College comes with its own language. This glossary breaks down the terms, acronyms, and “hidden curriculum” of higher education so that every student, especially those navigating it for the first time, can move through Lafayette with confidence. If a word you are looking for is not here, reach out and we will add it.
Academic Advisor: A person whose job is to help their advisees with everything from choosing a major or career path to getting involved on campus and selecting classes each semester. First-year students are assigned an advisor to start, and once a student declares a major they are typically assigned an advisor within that department. An advisor may be a professor or a professional staff member.
Academic Calendar: Published by the Office of the Registrar each year, the academic calendar lists key dates, including the start and end of classes, add/drop and withdrawal deadlines, breaks, and final exam periods. Students are responsible for knowing these dates.
Academic Integrity: The expectation that students represent their own work honestly and give proper credit to others’ ideas. Violations, such as plagiarism or cheating, are taken seriously and can carry academic consequences. (See also: Plagiarism.)
Academic Probation: A status a student may be placed in when their grades fall below the College’s academic standards. It comes with a set timeframe in which the student is expected to improve their GPA and return to good standing.
Academic Standing: A student’s status relative to the College’s academic requirements. “Good standing” means a student is meeting expectations; falling below them can lead to probation.
Academic Support: Services that help students succeed academically, such as tutoring, study strategies, note-taking, time management, and test preparation. These are usually offered through a campus learning or academic resource center.
Academic Year: At Lafayette, the academic year is made up of two main semesters, fall and spring. A short Interim session in January and optional summer sessions fall outside the two main terms.
Accredited: Recognition that a college or program meets national or regional quality standards.
Add/Drop: A window at the start of each semester, usually the first week or two, during which a student can add or drop a course without it affecting tuition or appearing on their transcript.
Alumni / Alumna / Alumnus / Alum: People who have graduated from a college. Alumnus refers to one male graduate, alumna to one female graduate, and alumni to a group (traditionally mixed or male). Alum is a common gender-neutral term for a single graduate.
Alumni Networks: Groups that connect Lafayette graduates with one another and with current students, organized by region, industry, identity, or shared interest. They are a valuable resource for mentorship, career advice, and professional connections.
Audit: A registration status that lets a student sit in on a course, with the instructor’s approval, without earning credit or a grade for it.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.): A four-year undergraduate degree, often associated with the humanities, languages, and social sciences.
Bachelor of Science (B.S.): A four-year undergraduate degree, often associated with the natural sciences, mathematics, and engineering.
Bachelor’s Degree / Baccalaureate: The degree awarded to students who complete a four-year college program. It is typically required before pursuing a master’s degree. Lafayette graduates earn a bachelor’s degree.
Banner Self-Service: Lafayette’s online system for academic and financial records. Students use it to register for classes, search the course schedule, view grades and unofficial transcripts, check holds, track their degree audit, manage waitlists, handle bill pay and financial aid, and apply for graduation.
Board of Trustees: The College’s governing body, responsible for its long-term direction, finances, and major policies, and for appointing and overseeing the President. It is led by a board chair.
Class Standing: A student’s year in college, based on the number of credits or courses completed: first-year, sophomore, junior, and senior.
Cohort: A group of students who enter or move through a program together, often used to describe an entering class or a shared group in a specific program.
Commencement: The ceremony at which degrees are conferred. Also called graduation.
Common Course of Study (CCS): Lafayette’s general education curriculum. The CCS ensures that every student, regardless of major, takes courses across a range of areas. It includes the First-Year Seminar, distribution requirements across academic divisions, a quantitative reasoning course, writing-intensive courses, and a second-language requirement.
Convocation: A ceremony held near the start of the fall term that formally welcomes students into the academic year.
Corequisite: A course that must be taken at the same time as another course.
Cost of Attendance (COA): The College’s estimate of the total yearly cost of attending, including tuition, fees, room and board, books, and living expenses. Financial aid is calculated against this figure.
Course Catalog: The official listing of all courses the College offers.
Course Load: The number of courses, or total credits, a student takes in a given semester.
Course Numbers: Numbers that indicate a course’s level. Generally, 100 and 200 level courses are geared toward first-year students and sophomores, while 300 and 400 level courses are aimed at juniors and seniors.
Course Registration: The period when students sign up for the classes they will take in the upcoming semester.
Credit: A unit of academic value assigned to a course, generally reflecting the time spent in class and required coursework. Full-time status and progress toward a degree are measured in credits (or, at Lafayette, in courses).
Dean: An administrator with authority over a specific academic area, a specific area of student concern, or both.
