LVC Glossary

Academic Advisor: A faculty or staff member assigned to assist your student in choosing majors and minors, selecting classes to fulfill graduation requirements, and provide other academic advice.

AccessLVC: AccessLVC is LVC’s student portal where they register for classes and take actions associated with financial aid.

Add/Drop Period: Usually the first week of the semester, when students can add or drop a course without consequences, including withdrawals on their transcript.

Adjunct Faculty/Professor: Instructors who are hired by the college to teach a limited number of classes and often work full-time in their field.

Audit: Students attend a class they are interested in, but they are not required to take exams and do not receive academic credit for the course.

Bachelor’s Degree: Undergraduate degree that generally requires four years to complete. LVC offers bachelor of science, bachelor of arts, bachelor of music, and bachelor of nursing degrees.

Bursar: The bursar is the office that manages tuition billing, payments, and student accounts. At LVC, we have a Business Office instead of a Bursar’s Office.

Canvas: LVC uses Canvas as its Learning Management System. Students are enrolled in courses in Canvas and can view and submit assignments and message their instructors. Students access Canvas by logging into MyLVC.

CASEM: The Center for Academic Success and Exploratory Majors provides academic support resources including tutoring, academic coaching, and advising for Exploratory/Undecided majors.

Clinical Education: Some majors, primarily in the health professions, include clinicals where students practice their learned skills in a professional setting.

Cohort: A group of students who enter college together (i.e., Fall 2024 cohort) or pursue an academic degree program together.

Commencement: LVC’s formal graduation ceremonies are held each May, one for undergraduate students and another for graduate degree recipients.

Convocation: A convocation is a gathering of students on campus. Colleges and universities may host them to welcome new students, celebrate graduating students, or for other purposes. At LVC, we host an Opening Convocation during Orientation weekend to celebrate our newest Dutchmen.

Corequisite: A corequisite is a course that must be taken at the same time as another course. Material in the co-requisite courses usually complement each other.

Core/General Education courses: Foundational class requirements that are similar for all students, regardless of major.

Course Load: The total number of courses and credits a student is taking in a semester.

Doctoral Degree: An advanced academic degree that requires additional study beyond the four years of undergraduate work. LVC offers a doctor of physical therapy degree.

Dutchmen First: LVC’s program to support first-generation students with their transition to college by hosting events and sharing information about campus resources.

Electives: Classes that fulfill a general education requirement or spark a student’s interest but are not required as part of the required courses for their major.

First-Generation Student: A student who is the first in their family to receive a college degree.

FYE (First-Year Experience): New first-year and transfer students take a First-Year Experience course that includes two components. A three-credit course based around a specific topic strengthens analysis and writing skills. A one-credit companion class focuses on transitional skills like coping with stress, planning for your career, managing time, and understanding academic requirements.

Grading Scale: The system of letter or umber grades used to help determine a student’s grade-point average (GPA).

Internship: Professional learning experiences at businesses that take learning beyond the classroom lessons. Internships may be paid, unpaid, or for credit.

Lecture: Class format that does not include a lab section.

Master’s Degree: A graduate-level degree that follows a bachelor’s degree program.

Matriculate: A student who is admitted, registered for classes, and in good academic standing.

Midterm: An exam given near the mid-point of the semester to assess student learning covered in the first half of the course.

Minor: A secondary area of study, separate from the major. Students are not required to declare a minor at LVC.

Orientation: Starting with move-in day and leading up to the first day of classes, new students participate in activities to introduce them to LVC and help with the transition to college.

Pass/Fail Course: Students who enroll in a pass/fail course receive a P or an F instead of a letter or number grade.

Plagiarism: Using someone else’s work as your own. Learn more about Academic Honesty at LVC.

Practicum: An opportunity for students to apply classroom knowledge in a professional setting.

Prerequisites: Courses that must be taken and passed with a specific grade before students are permitted to take a higher-level course.

Probation: Students who are not in good academic standing may be placed on probation with a requirement to develop an academic success plan. Learn more about Academic Standing.

Registrar: This office handles scheduling students for classes, transcript and AP/IB credit reviews, and other associated academic duties.

Registration: Signing up for classes for future semesters, usually done in tandem with a student’s academic advisor.

Starfish: Starfish is an online student engagement tool that allows faculty, students, and staff to connect and collaboratively cultivate student success. Students can use Starfish to request tutoring or academic support and receive academic progress updates.

