Common Terms

Advisor – Academic Advisors are your primary resource regarding academic planning and related issues, program specific requirements, and goal setting. Advisors can answer your questions, and assist you with planning and problem-solving to help you get the most from your education.

Accepted – Students that have completed all the required admissions steps for a specific program.

Admitted – Used interchangeably with Accepted.

Career and Life Skills - Moraine Park is in the process of transitioning the College’s common learning outcomes from Core Abilities to Career and Life SkillsOnce all occupational programs and general education courses have Career and Life Skills integrated into their curriculum, Core Abilities will be discontinued.

Core Abilities – Transferable skills, knowledge and/or attitudes essential to an individual’s success regardless of occupation or community setting.

Core Courses – Courses that cover program-specific technical skills and knowledge.

Corequisite – Requires that a course be taken at the same time as another course. You may not drop or withdraw from one course without dropping or withdrawing from the other.

Counselor – Counselors are here to support and provide short-term counseling services for any issues that may become barriers to student success at the College.

Dual Credit - Also referred to as transcripted credit, provides high school students the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school, without leaving their high school classroom. The courses are taught by certified high school instructors using technical college curriculum, grading policies and textbooks. These credits are transferable to all schools within the Wisconsin Technical College System and may also transfer to four-year colleges.

Dual Enrollment - Dual enrollment is an umbrella term that includes a variety of programs or ways a high school student can earn college credit while still in high school.

Educational Records – Any record (in handwriting, print, tapes, film, computer or other medium) maintained by Moraine Park Technical College directly relating to a student or students.

Enrollment Status – An indication of whether a student is attending school full time (12 or more credits), three quarter time (9-11 credits), half time (6-8 credits) or less than half time (1-5 credits).

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) – Federal legislation enacted to protect the privacy of students’ educational records.

Federal Work Study – Provides jobs for eligible students who need financial assistance to attend college. Money is earned as the student works.

Financial Aid1 – Assistance to help a student of any age meet their educational costs. Financial aid may be in the form of a federal or state grant, federal work-study or federal student loans. A student applies for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – The application used to apply for Federal Student Aid Programs including grants and loans. The student’s eligibility to qualify for Federal and State Student Aid programs is based on the expected family contribution (EFC) determined from the information reported on the FAFSA, and on a number of other factors. Completion of the FAFSA is required each academic year that the student requests Federal and State Student Aid.

Full-Time Student – An individual enrolled in and attempting 12 or more credits in an academic term.

Grade Point Average (GPA) – Individuals are awarded a grade point for each course completed. The grade point average is determined by taking the number of grade points earned and dividing it by the number of credits attempted. The grade point average is determined at the end of each semester and is awarded based on the completion of the academic term and cumulatively determined for all courses attempted at the institution.

Grant – A type of financial aid based on financial need.

Loan – A type of financial aid which must be repaid with interest.

Matriculation – Used interchangeably with Accepted.

New Student – Student who has been accepted in a program for the upcoming semester

Nontraditional Occupations – Careers that currently employ 25 percent or less of one gender.

Part-Time Student – An individual attempting 11 or fewer credits in the academic term.

Pre-Core Student – A student who is on a waiting list for a program and has been accepted to take General Education courses.

Prerequisite – Requires that a student must pass a course or test before enrolling in a more advanced course. Equivalent skills or prior experience may also be accepted as a prerequisite for a course with prior approval.

Program of Study – The academic area in which the student has been accepted.

Registered – The act of choosing courses and signing up to take the course. Students do not register for a program, they must go through the application process to be admitted into a program. When registering for a class, they are reserving their spot in a course and agreeing to pay all of the course fees.

Returning Student – A student who has been accepted into a program, is currently attending, and has taken at least one semester of core courses.

Scholarship – A type of funding that does not have to be repaid by the recipient. Scholarships are most often awarded through an application process for one of two reasons: achievement in academics or other areas of financial need.

Start College Now – A state approved program for public high school 11th and 12th grade students who meet specific criteria to take post-secondary courses. Courses must be pre-approved by the high school and are paid by the high school. Successfully completed courses apply to high school graduation and as college credit.

1

A complete list of financial aid terms can be found in the Financial Aid Award Guide.