College Vocabulary
Academic Honors
Students who achieve quarterly grade point averages (GPAs) of 3.60 to 3.99 in at least 10 EvCC traditionally graded credits are recognized by the Office of the Vice President of Instruction. Those who achieve a quarterly GPA of 4.0 are recognized by the President’s Office.
Accredited College
Certified by a regional accrediting agency as having fulfilled minimum standards. Credits from regionally accredited schools are usually transferable. Some schools are accredited by national accrediting bodies, and in some cases courses from such schools may be transferable.
Admission
Admission is the process of completing and submitting a college application. Most students complete the online application via web admissions. Some programs have additional or alternate admission processes.
Admissions Application
The process by which individuals apply to gain entry into a college or university. A web-based application allows an individual to apply for admission to several of the community and technical colleges within the state of Washington. Once processed, students are matriculated. They then receive an admissions letter via email with their ctcLink Student Identification Number (SID) and information about the next steps to take. Some programs have additional or alternate admission processes. Applying for admission is a separate process from applying for financial aid.
Advisor
A member of the college faculty designated to assist students in planning their programs of study. This includes general academic, program-specific, and entry advising.
Audit
Taking a class without receiving credit or a grade. Full tuition and fees must be paid.
Blocks
A block is punitive in nature, preventing a student from registering for classes, and/or from obtaining an official transcript. Blocks are not removed until the student has conducted whatever business is needed to do so (pay a fine, meet with a dean, etc.).
Catalog
The annual contract with students. The catalog (this document) contains college policies, procedures, course definitions and descriptions.
Class
A specific section of a course (such as English 101 Section A) and has a specific class item number.
Class Item Number
A five-digit number found in the class schedule, specific to the class, section, and the quarter offered.
Class Section
Courses are broken down into class sections. They are the same class offered at different times, locations, and can differentiate teaching modalities such as in-person, online or hybrid classes. Please refer to EverettCC.edu/Classes for a complete list of section definitions.
Class Schedule
The list of classes offered in any given quarter, which gives an overview of information found in the catalog. EvCC’s class schedule is available online at EverettCC.edu/Classes.
College in the High School
A free dual credit program where high school students, grades 9 through 12, can take college-level courses at their high school.
Commencement
An annual ceremony recognizing students’ academic accomplishments.
Course
The specific discipline (subject), such as English 98 or Math& 141.
Common Course Number (&)
A course number that contains an ampersand (&) is a course number and course title shared by many colleges in the Washington community and technical college system, thereby assisting students who may transfer from one community college to another.
Co-requisite
A course that must be taken during the same quarter as another course.
Counselor
A member of the college faculty who has professional training in counseling and who assists students who have challenges of an academic, career or personal nature.
Course Repeat
The process of repeating a course for the purpose of improving a grade. The highest grade earned of the original or repeated courses will be used to calculate the student’s cumulative grade point average. In no circumstance will any course be repeated more than twice in order to improve a grade; (this is defined as two repeats in addition to the original enrollment). The student must register for the course they plan to repeat, and pay all necessary fees. If the class was taken prior to Fall 2021, a Course Repeat Form must be turned into Enrollment Services.
Credit, Unit, Credit Hour, or Quarter Hour
A measure of college work. In lecture and seminar classes, one credit hour is given for one clock hour of attendance each week for one quarter. In non-lecture courses, however, two or three clock hours of attendance each week are required to earn one credit. The quarter hours of credit for each course are shown after the course titles in the Course Descriptions section of this catalog.
ctcLink
EvCC‘s student management system is used for admissions, class registration, and more. ctcLink has been implemented by all 34 Washington community and technical colleges in a centralized system. For more information, visit EverettCC.edu/ctcLink.
CTE Dual Credit
A low cost dual credit program where high school students, grades 9 through 12, can take college-level vocational/technical courses at their high school. Formerly known as Tech Prep.
Current Student and Returning Student
A current student is a person who has attended EvCC within the last two quarters (not including summer.) A returning student is a person who attended EvCC more than three quarters ago (not including summer quarter).