Dean of the College / Dean of Students: Offices that oversee academic policy and student life. They are central resources for support, advising, and student success.
Dean’s List: An honor recognizing students who earn a high GPA in a given semester.
Declare a Major: The formal process of committing to a field of study. At Lafayette, students typically declare their major in the spring of their sophomore year.
Deferment: An approved delay in repaying a loan under certain conditions.
Department Chair / Head: A faculty member who leads an academic department.
Distribution Requirements: Requirements, part of the Common Course of Study, that ensure students take courses across different academic divisions such as the humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences.
Double Major: Completing the requirements for two majors at the same time.
Electives: Courses a student chooses to take that are not required for their major. Electives are a chance to explore interests outside a student’s main field.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC): A former federal financial aid term now replaced by the Student Aid Index. (See: Student Aid Index.)
Faculty: Professors and instructors who teach courses and often conduct research.
FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA must be completed each year to be considered for federal need-based aid, such as the Pell Grant and work-study.
Farinon College Center (Farinon Student Center): A central hub of student life at Lafayette. Farinon is home to student activities and club offices, two dining locations (Upper Farinon and Lower Farinon Commons), the bookstore, a computer lab, and other student resources. It is named for William B. Farinon, Class of 1939.
Fellowships: Funded, short-term opportunities that can range from a few weeks to a few years and may focus on academic, professional, or personal development. Each fellowship is sponsored by an organization or institution that sets its own eligibility rules.
FERPA: The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the federal law that governs how colleges protect and share student education records.
Final Exam: An assessment given at the end of a semester, during the final exam period.
Financial Aid: Support that helps cover college costs. Some aid, such as loans, must be repaid; other forms, such as grants and scholarships, do not.
First-Generation Student: At Lafayette, a first-generation student is one whose parent(s) or legal guardian(s) have not completed a bachelor’s degree in the United States. First-gen students are the first in their families to attend a four-year college.
First-Year Seminar (FYS): A small, discussion-based course taken in the fall of the first year. It introduces students to college-level inquiry, writing, and discussion, and is part of the Common Course of Study.
First-Year Student: A student in their first year of college. Sometimes called a “freshman.”
Full-Time Student: An undergraduate enrolled in enough credits (or courses) to be considered full time by the College, which affects financial aid, housing, and other eligibility.
Gap Year: A year a student takes off between high school and college, or during college, often for work, travel, service, or personal growth.
Gateway Career Center: Lafayette’s career services office. The Gateway team helps students with internships, jobs, resumes, interviews, and career planning, and runs the Handshake platform.
GPA (Grade Point Average): A measure of academic performance. A GPA is calculated by dividing total grade points by credits completed, where each credit of an A is worth 4 points, a B is 3, a C is 2, a D is 1, and an F is 0.
Graduate School: An institution or program pursued after earning a bachelor’s degree, leading to a master’s or doctoral degree.
Grant: A form of financial aid that does not need to be repaid.
Greek Life: The community of fraternities and sororities on campus, organized under governing councils.
Handshake: Lafayette’s career and recruiting platform, run through the Gateway Career Center. Students use it to find internships, full-time jobs, and on-campus jobs, and to connect with employers and career events.
Hidden Curriculum: The unwritten rules, expectations, and know-how of college that are rarely stated out loud, such as how to email a professor, what office hours are for, or how to ask for help. Learning the hidden curriculum is a big part of the first-gen experience, and no one is expected to know it all on day one.
HIPAA Release Form: A form under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that allows a parent or trusted person to access a student’s medical records or make medical decisions in an emergency once the student is 18.
Hold: A restriction on a student’s account that can block registration, transcripts, or other actions until it is cleared. Holds are often placed for unpaid bills, missing forms, or overdue library items.
Honors / Honors Thesis: Recognition for high academic achievement. In many departments, students can pursue honors by completing an independent research project or thesis in their senior year.
Imposter Syndrome: The common feeling of doubting whether you belong or deserve your success, even when you are doing well. It is widely shared, especially among first-generation and high-achieving students, and it does not reflect your actual ability. Campus advisors and counselors are good people to talk to about it.
Incomplete: A temporary grade (I) that an instructor may assign, under unusual circumstances, when a student’s work is satisfactory but a portion of the course is unfinished. The instructor sets the terms and deadline for completing it.
Instructor / Professor: A faculty member who teaches courses.
Interim Session: A short academic term at Lafayette held in January, between the fall and spring semesters, when students can take a focused course or pursue special programs.