Terms vs. Semesters: LVC operates on 15-week two semesters (fall and spring) but also offers a Winter Term and Summer Term with online class options for students to get ahead or catch up on needed classes.

Traditional vs. Non-Traditional Student: Traditional students generally attend college immediately or soon after completing high school, are financially dependent on parents/guardians, and attend classes full-time. Non-traditional students are usually older, may work full-time, and are financially independent.

Transcript: Official record of courses taken, and grades earned at a high school, college, or university.

Transfer Credits: Course credits earned from other colleges or universities that are accepted by LVC toward your degree completion.

Undecided/Exploratory: Students who have not yet decided on a major.

Waitlist: A status for students who attempt to enroll in a class that is filled. Students added to a waitlist may be granted access to the class if additional spots become available.

Withdraw: When students drop a class after the add/drop period. Students receive a W on their transcript.

ACT: The American College Test, one of two standardized tests that high school students can take to demonstrate college preparedness. LVC accepts ACT or SAT scores, although neither are required. Learn more about our Test Optional policy.

Common Application/Common App: This service allows high school students to apply to hundreds of schools in a streamlined manner. LVC accepts Common App and has its own LVC application that is shorter and does not require an essay.

Early Action: Students can apply to schools earlier in the admission cycle and receive an admission decision sooner. Early Action is not binding.

Early Decision: Students can apply to schools earlier in the admission cycle and receive an admission decision sooner. Early Decision is usually binding and requires the student to enroll. LVC does not offer early decision.

Entrance/Admission Requirements: These are the steps a student must complete to apply to a college. This could include standardized test scores, essays, and recommendation letters in addition to the application.

FAFSA: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid allows students a streamlined process to apply for federal loans and grants. LVC encourages all families to complete a FAFSA to maximize their financial aid offer.

Grants: Students may receive federal or state grants that are need-based funds and do not need to be repaid. Federal grants are awarded through the FAFSA filing process, while state grants may require separate applications and have different criteria.

Income-driven Repayment Plan: A loan repayment plan based on the borrower’s income.

LVC Live: LVC Live is an exclusive event for admitted students and their families to talk with faculty, explore student clubs and activities, meet staff, and tour campus.

Net Price: Cost of a college when you take the listed price for tuition, room and board, and fees and subtract scholarships and grants awarded through financial aid. See LVC’s Net Price Calculator.

Room and Board: Costs associated with on-campus housing and meal plans.

NSAD: At New Student Advising Day, enrolled students meet with their faculty advisors to select classes for the Fall semester. Advising Days are offered three times in mid-late May. Families also participate in a day of programming just for them.

Placement Test: Schools may administer tests during advising days or orientation to determine a student’s placement in courses such as English, Math, or Language. LVC students are required to take a language placement test, and certain majors must take a math placement test before they meet with their advisor to schedule classes.

Regular Decision: Dates can vary by college or university, but usually follow a general timeline of applying by early January to receive an admission decision in early April.

Rolling Admission: Some colleges and universities accept applications on a rolling deadline and provide admission decisions within a few weeks of receiving the application. LVC is rolling admission and will provide an admission decision within two weeks of receiving all your application materials.

SAI (Student Aid Index): Your SAI is a number calculated by the federal government to determine whether or not you are eligible for a Pell Grant and the government’s lowest-cost loans. The government uses the information you provide on your FAFSA to roughly calculate how much you and your family can afford to pay for college.

SAT: The Scholastic Aptitude Test, one of two standardized tests that high school students can take to demonstrate college preparedness. LVC accepts ACT or SAT scores, although neither are required. Learn more about our Test Optional policy.

Scholarship: A financial award given to students to help pay for tuition and other college expenses that do not need to be repaid.

Stafford Loan: A direct federal loan with fixed interest rates.

Subsidized vs. Unsubsidized Loan: Subsidized loans, available to students with financial need, means the federal government pays the interest that accrues while students are in school and during grace and deferment periods. Unsubsidized loans are not based on financial need and require students to pay interest while they attend school or have the interest added to their loan balance.

Tuition: The price of college classes. Tuition could be flat rate or charged per credit.

Waitlisted: An admission decision that is neither an acceptance nor denial. Students who are waitlisted may be accepted to the college or university at a later time.

Work Study: A financial aid program where college students work part-time jobs to help pay for tuition and other college expenses. Work Study is run by the Financial Aid Office and may be federally- or state-funded.