College words
College Terms You Will Hear in Your First Weeks
Use this page when you see a word in your syllabus, in Blackboard, or in class that you do not know.
Why these words matter
In your first weeks, instructors and staff use many words that are special to college. They may not explain them, because they use them every day. Knowing these words helps you read your syllabus, follow announcements, and ask clear questions.
This page groups common terms by where you will meet them. You do not need to learn them all today. Come back to the page when you see a word you do not know.
This page gives general meanings. The exact rules, such as how late work is graded or how to drop a class, are in your syllabus or come from your advisor. When a rule matters, check there.
Words about your courses
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| syllabus | The document that explains a course: its schedule, rules, grading, and how to contact the instructor. Read it in the first week. |
| semester, term | The period of time when a course meets, such as Fall or Spring. |
| section | One group of students in a course. The same course can have several sections, at different times or online. |
| credit hour | The unit that measures a course. Most courses are three credit hours. Your degree requires a certain number of them. |
| full-time, part-time | How many credit hours you take in a semester. The number for full-time can matter for financial aid. Ask your advisor. |
| prerequisite | A course you must finish before you can take another course. |
| corequisite | A course you must take at the same time as another course. |
| drop, withdraw | To leave a course. When you leave affects your grade and your money. Talk to your advisor first. |
| advisor | A person who helps you choose courses and plan your degree. |
| Blackboard | The website where your courses live: assignments, grades, announcements, and messages. |
Words about assignments and grades
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| assignment | A piece of work your instructor asks you to do, such as an essay, a quiz, or a discussion post. |
| prompt, directions | The instructions for an assignment. See Understanding a writing prompt. |
| due date | The day and time when an assignment must be turned in. |
| late work | Work turned in after the due date. Each instructor has a rule for it. Find it in the syllabus. |
| rubric | A chart that shows how an assignment will be graded. See Reading a rubric. |
| participation | Taking an active part in class. It is often part of the grade. |
| attendance | Being present in class. In an online class, it can mean logging in and doing the work each week. |
| GPA | Grade point average. One number that shows your average grade in all your courses. |
| academic integrity | Doing your own work honestly, and giving credit when you use other people’s words or ideas. |
| plagiarism | Using someone else’s words or ideas without giving them credit. Colleges treat it as a serious problem. |
Words about places and help
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| office hours | Times when an instructor is available to meet with students. Some instructors call them student hours. Every student is welcome. |
| Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) | OCTC’s free tutoring and writing help center. See This semester for hours. |
| tutor | A person who helps you with coursework outside of class. See Working with a tutor. |
| library | A place for books, articles, and research help, in person and online. OCTC Library (opens in a new tab) |
| library database | An online collection of articles and books that the library pays for. You use it to find reliable sources. |
Example: terms in a syllabus
Here is part of a syllabus. Each number matches a note below.
Prerequisite: ENG 101.1 This is a three-credit-hour course.2
Late work: I accept late work for up to three days, with 10 percent off each day.3 Office hours: Tuesday and Thursday, 1 to 2 p.m., or by appointment.4
All work must follow the college’s academic integrity policy.5
- Prerequisite. You must finish ENG 101 before you can take this course.
- Credit hours. This course counts for three credit hours toward your degree.
- Late work. This instructor’s rule. Another instructor may have a different one.
- Office hours. You can come at these times without an appointment. By appointment means you can also ask for another time.
- Academic integrity. Do your own work honestly, and give credit to your sources.
Language focus: verb phrases you will hear in college
Two-word verbs
English often uses a verb + a small word such as in, up, or for to make a new meaning. These are called phrasal verbs. The meaning of the pair can be different from the meaning of each word.
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| turn in, hand in | submit | Turn in your essay in Blackboard. |
| sign up for | register for | I signed up for a tutoring session. |
| make up | do missed work later | Can I make up the quiz? |
| fall behind | not keep up with the schedule | I fell behind in the second week. |
| catch up | reach the schedule again | I need to catch up on the reading. |
| look over | read quickly to check | Please look over my outline. |
| drop out | leave school completely | She did not drop out; she dropped one class. |
Drop a class means leaving one course. Drop out means leaving college. The small word out changes the meaning.
Sentence starters
Use these when you meet a word you do not know. Fill in each blank with your own words.
- To ask about a wordWhat does mean in the syllabus?Could you explain what means for this course?
- To ask about a ruleWhat is the rule for in this class?If I , what should I do?
Practice
- A course lists “Prerequisite: MAT 110.” You have not taken MAT 110. Can you take the course now?
- Where do you find your instructor’s rule for late work?
- Choose the correct phrase: “I was sick, so I need to (make up / turn in) the quiz.”
- What is the difference between drop a class and drop out?
Show suggested answers
- No, in most cases. A prerequisite must be finished first. If you think you have equal experience, ask your advisor.
- In the syllabus. Each instructor sets the rule, so it can be different in each course.
- make up You missed the quiz, so you need to do it later. Turn in means submit.
- Leaving one course, or leaving college. Drop a class means leaving one course. Drop out means leaving school completely.
Next step
Try this with your syllabus
- Open the syllabus for one of your courses.
- Find five words from this page.
- Find one word that is not on this page, and ask your instructor or a tutor what it means.