ACADEMIC ADVISOR: A faculty member, usually a professor in a student’s area of study who helps a student choose classes and set up a plan of study. At Barry University students are assigned an academic advisor upon acceptance into the university. Students must meet with their academic advisors before registering for classes in order to seek their guidance and permission to register.
ACADEMIC MAJORS: Area of concentration in a particular field of study. Frequently students focus in their majors during their junior and senior years at college.
ACCEPTED: A general admission status which signifies that the prospective student has met enrollment requirements.
ACCEPTED INTO THE UNIVERSITY: A specific Barry University’s admission status which signifies that the prospective student has met the enrollment requirements for attendance to the university. Students accepted into the university can enroll and attend classes; however, this does not necessarily mean they have been accepted into their program of choice.
ACCEPTED INTO THE PROGRAM: A Barry University’s admission status which signifies that the prospective student has met the enrollment requirements for the specific program (major) of their choice.
ACCEPTANCE LETTER: Letters issued by Barry University after the review of submitted credentials, offering applicants the opportunity to enroll in the class for the next school year. Final acceptance depends on the submission of a final official transcripts that exhibits an academic performance matching with that showed at the time the original application materials were submitted.
ADMISSION PROCESS: The series of actions through which admission counselors review applications, make decisions regarding acceptance or denial, and notify applicants of acceptance or denial for admission.
AFFIDAVIT OF SUPPORT: An official document proving a promise of funding from an individual or organization. At Barry University, it is a requirement provided by international students after they have been accepted to the university.
ADMISSION STATUS: Stage of each particular prospective student’s file in the review process by the admission counselors. Students sometimes contact Barry University to inquire about their admission status when they want to know if there are documents missing that prevent the counselors from making an admission decision.
ADMISSION COUNSELOR: Representative from the Office of Admissions who assists prospective students through the admission process. Once you apply to Barry University, you will be assigned a unique admission counselor who will personally respond to your questions.
APPLICATION: Form that enables students to express their interest in being accepted for attendance and initiates the admission process to various programs and levels of study at an educational institution. At Barry University, the preferred method of submitting an application is on-line through the myBarry system, but if that is not feasible, a prospective student may fill-out and submit a traditional paper application form, as well.
APPLICANT: Any student who has completed the application process at Barry University.
AWARD LETTER: A document issued to a student financial aid recipient that indicates the type, amount, and disbursement dates of the funds awarded for various financial aid programs.
BANK LETTER: A letter stating that a student has sufficient funds to support the cost of education during their attendance at Barry University. The cost of education includes tuition, books, room and board and other expenses. The letter is valid for one year and must be renewed at the start of each new academic year. This letter is a requirement for issuance of an I-20.
COMMUTER STUDENT: Any student who does not live in University-provided housing or on-campus, whether they live at home with their parents or in their own apartment/home.
CREDIT: A unit of measurement given to a student for completing an academic course. Each credit counts towards graduation. Most courses are 3 credits whereas some classes may offer 1 or 2 credits, such as Labs or ISR (Sports & Recreation) classes. The total number of credits needed for a Bachelor’s degree is 120-124 credits.
COUNSELOR: Individual who guides a student through different processes at a university. In Barry's Recruitment and Admissions, there are two types of counselors: Admission Counselors, who help with the admission process and Financial Aid Counselors, who help out students sorting out through financial assistance issues and procedures.
DEFERRAL: When an admission decision is moved to a later date in the selection process. It allows an accepted student to postpone admission for one year.
DOCTORAL DEGREE:An academic degree that represents the highest level of formal study or research in a given field. Also refers to a class of degrees which qualify the holder to practice in a specific profession; such as law or medicine, for example: the Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy).
ENROLLMENT: The process of initiating attendance to Barry University during which students matriculate and register for classes and, when applicable, occupy on-campus housing.
ENROLLMENT DEPOSIT: Payment that confirms a student’s intent of attending Barry University and reserves a position for them in the entering class.
F.A.F.S.A. (Free Application for Federal Student Aid): Form that is used to determine a student's eligibility for federal grant, loan, and work funds. The F.A.F.S.A. is available online.
F.E.R.P.A. (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act): Form filled out by a student after becoming enrolled and registered into a university. The FERPA from grants permission for individuals named by a student to access information about the student from the university, including university records, enrollment status, grades and other such information.
FINANCIAL AID: Money awarded to a student to assist in paying for their post secondary education. Financial aid packages include a variety of types of aid including scholarships or grants, student loans, and federal Work Study. Need- based financial aid can come from the federal government or from the state government.
