There are a million-and-one terms of art that you might want to know to navigate both A2C and the college application process more broadly. We’ve compiled the most common terms and provided a definition for each. Take a look!
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Affirmative action refers to a set of policies and practices within a government or organization seeking to include particular groups based on their gender, race, sexuality, creed or nationality in areas in which they are underrepresented, such as education and employment. DISCUSSION OF AFFIRMATIVE ACTION IS PROHIBITED ON R/APPLYINGTOCOLLEGE.
"American College Testing"; a standardized test testing for aptitude in writing, reading, mathematics, and science. It's scored out of 36 and is administered by the ACT organization. Students generally submit either the SAT or the ACT for admissions purposes. See also: SAT
"Advanced Placement"; standardized tests in various subjects which test material equivalent to that seen in a comparable introductory college-level course in the subject and are administered by the College Board. They are scored out of 5, and scores of 3 or higher can potentially earn a student credit for and placement out of introductory college courses subject to individual university policies. Many high schools offer AP classes in these subjects which prepare students for the AP exams.
Similar to the Common Application, but with a different set of schools and slight differences in things like character limits.
The company that administers the SAT and its subject tests along with the AP tests.
An application system that lets applicants apply to up to 20 schools at once. While most schools do accept applications through this system, some have their own application system. This is more common for schools that are part of a bigger system, such as the California State Universities (Cal States) and the Universities of California (UCs). Applicants fill in their basic information such as grades and extracurriculars once, which is then automatically applied to each application. Supplements may also be required but many schools on the Common Application share some similar or exact supplements.
An application some schools may require along with the FAFSA to qualify for state and institutional aid. See FAFSA vs CSS Profile in the FAQ