Internship: A temporary professional experience, usually in a student’s field of interest. Internships can be paid or unpaid and sometimes carry academic credit.
Intramurals: Recreational sports leagues in which students play against other students on campus rather than against other colleges.
Junior: A third-year student. (See also: Class Standing.)
Kirby Hall of Civil Rights: A landmark academic building on campus, opened in 1930, that houses the Government and Law department, the Kirby Library, and the Meyner Center.
Kirby Sports Center (Kirby Sports Complex): Lafayette’s main athletics and recreation complex, officially the Allan P. Kirby Sports Center. It hosts varsity teams such as basketball, volleyball, indoor track, and fencing, and offers a fitness center, courts, a pool, an indoor jogging track, and a climbing wall for student use.
Lab: Short for laboratory. A hands-on component of a course that gives students practical experience with the subject.
Latin Honors: Distinctions awarded at graduation based on GPA, typically cum laude (with honor), magna cum laude(with great honor), and summa cum laude (with highest honor).
Lecture: A class format in which the instructor presents material to students, as opposed to a lab or discussion section.
Liberal Arts: An approach to education that spans the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics, emphasizing broad knowledge and transferable skills. Lafayette is a liberal arts college.
Learning Management System (LMS): The online platform where course materials, assignments, announcements, and discussions live. Lafayette uses Moodle as its LMS.
Loan: Financial aid that must be repaid, usually with interest. Student loans come from the government or private lenders.
Major: The primary field of study a student pursues to earn their degree.
Marquis de Lafayette: The College’s namesake. The Marquis de Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer who volunteered to fight for American independence in the Revolutionary War and became a close ally of George Washington. His birthday is celebrated on campus each fall. Lafayette’s teams and students are known as the Leopards, or “Pards” for short.
Marquis Dining Hall: One of the two main dining halls on campus, located on the first floor of Marquis Hall. It offers all-you-care-to-eat dining, including a brick-oven pizza station, salad bar, and deli, with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. (The other main dining location is Farinon.)
Master Promissory Note: A legal document signed when accepting a government loan, in which the borrower promises to repay the loan and any interest.
Master’s Degree: A graduate degree pursued after a bachelor’s degree, most commonly taking about two years.
Matriculation: The process of being admitted to a college and enrolling in classes.
Meal Plan: A prepaid dining arrangement that lets students eat at campus dining locations. The cost is usually part of room and board.
Merit-Based and Need-Based Aid: Merit-based aid is awarded for achievements such as academics, while need-based aid is awarded based on a family’s financial situation as determined by the FAFSA and other forms.
Midterms: Exams or major assessments given around the middle of the semester.
Minor: A secondary field of study, requiring fewer courses than a major and often earned alongside one.
Moodle: Lafayette’s learning management system, where students access course content, submit assignments, and communicate with instructors. (See: Learning Management System.)
MyLafayette (my.lafayette.edu): The College’s central online portal. With a single Lafayette login, students reach campus services and resources in one place, including registration guides, financial information, email, and links to systems such as Banner Self-Service.
Need-Based Aid: Financial aid awarded based on demonstrated financial need. (See: Merit-Based and Need-Based Aid.)
Net Price: The actual cost a student pays to attend after grants and scholarships are subtracted from the total cost of attendance.
Non-Traditional Student: A student who does not follow the typical path from high school straight into college, for example someone starting later in life or balancing school with parenting.
Office Hours: Set times when faculty are available to meet with students, usually without an appointment. Students are strongly encouraged to use them for questions, help, and connection.
Off-Campus: Refers to students who live in apartments or houses near campus rather than in residence halls or with family.
Orientation: A program that welcomes new students (and often families) to campus before classes begin, helping them get settled and connected.
OurCampus: Lafayette’s online platform for student organizations and campus engagement, found at ourcampus.lafayette.edu. Students use it to discover and join clubs and organizations, including First Generation at Lafayette, and to find events happening on campus.
Pass/Fail: A grading option, available within set deadlines, that records a course as passed or failed rather than with a letter grade. Students often use it to explore a subject outside their comfort zone without affecting their GPA.
Peer Mentor: A more experienced student who supports newer students by sharing guidance, resources, and encouragement. First Generation at Lafayette runs a peer mentorship program pairing first-gen upperclassmen with first-year first-gen students.
Pell Grant: A federal grant for undergraduates with significant financial need. It does not have to be repaid.
Placement Test: An assessment used to determine which level of a course, such as a language or math course, a student should begin in.