FINANCIAL AID COUNSELOR: Representative from the Office of Financial Aid who assists prospective students through the financial aid process. Once you apply to Barry University, you will be assigned a unique financial aid counselor who will personally respond to your questions.
FINAL OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT: Official record of high school and/or college courses and grades showing a student's educational performance after the student has completed the courses in said institutions. At Barry University transcripts are considered official only when they are received either directly from the institution attended or are submitted in a sealed envelope with the school seal intact.
FULL TIME: A student that is enrolled and attends classes for at least 12 credits per semester.
I-20 Form: A multipurpose government form provided to accepted international students that tells the U.S. government that they are eligible for F-1 Student Status. All international students must have this document in valid status for travel and educational purposes. This form is only issued after a prospective student meets Barry University admissions requirements and proves to have enough money to study and live in the U.S. without working illegally or suffering from poverty. After receiving an I-20 form from an educational institution, students must go to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for a student visa.
GRADUATE ASSISTANT (GA): A full-time graduate student who works in a University department in exchange for tuition costs. A stipend is sometimes provided, depending on the department in which a GA works.
GRADUATE STUDENT: A student earning a Master’s Degree, generally already having an undergraduate degree.
GRANT: Financial awards that do not need to be repaid and typically come from state or federal sources. They are usually based on financial need.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT: A student who is not a permanent resident or citizen of the United States. This student must be in possession of a student visa, as well as an I-20 document.
IN PROGRESS: An admission status that signifies that no admission decision has been reached. This can occur for a variety of reasons including missing credentials, review of file pending additional tests scores, etc.
MISSING CREDENTIALS: Information such as transcripts, diplomas, degrees, or identification documents etc., that are missing from a student’s file and need to be presented before the file and admission process is complete.
MAJOR: Area of concentration in a particular field of study. Frequently students focus in their majors during their junior and senior years at college.
myBarry: An interactive on-line tool for students who plan on attending Barry University which allows them to apply online for admission and on-campus housing while also tracking the stages of their application process. This tool expedites the payment of different fees and facilitates identifying if there are documents missing to complete the application process.
OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT: Record of high school and/or college courses and grades showing a student's educational performance received either directly from the institution attended or submitted in a sealed envelope with the school seal intact.
ORIENTATION: Orientation is the key to a successful transition into Barry University. Students will meet with academic advisors, schedule classes for the semester, order books, pick up their college ID, get a closer look at the residence halls, test out their commute (if living off campus), meet fellow classmates, and more.
PART-TIME STUDENT: A student who is enrolled for less than 9 credits per semester.
PROSPECTIVE STUDENT: Any student who is a potential applicant for admission to Barry University, particularly those who have shown interest in attending the institution.
RESIDENT STUDENT: A student who resides on campus in university-provided housing.
ROLLING ADMISSION: Admissions procedure by which Barry University considers each student's application as soon as all the required credentials have been received (e.g., school record, test scores) notifying applicants of our decision without delay. There is no deadline for filing a Barry University application.
STUDENT AID REPORT (SAR): The form sent to families in response to submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) indicating the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
SEMESTER: Academic term during which classes are held. Barry University has two main semesters. Fall Semester begins in late August and ends in mid December. Spring Semester begins in early January and ends in early May. Classes are compulsory during these times. Barry also has two Summer Semesters. Summer I (Mid May- Mid June) and Summer II (Mid June – Late July). Classes at these times are not mandatory.
STUDENT LOANS: A low interest loan made available to students for educational expenses. The federal government guarantees student loans to residents and citizens of the United States. Students can borrow from the federal government, from the University they are attending or from a financial institution. For federal loans, students who qualify based on need will not have to pay interest while still in school. Rates are usually lower than other loans and repayment is usually deferred until the student graduates.
T.O.E.F.L. (Test of English as a Foreign Language): An exam required for students whose primary language is not English. The test is made up of three multiple choice sections: listening comprehension, structure and written expression, and reading comprehension. See Barry University’s specific scoring requirements.
TRANSCRIPT: Record of high school and/or college courses and grades showing a student's educational performance.
TRANSFER STUDENT: Applicants who have at least 12 transferable credits from a regionally accredited college or university, who desires to change institutions bringing credits for work completed with them.
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT:A student who is seeking a Bachelor’s degree.
WORK-STUDY: Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federally funded, need-based financial aid program, which enables students to earn money for college through part time employment. In order to be eligible for Federal Work-Study, a student must demonstrate financial need, be a full time degree- seeking student and be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. A student must apply for financial aid and be awarded Federal Work-Study as part of their financial aid package. Eligible undergraduate students may work up to 20 hours per week on campus. There are a variety of work locations and settings. Wages vary depending on the type of job.