of May.   

Colorado Community College System (CCCS) 

Colorado Community College system is the largest higher education system in the state of Colorado. CCCS includes 13 community colleges with 35 locations. There are online course options that may be through the system, such as the CCCOnline courses.  Community colleges are usually public institutions that focus on providing accessible, flexible courses. Most community college students commute from home, and many are working full or part-time. Students can take one-off courses or pursue 2-year associate degrees or professional certifications. 

Co-Requisite 

A co-requisite course is a course that must be taken at the same time as another course as the information in the 2 courses link. Pre-requisites and co-requisites are usually listed in the course catalog or course registration materials. 

Credit Hour 

Each course is assigned a certain number of credit hours, usually corresponding to how often class occurs and how long classes are, as well as the course difficulty. Many classes earn a student 3 to 5 credit hours. To be considered full-time, a student must be taking at least 12 credits per semester.

Degree Check & Degree Audit 

A degree audit is an analysis of a student’s academic progress toward a degree. It helps them monitor where they are and what they still need to do to complete their requirements. Degree Check is an advising document that maps out degree requirements and compares them against the students’ transcripts. It is a vital tool for academic planning, course selection, and scheduling and should be used in conjunction with consultation with the student’s academic advisor.

Department Chair 

Educator assigned to manage an academic department. They unite the department and act as a liaison between the department and college administration.

Drop 

When a student leaves a course during the add / drop grace period, it’s referred to as dropping. There is no financial or academic penalty for dropping a course during the add / drop period. Students may drop a class because they feel their course load will be too heavy or they may want to switch to a different class. This is different from withdrawing (see below), which happens after the add / drop period is over. 

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) 

This stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Completing this online form is the first step in applying for financial aid. All colleges require students who'd like to be considered for financial aid to complete the FAFSA every year. 

FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) 

This stands for Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act. This law protects the privacy of educational records and transfers to the students once they turn 18 or start college. FERPA covers all school-related records. If students want to give a parent or another third-party access, they may complete a FERPA waiver.  

First-Generation Student  

First-generation refers to students who are the first in their families to attend college or whose parents didn’t complete a college degree. Many schools have special offices or programs to guide first-generation students. 

Full-Time College Student 

A student who is taking a full course load, typically 12 or more credits. 

General Education Courses 

Usually taken in the first 2 years of studies, general education classes cover topics within the arts and sciences and serve as a foundation for advanced learning. 

GPA (Grade Point Average) 

This reflects your student’s academic achievement at school. The GPA is updated after each term’s grades are finalized and reported. A lower GPA can lead to academic probation and can jeopardize financial aid. 

Graduation Application  

To receive your diploma or certificate, you will want to complete a graduation application once registered for your last semester.   

Grant 

Free money that doesn’t have to be paid back. Funding comes from federal or state governments, colleges, and private organizations. Most grants are need-based financial aid, but some grants are both need and merit-based. 

Internship 

An internship is a short-term job, usually for the summer or a semester, that your student takes to get experience in their field of interest. Internships may be paid or unpaid; sometimes students can earn course credit for them. In some academic programs, an internship may be required to graduate. 

Loan 

After exhausting other financial aid options, some students still need to take out federal or private student loans to cover the remainder of their college costs. Loans require repayment at a set interest rate over a specified amount of time. 

Official Transcripts 

An official transcript is a document that is sent directly from a Record’s or Registrar's Office to another institution for a review of credits. Electronic transcripts are considered "official" when we receive them from a secure site formally linked to the sending institution or testing service.   

Out-of-State Tuition 

Students attending public schools outside their home states typically pay out-of-state tuition, which is higher than in-state tuition. 

Open Educational Resource  

Teaching and learning resource materials that can be provided for certain courses at a low-cost or no-cost, which can include textbooks, streaming software, etc. In Navigate, you will see a tag next to these courses showing “no textbook cost” or “low textbook costs."

Part-Time College Student 

A student who does not have a full course load. A student taking fewer than 12 credit hours in any given semester is typically considered a part-time college student. 

Pathways 

Pathways are a grouping of alike majors. ACC has 7 pathways total to help with exploring a certain area. Pathways will include certificates, Associate of Applied Science, and Associate of Arts / Science credentials.   

Pell Grant 

Offered by the U.S. Department of Education, the Pell Grant is a type of need-based funding that supports students with limited financial means. 

Performance Support 

A status that is give to students who may need more support in course success. Performance Support is used to notify students through a hold on your account to review. This may display once you are not in good standing, below a 2.0GPA. Performance Support has previously been identified as “probation” 

Placement Test (ACCUPLACER) 

Placement tests help school administrators determine a student's readiness for postsecondary education and allow them to place students in the appropriate class levels. 

Pre-requisite 

Many college classes must be taken sequentially — in a certain order, from lower to higher level. A pre-requisite is a course a student must complete before taking another specific course. For example, Calculus 1 is a prerequisite to Calculus 2 — a student can’t take the latter without having passed the former. 

Prior Learning Assessment  

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) credit is awarded for college-level learning: knowledge, skills, and competencies. PLA includes skills gained from work and life experiences such as extension courses, Individual study and reading, Civic, community, and volunteer work, and participation in formal courses, and in-service training sponsored by associations, businesses, government, and industry.  Learn more about your options on ACC's PLA webpage.

 Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) 

This policy sets minimum standards of academic progress for students receiving financial aid. All colleges and universities have one, and all students must comply to maintain eligibility for financial aid. 

Scholarship 

A financial award to help your student pay for college. Scholarships can come from the institution (the college or university) or outside groups and organizations. Unlike student loans, this is gift money that does not need to be paid back. 

Service Learning 

Service learning allows students to step outside the classroom and gain skills by helping others. Many colleges maintain service-learning offices to connect students with volunteer opportunities. 

Subsidized Loan 

Provided by the U.S. Department of Education, these types of loans provide subsidization of interest accrued on a federal loan while the student is enrolled. Some also provide a six-month grace period after graduation. 

Syllabus 

A general summary of a course handed out to students at the beginning of the term (and also available electronically). The syllabus includes required textbooks and other study materials along with dates of assignments, papers, and exams. The professor's contact information and office hours will also be listed. Reading and following the syllabus is a key success tool for college students! 

Synchronous Learning 

A type of online learning, synchronous learning requires students to attend real-time lectures and complete assignments at specific times. 

Term 

This is another word used to describe a semester at ACC.   

Title IX 

This federal law was enacted in 1972 and prohibits any school or education-related program from discriminating based on sex in education settings. 

Transfer Student 

Transfer students are learners who start their college careers at one school but move to another institution. 

Undeclared 

Students who are undeclared or undecided have yet to choose their undergraduate major. Undeclared students are not eligible for financial aid (FAFSA).   

Unsubsidized Loan 

Unlike subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans do not cover costs associated with accrued loan interest while you are enrolled in school.

Withdraw 

Withdrawing is when you leave a course after the add/drop period is over. While withdrawing from a class does not affect your GPA, it is shown on their transcript as a "W." Withdrawing can also refer to a student withdrawing from their academic program entirely.

Work-Study 

A federal program that gives colleges and universities funding to hire students for part-time jobs. Federal Work-Study is part of a student's financial aid package but instead of being money a student receives outright; it comes in the form of employment and students may use their income to cover any expenses they want. Students are responsible for applying for available work-study positions; receiving Work-Study doesn't guarantee them a job.