Fraternities/Sororities (aka- Greek System) - Fraternities (for men) and sororities (for women) are social organizations that are active in various activities. Through a process of mutual selection, called Rush (which takes place during a specified period of time), students may be offered the opportunity to “pledge” a certain fraternity of sorority. Not all colleges have these organizations.
Lab Classes - Laboratory classes require students to perform certain functions in controlled situations that help them test and understand what is being taught in the lecture.
Letter Grades & Grade Point Averages (GPA) - Most colleges use both letter grades and GPAs in determining students’ grades. Grades at most colleges are figured using the following method: A’s are worth 4 points B’s are worth 3 points C’s are worth 2 points D’s are worth 1 point F’s are worth 0 points. Some colleges also use the +/- system to allow more definition between letter grades. To figure a GPA, simply multiply the number of hours a course is worth by the number of points for the letter grade, then add up the totals for each course and divide by the number of credit hours. The result is the grade point average.
Major & Minor - A major is a student’s chosen field of study. It usually requires the successful completion of a specified number of credit hours. A minor is designated as a specific number of credit hours in a secondary field of study.
Non-Credit Courses - These are courses that do not meet the requirements for a certificate of a degree at a given institution. Non-credit courses may serve several purposes like exploring new fields of study, increasing proficiency in a particular subject, or enriching life experiences through specific studies.
Pass or Fail Courses - Pass or fail courses do not earn letter grades or grade points for students. If a student passes a pass or fail course, they receive a “P” (pass) or “S” (satisfactory) on the transcript and the credit hours. If the student does not pass the course, they will receive an “F” (fail) or a “U” (unsatisfactory) on the transcript and no credit hours. The evaluation for the pass/fail course is not figured into the student’s GPA.
