Learn the Lingo

Admissions Glossary

Academic Calendar:  A calendar that shows dates and deadlines throughout the semester.

ACCUPLACER:  A placement exam that is taken as part of the admissions process.  Students have the opportunity to retake the exam one time prior to acceptance into the college.  The exam covers the subjects of mathematics, reading and writing.

Advisement:  An opportunity for teaching and learning that develops long-term mentoring relationships, engages the students, and guides students to graduation and beginning a career.

Associate Degree:  Educational credential given for programs of study requiring a minimum of 60 semester hours.  General education courses along with courses within the major are included.

Banner Web:  An online student portal through which students can register for classes, view transfer credit awarded, view unofficial transcripts, check financial aid status, and access personal information.  Students must be officially accepted into Lanier Technical College before they can access Banner Web.

Blackboard:   The online distance learning program offered at Lanier Technical College.

Certificate:  Educational credential given for programs requiring a minimum of 8 semester hours.

Co-requisite:  A course co-requisite is a requirement that must be completed at the same time as the course for which it is required.

Course number:  The number that identifies a course within a particular academic department.  Example: Composition and Rhetoric is course number ENGL 1101.

Course prefix:  The four letter course name that designates the subject matter.  Example:  ENGL for English.

Course Reference Number (CRN):  The five-digit number used to register for a class via Banner Web.

Course Schedule/Days of attendance:  The codes used to indicate the days of the week for which classes are scheduled are:  M=Monday; T= Tuesday; W=Wednesday; R=Thursday.

Credit hours:  The unit of credit by which Lanier Technical College measures its coursework.

Curriculum:  A set of courses constituting an area of specialization within a program of study.

Diploma:  Credential given for programs requiring a minimum of 41 semester hours.  Diploma programs include a limited number of general education courses, but mainly concentrate on courses in the major.

Document Deadline:  A deadline for all documents to be turned in to the Office of Student Affairs.  This includes documents needed for new students, readmit students and current students.

Drop/Add:  The period of time at the beginning of each term where students are allowed to make adjustments to their schedule by adding or removing classes.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid):  The online form that must be completed by all students who wish to participate in federal student aid programs.

Full-Time Status:  Enrollment in 12 or more credit hours per semester

GPA (Grade Point Average):  A measure of a students’ academic achievement at a college or institution.  It is calculated by dividing the total number of grade points received by the total number of credit hours attempted.  (Grades of A, B, C, and D are assigned grade point values.)

Graduation Application:  A form required to begin the process of applying to graduate.  The form should be filled out and submitted at the same time at which the student registers for their last semester of coursework.  The form can be located on the Lanier Technical College website under Student Affairs Forms.

Hybrid Course:  A class taught with both online components and classroom instruction.

Online Course:  A course taken via computer through the use of the internet.

Part-time Status:  Enrollment in less than 12 credit hours during a semester.

Prerequisite:  A condition or requirement which must be met before a student can enroll in a course.

Registration:  The process of selecting and enrolling in classes for the next term.

Student Email:  A student email address is assigned to students after they are accepted to the college.  This is the official means of communication between the college and the student.  Check your student email daily as important information will be sent to you via your student email account.

Student ID Number:  A student ID (identification) number is assigned to students when they apply to Lanier Technical College.  The number is used throughout the student’s enrollment at Lanier Technical College.   All ID numbers are nine digits long and begin with 910.

Syllabus:  A summary outline of the course content and requirements for a course of study.

Transcript:  Official record of all academic work attempted by a student.

Transient Student:  A student who is taking courses at an institution for the purpose of transferring the credit back to the school where he or she is attempting to obtain a degree.

Withdrawal:  This action becomes valid after the drop/add period has passed.  A student who drops a course after the third instructional day of the semester but by the midpoint date will be assigned a grade of W.