Freshman: A first-year student at a high school, college, or university.

Full-time student: One who is enrolled in an institution taking a full load of courses; the number of courses and hours is specified by the institution.

GMAT: Graduate Management Admission Test, usually required for applicants to business or management programs.

Grade: The evaluation of a student's academic work.

Grade point average: A system of recording academic achievement based on an average, calculated by multiplying the numerical grade received in each course by the number of credit hours studied.

Grading system: The type of scale - that is, letter grade, pass/fail, percentage — used by schools, colleges, and universities in the United States. Most institutions commonly use letter grades to indicate the quality of a student's academic performance: "A" (excellent), "B" (good), "C" (average), "D" (below average), and "F" (failing). Work rated "C" or above is usually required of an undergraduate student to continue his or her studies; work rated "B" or higher is usually required of a graduate student to continue. Grades of "P" (pass), "S" (satisfactory), and "N" (no credit) are also used. In percentage scales, 100 percent is the highest mark, and 65 to 70 percent is usually the lowest passing mark.