Curriculum
The complete list of courses offered by the college. Also, a group of courses required for a specific degree.
Deficiency
Lack of credit in a course required for a program or degree.
Degree or Certificate
Awarded by the college to signify that a student has successfully completed a prescribed program of study.
Degree Planner
A tool to assist in the evaluation and planning of a student’s academic and professional/technical goals while at Everett Community College. Combines any courses that have been successfully completed at EvCC, any officially transferred-in courses from different institutions via a Transfer Credit Evaluation, and current enrollment records at EvCC. Student’s can access their Degree Plan at EverettCC.edu/Starfish.
Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA)
An associate degree which confers specific transfer rights to most four-year colleges and universities in Washington state. See direct transfer degree program checklist for completion requirements.
Distribution Areas
Courses in each distribution area may share subject matter, ways of acquiring new information, evaluative criteria, and modes of analysis. Awarding of a certificate(s) and/or degree(s) requires the completion of outlined distribution area credits in the program checklist. Refer to Direct Transfer Agreement Program Checklist for a complete list of all distribution area courses.
Distinction
Students who have met specific degree and/or certificate requirements are recognized with Distinction if their EvCC Cumulative GPA is 3.20 or above, as noted: 3.20-3.59 = Distinction
3.60-3.99 = High Distinction
4.0 = President’s Distinction
Division
An administrative unit within the instructional area of the college, e.g., Social Sciences.
Domicile
The country/state that a person treats as their permanent home, or lives in and has a substantial connection with. To reside/live in a place does not mean domicile, as someone can live in Washington and have established domicile in another state or country.
Drops
A procedure whereby the institution or the student officially cancels enrollment in classes they are registered.
Dual Credit
College courses that allow high school students to earn high school and college credit simultaneously. Dual Credit programs include College in the High School, CTE Dual Credit, Running Start, and Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA).
Elective
A course which is not required for a particular program, but may be counted toward the total number of credits required for a certificate or degree.
Enrolled
A student becomes officially enrolled in a class by registering for it. For the purposes of Transfer Credit Evaluations, Enrolled Students are students who have registered for classes in the current quarter, or have credits already transcripted at EvCC.
Enrollment Requirement
See prerequisite.
Enrollment Services Office
Provides primary entry services to prospective students. Enrollment Services coordinates admissions, placement, and registration processes, as well as records and credential evaluations. Also referred to as Admissions and Registration.
Fees
Costs associated with classes, and other services, such as the E-Tech fee, Campus Enhancement fees, Green fees, state-supported credits, self-support credits.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is money to help pay for college. Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college affordable.
Financial Aid Application
The primary document used to determine eligibility for financial aid is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applicants provide detailed information about their financial situation, and the data is analyzed by the U.S. Department of Education using a standardized formula called Federal Methodology. This formula assesses each applicant’s ability to contribute toward their education, and the EvCC Financial Aid office uses this information to determine the applicant’s financial need. We use the following formula to determine eligibility: Cost of Attendance - Expected Family Contribution (EFC) - Other Resources = Financial Need. (Page 36). This is a separate step from applying for admission to the college. For information about the Washington Application for State Aid, please refer to WASFA. After you complete your FAFSA or WASFA, EvCC’s Financial Aid Office will email you at the address you put on your application. Log into the Student Homepage of your ctcLink account to view your financial aid application status, aid offered, messages and your To Do List.
Flags
This is a Starfish term for blocks.
Full-time
For enrollment verification purposes, a minimum of 12 credits in a given term is full-time. Note: For summer quarters only, the Veteran Resource Center sets the minimum credits for full-time status for qualifying veterans.
General Educational Development (GED)
A series of exams which, with successful completion, will earn a GED (General Education Development) Certificate. These tests are offered at the college, but the credential is not awarded or transcribed by the college. The test is offered in the Testing Center by appointment only. If needed, the Transitional Studies division offers classes to help students prepare for the GED Test.
