GLOSSARY

Plain English for every acronym.

College admissions runs on jargon. Most sites assume you already know what FAFSA stands for, what an SAI is, what "need-blind" means. That assumption is wrong for most US families.

Here's every acronym and piece of admissions jargon you'll hit on this site (and on the rest of the internet), in plain English. Bookmark this page — you'll come back to it.

AICF: The largest provider of scholarships to Native American students. Funds students at Tribal Colleges and at mainstream universities. May–June application window.
Auto-Merit: When a college publishes a chart that says exactly what GPA + test score triggers what scholarship amount — no separate application. About 100 US schools work this way. Often turns a $60K sticker into a $25K net price.
CSS Profile: A separate aid form, used by about 200 private colleges (Ivies, top liberal arts, some flagship publics). Asks for more detail than FAFSA — including home equity and the non-custodial parent in some cases. Costs $25.
DACA: A federal program that lets some undocumented young people who came to the US as children work, study, and avoid deportation. DACA recipients can't file FAFSA but ARE eligible for many state aid programs and some private college aid.
EA: An early application route that is NOT binding — you apply early, hear back early, but you can still apply to other schools and compare offers. Usually due November 1, decisions December–January.
ED: An application route at some colleges where you apply early AND commit to attend if accepted. Binding. Usually due November 1, decisions December. Raises your odds at many schools — but you can't compare aid offers because you're locked in.
EFC: The number that shows how much the government thinks your family can pay for college. Same idea as SAI — SAI is the new name as of 2024, EFC is the old name you might still see on older paperwork.
FAFSA: The form every US college family fills out once a year to apply for federal grants, loans, and work-study. Free, no SAT score required, takes ~30 minutes.
HBCU: A college founded before 1964 with the original purpose of educating Black Americans. There are 107 HBCUs in the US. Most are still majority-Black today.
HOPE: Georgia's state scholarship for residents with at least a 3.0 GPA. Covers most or all of in-state tuition at Georgia public colleges. Different from the Georgia Hope Grant (which is for technical college students).
HSI: A US college where at least 25% of enrolled students are Hispanic. There are ~570 HSIs; they receive federal funding to support Latino student success.
iCal / ICS: When you click 'Add to calendar' on this site, the .ics file shows up on your phone calendar (or Google / Apple / Outlook calendar) so you don't miss the deadline. Stands for 'iCalendar'.
IPEDS: The federal database that has every US college's tuition, enrollment, graduation rates, and outcomes. Most third-party college sites pull from IPEDS.
LOCI: A short letter you write to a college if you've been deferred or waitlisted, telling them you're still interested. Most-waitlisted-kids never write one, which is why writing one helps your odds.
Merit Aid: Scholarship money that schools give you based on grades and test scores, regardless of whether you can pay. Different from need-based aid. Some schools publish exact grids (auto-merit grids) showing what GPA/SAT triggers what discount.
Need-Aware: When a college DOES look at your family's ability to pay when deciding whether to admit you. Most colleges in the US are need-aware. Not necessarily a bad thing if you have strong stats and modest need.
Need-Blind: When a college decides whether to admit you WITHOUT looking at whether your family can pay. About 70 colleges in the US are need-blind for domestic students. The opposite is need-aware.
Net Price: What you ACTUALLY pay at a college after grants and scholarships are subtracted. The sticker price (the big number) is a starting point. Net price is your real cost — and it can be wildly different from sticker.
Net Price Calculator: A tool every US college is required to put on their website. Plug in your family's basic financials and it estimates what YOUR family would actually pay (after grants and scholarships) at that specific school. Way more useful than the sticker price.
Pell Grant: Federal grant for families with low income (roughly under $50,000 in adjusted gross income, though it depends on family size). Up to about $7,400/yr. Does not have to be paid back. The single biggest piece of need-based aid in the US.
RD: The standard application route. Usually due January 1, decisions late March or April. Not binding — you can apply to as many schools as you want and pick the best aid offer.
REA: Early Action with strings attached — you can apply early to this school but only to public schools elsewhere (not other privates). Used by Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, Yale, Notre Dame. Not binding.
SAI: A number that shows how much the government thinks your family can pay for college this year. Smaller number = more aid. You get this number after filling out the FAFSA form. SAI replaced the older term EFC in 2024.
TASFA: Texas's version of FAFSA, for students who can't file FAFSA — usually undocumented students or DACA recipients. Opens up Texas state grants and TOPS.
TCU (Tribal College): Colleges chartered by Native American tribes, primarily on reservations. There are 32 TCUs in the US. Different from Texas Christian University, which is also abbreviated TCU.
TMCF: Sister to UNCF — runs scholarships specifically for students attending public HBCUs. Lockheed Martin, Lowe's, AT&T, FedEx all sponsor TMCF awards.
UNCF: Umbrella organization that runs 400+ scholarships from corporate sponsors (Walmart, Boeing, Goldman Sachs, etc.) for Black students. One application matches you to many awards.

Missing a term?

Email hello@kidtocollege.com with the acronym or phrase you couldn't find. We'll add it and email you when it's live.