Plagiarism: Using someone else’s work, ideas, or words as your own without giving proper credit. It is a serious violation of academic integrity and can lead to a failing grade or other consequences.
Portlock Black Cultural Center (PBCC): A cultural center and gathering space on campus, part of the Office of Intercultural Development. Founded in 1970 and named for David A. Portlock, Lafayette’s first African American dean, the PBCC serves as a home away from home for students of the Black and African diaspora and a welcoming space for all students. It hosts programming such as lectures, workshops, dinners, exhibits, and social events.
Pre-Registration: The period before the next semester when students plan and sign up for their upcoming courses.
Prerequisite: A course that must be completed before enrolling in a more advanced course.
President of the College: The College’s chief executive and highest-ranking leader, responsible for its overall direction, strategy, and administration. Lafayette’s current president is Nicole Hurd, the 18th person to hold the office.
Provost: A senior academic administrator, often the chief academic officer, who oversees the College’s academic programs and policies.
Quantitative Reasoning (Q): A Common Course of Study requirement met by a course in which students use mathematical or computational methods to solve problems and interpret information.
Quiz: A short assessment of a student’s understanding, usually briefer than an exam.
Recitation / Discussion Section: A smaller class session that accompanies a larger lecture, giving students a space to discuss material, ask questions, and work through problems.
Registrar: The office that oversees registration, grades, transcripts, and academic records.
Registration: The process of signing up for courses for an upcoming semester.
Residence Halls: On-campus buildings where students live, eat, and take part in community activities.
Resident Advisor (RA): A student employed by residence life to live in a residence hall and serve as a resource, role model, and first point of support for the students on their floor.
Room and Board: The combined cost of on-campus housing and a meal plan.
Scholarship: A form of financial aid awarded for academic merit, talent, need, or other criteria, which does not have to be repaid.
Semester: A period during which courses are offered. Lafayette has fall and spring semesters. Also called a “term.”
Seminar: A small, discussion-focused course in which students engage deeply with a topic and with one another.
Student Accounts / Bursar’s Office: The office where students and families handle billing and payments. (See also: Bursar.)
Student Aid Index (SAI): A number, calculated from the FAFSA, that colleges use to determine a student’s eligibility for financial aid. It replaced the older Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
Student Government: The elected body of students that represents the student community, allocates funding to student organizations, and advocates on student issues.
Study Abroad: A program in which a student takes courses and earns credit while living in another country, ranging from a few weeks to a full semester.
Subsidized Student Loan: A federal loan on which the government covers the interest while the student is enrolled at least half time, so interest does not build up during school.
Syllabus: A document that lays out the key information for a course, including the instructor’s office hours, required materials, assignments, due dates, grading, and course policies.
Teaching Assistant (TA): A student, often a peer, who assists an instructor by helping run labs, lead study or review sessions, or answer questions.
Tenure / Tenure-Track: Tenure is a long-term commitment a college makes to a faculty member after a review of their teaching and scholarship. A “tenure-track” professor is working toward that status.
Term: Another word for a semester.
Thesis: A substantial paper presenting a student’s original research, sometimes required in a graduate program and, in some cases, as part of undergraduate honors work.
Title IX: A federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education. Colleges have a Title IX office and staff who handle related concerns and support students.
Traditional Student: A student who enters college directly after high school and follows the typical timeline.
Transcript: The official record of the courses a student has taken and the grades they earned.
Transfer Credits: Credits earned at another college that are applied toward a Lafayette degree.
Transfer Student: A student who completed coursework at another college before enrolling at Lafayette.
Tuition: The amount charged for instruction, separate from fees, housing, and other costs.
Tutoring: Academic help, often from trained peers, in a specific subject or skill. (See also: Academic Support.)
Undergraduate: A student pursuing, but who has not yet earned, a bachelor’s degree.
Vice President: A senior administrator who leads a major area of the College, such as academic affairs, finance, student life, or advancement, and serves on the President’s leadership team.
Waitlist: A list students join when a course is full. If a spot opens, students are enrolled from the waitlist in order.
Withdrawal: The process of ending enrollment in a course. Withdrawing within the allowed period carries no penalty; withdrawing after the deadline usually results in a “W” on the transcript, showing the course was started but not completed.
Work-Study: A part-time, on-campus job offered as part of a federal financial aid package, allowing students to earn money to help with college costs.
Writing (W) Course: A writing-intensive course. As part of the Common Course of Study, Lafayette students complete several W courses to build their writing across their time in college.
Zoom: A video conferencing platform used for remote classes, meetings, advising appointments, and events.