Grade Point Average (GPA)
The GPA is a measure of the student’s overall academic performance. It is based upon those courses in which a student has received letter grades A through F. Non-traditional grades are excluded from GPA calculations. The Cumulative (CUM) GPA includes all courses taken at EvCC with traditional grades. The College Level (CLVL) GPA includes only those courses taken at EvCC numbered 100 and above with traditional grades. See the academic regulations section of this catalog for more information.
Graduation Application
File an application for your diploma or certificate with the Enrollment Services office. This should be done at least one quarter before the quarter of intended graduation. See the Important Dates calendar in the Catalog. Students who plan to participate in the June commencement ceremony and have their name printed in the commencement program must file an application for a diploma by the deadline published on EvCC’s website and in the front of this catalog. The deadline is typically about 8 weeks prior to graduation; applications received after that deadline will still receive consideration but may be delayed until the on-time applications are completed. The diploma application must be filed with the Enrollment Services office.
High School Completion
Program for students 16 years and older who do not have a high school diploma. Students can take high school or college level courses to meet state high school graduation requirements at EvCC.
Holds
In ctcLink holds can be punitive or not. A punitive hold will not allow registration. A non-punitive hold can be used to prevent classes being dropped for non-payment or while funding is being processed. These are primarily used by offices attached to funding (Financial Aid, Veteran Resources Center, Cashiers Office, etc.), though not exclusively.
Honor Society
Students who meet the academic requirements are provided the opportunity to join the international honor society for two-year colleges, Phi Theta Kappa. Students who are members transferring to or from EvCC are able to transfer their membership to the current school they are attending.
Honors Program
Students who have completed the program requirements are provided the opportunity to enrich their academic experiences at EvCC. This can be done by either taking honors sections of courses, or by completing an honors contract with a specific instructor to enhance traditional sections of classes.
Hybrid Class
Classes held both in-person and online. Classes replace a portion of in-class time with online work.
Incomplete
A grade given when an instructor agrees to allow the student to finish course requirements beyond the official ending date of the course.
Independent Studies Class
Classwork is arranged with a faculty member with a learning contract.
Kudos
This is a Starfish term. These are placed on a student’s account when EvCC faculty and/or staff want to send a student a personalized note of encouragement or congratulations.
Lower Division
Freshman and sophomore-level courses numbered 100-299.
Mandatory Entry Advising
All new, degree-seeking students are required to complete Entry Advising. Students are matched with a program advisor in their first term of enrollment and are encouraged to contact that faculty member for degree planning support.
Major
The subject or field of study to which the student devotes concentrated attention.
Non-Resident Student
See resident student.
Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA)
A full-time Running Start option for high school juniors and seniors. Students can earn up to two years of tuition-free college credit while completing high school.
Official Transcript
A sealed copy of the student’s academic record bearing the college seal, the signature of the registrar, and mailed directly to the receiving party from Everett Community College. Upon request, a sealed copy of an official transcript may be given to the student. A sealed transcript becomes unofficial when opened by anyone other than a college or university official.
Online class
Asynchronous Online: Classes do not require specific meeting times. Instructors will provide due dates and students will have flexibility in what time of day they work on the course. Check the course description in the class schedule to see if a course requires in-person exams.
Synchronous Online: The class requires virtual meetings at a specific time. Check the course description in the class schedule to see if a course requires in-person exams.
Open Enrollment
The period of time that registration is open to all students. Once this window opens, students are eligible to register at any time online or in person, until classes begin. Once the quarter starts, unless it is a late start class, instructor permission is required to register in any class.
Outreach
The act of going out into the community and letting prospective students, families, and the community know that opportunities for higher education exist at EvCC. This refers to talking about the programs we offer, and the methods to apply, financial aid, etc. Outreach is more broad in activities than recruiting.
Pathways
Pathways are groups of related degrees and certificates to help clearly define a student’s academic goals.
Permission
Written permission from an instructor, received either via email, a physical signature, or a permission code, for entry into a specific class.
