Plain-English definitions of every term you will encounter — from SAT to financial aid to early decision — written for students applying from Pakistan.
CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) is the overall GPA calculated across all semesters of university study, typic…
The Common Application (Common App) is a centralised US university application platform used by over 1,000 institut…
The CSS Profile is a College Board financial aid application used by approximately 400 US universities to assess fi…
A deferral occurs when a student who applied Early Decision or Early Action is not admitted in the early round but …
Demonstrated financial need is the gap between what a university costs and what a student's family can reasonably b…
The Digital SAT is the computer-based, adaptive version of the SAT introduced globally in 2024, replacing the paper…
Early Action (EA) is a non-binding early application option at US universities, with November deadlines and Decembe…
Early Decision (ED) is a binding application option at US universities where, if admitted, you are required to atte…
The ECAT (Engineering College Admission Test) is a standardised test used in Pakistan for admission to engineering …
Extracurricular activities are academic or personal pursuits outside formal classroom instruction — sports, clubs, …
A gap year is a period — typically 6 to 12 months — taken between secondary school and university (or between degre…
GPA (Grade Point Average) is a numerical summary of a student's academic performance in the US grading system, calc…
The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is a standardised test required for admission to most US postgraduate program…
Need-aware admission is a university admissions policy in which a student's financial need or ability to pay may be…
Need-based aid is financial support for university students awarded based on the student's demonstrated financial n…
Need-blind admission is a university policy in which an applicant's ability to pay tuition has no influence on the …
The NET is the NUST Entry Test — the primary criterion for admission to the National University of Sciences and Tec…
The SAT (Scholastic Assessment Test) is a standardised test administered by the College Board, used for admission t…
STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics — the academic disciplines grouped togethe…
Supplemental essays are additional writing requirements set by individual universities, asked alongside the main ap…
Test-optional is a university admissions policy in which standardised test scores (SAT, ACT) are not required as pa…
The TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is an English language proficiency test required by most US unive…
A transfer student is a university student who moves from one institution to another after completing some credits …
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