Common Data Set 2022-2023
Cooperative housing: College-owned,-operated,or-affiliatedhousinginwhichstudentsshareroomandboardexpensesand
participateinhouseholdchorestoreducelivingexpenses.
*Counseling service:
Activitiesdesignedtoassiststudentsinmakingplansanddecisionsrelatedtotheireducation,career,orpersonal
Credit: Recognitionofattendanceorperformanceinaninstructionalactivity(courseorprogram)thatcanbeappliedbyarecipient
towardtherequirementsforadegree,diploma,certificate,orrecognizedpostsecondarycredential.
Credit course: Acoursethat,ifsuccessfullycompleted,canbeappliedtowardthenumberofcoursesrequiredforachievingadegree,
diploma,certificate,orotherrecognizedpostsecondarycredential.
Credit hour: Aunitofmeasurerepresentinganhour(50minutes)ofinstructionovera15-weekperiodinasemesterortrimester
systemora10-weekperiodinaquartersystem.Itisappliedtowardthetotalnumberofhoursneededforcompletingtherequirements
ofadegree,diploma,certificate,orrecognizedpostsecondarycredential.
Cross-registration: Asystemwherebystudentsenrolledatoneinstitutionmaytakecoursesatanotherinstitutionwithouthavingto
applytothesecondinstitution.
Deferred admission: Thepracticeofpermittingadmittedstudentstopostponeenrollment,usuallyforaperiodofoneacademicterm
Degree: Anawardconferredbyacollege,university,orotherpostsecondaryeducationinstitutionasofficialrecognitionforthe
successfulcompletionofaprogramofstudies.
Degree-seeking students: Studentsenrolledincoursesforcreditwhoarerecognizedbytheinstitutionasseekingadegreeor
recognizedpostsecondarycredential.Attheundergraduatelevel,thisisintendedtoincludestudentsenrolledinvocationalor
Differs by program (calendar system): Acalendarsystemclassificationthatisusedbyinstitutionsthathaveoccupational/vocational
programsofvaryinglength.Theseschoolsmayenrollstudentsatspecifictimesdependingontheprogramdesired.Forexample,a
schoolmightofferatwo-monthprograminJanuary,March,May,September,andNovember;andathree-monthprograminJanuary,
Diploma: SeePostsecondary award, certificate, or diploma.
Distance learning: Anoptionforearningcoursecreditatoff-campuslocationsviacabletelevision,internet,satelliteclasses,
videotapes,correspondencecourses,orothermeans.
Doctor’s degree-research/scholarship:APh.D.orotherdoctor'sdegreethatrequiresadvancedworkbeyondthemaster’slevel,
includingthepreparationanddefenseofadissertationbasedonoriginalresearch,ortheplanningandexecutionofanoriginalproject
demonstratingsubstantialartisticorscholarlyachievement.SomeexamplesofthistypeofdegreemayincludeEd.D.,D.M.A.,D.B.A.,
D.Sc.,D.A.,orD.M,andothers,asdesignatedbytheawardinginstitution.
Doctor’s degree-professional practice:Adoctor’sdegreethatisconferreduponcompletionofaprogramprovidingtheknowledge
andskillsfortherecognition,credential,orlicenserequiredforprofessionalpractice.Thedegreeisawardedafteraperiodofstudy
suchthatthetotaltimetothedegree,includingbothpre-professionalandprofessionalpreparation,equalsatleastsixfull-time
equivalentacademicyears.Someofthesedegreeswereformerlyclassifiedas“first-professional”andmayinclude:Chiropractic(D.C.
orD.C.M.);Dentistry(D.D.S.orD.M.D.);Law(L.L.B.orJ.D.);Medicine(M.D.);Optometry(O.D.);OsteopathicMedicine(D.O);
Pharmacy(Pharm.D.);Podiatry(D.P.M.,Pod.D.,D.P.);or,VeterinaryMedicine(D.V.M.),andothers,asdesignatedbytheawarding
institution.
Doctor’s degree-other:Adoctor’sdegreethatdoesnotmeetthedefinitionofadoctor’sdegree-research/scholarshiporadoctor’s
degree-professionalpractice.
Double major: Programinwhichstudentsmaycompletetwoundergraduateprogramsofstudysimultaneously.
Dual enrollment: Aprogramthroughwhichhighschoolstudentsmayenrollincollegecourseswhilestillenrolledinhighschool.
Studentsarenotrequiredtoapplyforadmissiontothecollegeinordertoparticipate.
Early action plan: Anadmissionplanthatallowsstudentstoapplyandbenotifiedofanadmissiondecisionwellinadvanceofthe
regularnotificationdates.Ifadmitted,thecandidateisnotcommittedtoenroll;thestudentmayreplytotheofferunderthecollege’s
Early admission: Apolicyunderwhichstudentswhohavenotcompletedhighschoolareadmittedandenrollfulltimeincollege,
usuallyaftercompletionoftheirjunioryear.
Early decision plan: Aplanthatpermitsstudentstoapplyandbenotifiedofanadmissiondecision(andfinancialaidofferif
applicable)wellinadvanceoftheregularnotificationdate.Applicantsagreetoacceptanofferofadmissionand,ifadmitted,to
withdrawtheirapplicationsfromothercolleges.Therearethreepossibledecisionsforearlydecisionapplicants:admitted,denied,or
notadmittedbutforwardedforconsiderationwiththeregularapplicantpool,withoutprejudice.
English as a Second Language (ESL): AcourseofstudydesignedspecificallyforstudentswhosenativelanguageisnotEnglish.
Exchange student program-domestic: Anyarrangementbetweenastudentandacollegethatpermitsstudyforasemesterormoreat
anothercollege in the United States withoutextendingtheamountoftimerequiredforadegree.See also Study abroad.
External degree program:Aprogramofstudyinwhichstudentsearncreditstowardadegreethroughindependentstudy,college
courses,proficiencyexaminations,andpersonalexperience.Externaldegreeprogramsrequireminimalornoclassroomattendance.
Extracurricular activities (as admission factor): Specialconsiderationintheadmissionsprocessgivenforparticipationinboth
schoolandnonschool-relatedactivitiesofinteresttothecollege,suchasclubs,hobbies,studentgovernment,athletics,performingarts,
First-time student:
Astudentattendinganyinstitutionforthefirsttimeatthelevelenrolled.Includesstudentsenrolledinthefallterm
whoattendedapostsecondaryinstitutionforthefirsttimeatthesamelevelinthepriorsummerterm.Alsoincludesstudentswho
enteredwithadvancedstanding(collegecreditearnedbeforegraduationfromhighschool).
First-time, first-year student: Astudentattendinganyinstitutionforthefirsttimeattheundergraduatelevel.Includesstudents
enrolledinthefalltermwhoattendedcollegeforthefirsttimeinthepriorsummerterm.Alsoincludesstudentswhoenteredwith
advancedstanding(collegecreditsearnedbeforegraduationfromhighschool).
First-year student: Astudentwhohascompletedlessthantheequivalentof1fullyearofundergraduatework;thatis,lessthan30
semesterhours(ina120-hourdegreeprogram)orlessthan900clockhours.
CDS Definitions Page 2