Permission Codes
A six-digit number generated for students to use during online registration when instructor permission is required. Can also be used in person with Enrollment Services.
Placement
Establishes a baseline to assess skills in math and English, and can satisfy the prerequisites for courses here at EvCC. Placement can be established with previously taken tests scores, or classes and grades on high school or university transcripts. Obtaining placement is a requirement for all degree and/or certificate seeking EvCC students who wish to register for eight or more credits with math and/or English prerequisites. There is no credit granted for placement.
Pre-Professional
A program designed to prepare students for later specialization in a particular field upon transfer to a college or university.
Prerequisite
A course which must be taken before a student is allowed to take another course. For example: Math 096 is a prerequisite for Math &141. Listed as Enrollment Requirements in quarterly class schedule.
Probation, Academic Dismissal
A status imposed upon a student because of low grades or lack of completion. See the academic regulations section of this catalog.
Prospective Student
A student who has never attended Everett Community College.
Quarter (also referred to as Term)
A term of instruction consisting of approximately 11 weeks. The regular academic year includes fall, winter and spring quarters; summer is abbreviated to 8 weeks and is an optional term.
Recruiting
Actively working with a prospective student to get them admitted and ready for their life as a student. Recruitment is more specific and granular than Outreach, and can include working one-on-one with a student.
Registration
The selection of classes by admitted students via submission of a completed class registration form or completion of the online registration process. A student becomes officially enrolled in a class by registering for it and assumes responsibility for payment once registered.
Registration Dates
Prioritized registration dates for upcoming quarters for students who are enrolled currently or have been enrolled within the past four quarters. Registration Dates are calculated using the number of college credits a student has already earned at EvCC. Often referred to as Registration Appointments.
Resident Student
A student who pays resident tuition and fees as defined by Washington state law. See Enrollment Services section of this catalog.
Running Start
A tuition-free dual credit program where high school juniors and seniors can take college-level classes at EvCC campuses to earn college credit and complete high school graduation requirements.
Running Start Application
An online application for admission to the Running Start program. Students should follow the Running Start Application Steps at EverettCC.edu/RunningStart.
Running Start Enrollment Verification Form
A form submitted to the Running Start office every fall, winter, and spring quarter by admitted Running Start students. This informs EvCC staff of college credit eligibility allowed by the high school, and acts as a release form from the school district. This form must be signed by a high school counselor, the student, and legal parent/guardian. The form must be submitted at least three business days before a student registers.
Starfish
Starfish is EvCC’s student success and retention tool. Students can schedule appointments with participating instructors and staff, reach out to services for assistance, and get a variety of notices about how to be successful.
Transfer Credit
Traditional or non-traditional credit(s) not obtained directly from EvCC but eligible for use toward an EvCC degree or certificate from transcripted courses completed at other colleges or universities. These credits are added to a student’s EvCC record to be used toward degree and/or certificate requirements. Transfer credit evaluations are requested by submitting official college or university transcripts and the transfer credit evaluation form.
Transfer Credit Evaluation
The transfer credit evaluation should be requested after registering for courses at EvCC in order to transfer credits earned at other institutions to EvCC.
Transfer Student
A student who goes on to a four-year college or university after attending a community college. Also, a student who comes to a community college from another community college, college or university.
Transitional Studies
Pre-college level courses for those who wish to improve their basic skills, upgrade employability, or prepare for further study. Students can take classes to finish high school, earn a GED, improve communication skills in English, or build a foundation in reading, writing, and math.
Tuition
Tuition payments are fees charged by education institutions for instruction or other services.
WASFA
Washington Application for State Financial Aid. A free application that allows non-citizens to apply for student Financial Aid in Washington State.
Withdrawal
A procedure whereby students officially notify the Enrollment Services office in writing, after the refund deadline, when they intend to cancel enrollment in classes they have already begun attending. Will result in a W grade on the student’s transcript, but will not affect the student’s overall GPA at EvCC.