Data Definitions | Worcester Polytechnic Institute

A seven-week non-standard academic period that begins in August and ends in October.

Academic periods can be standard or non-standard. Standard academic periods are semesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer. Non-standard academic periods are terms: A, B, C, D, E1, E2, as well as Graduate Studies Spring Late Start.

Undergraduate: Academic standing for a student who failed to meet good academic standing requirements for the second semester in a row, or who failed to pass any academic courses in a semester and has dropped down two standings from Satisfactory Progress to Academic Probation. Graduate: Student whose GPA drops below a 3.0 and has failed to improve the GPA for one semester.

A method to identify students who are or are not meeting the academic criteria for Academic Progress. It is evaluated at the end of each semester and any student who does not maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress will move down one level of academic standing (to warning, from warning to probation, or from probation to suspension). First-year students who earn no academic credit during their first two terms at WPI will be placed on Academic Suspension. Thereafter, any student who earns no academic credit in a semester will move down two levels in academic standing.

The Academic Suspension status is when a student is dismissed by the Registrar for not making satisfactory academic progress and the student's academic record becomes inactive.

The academic year begins every August 15th and includes Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. This date does not indicate the first day of classes, which can be later.

The number of unduplicated students enrolled at the institution within the academic year.

ACT, previously known as the American College Testing program, measures educational development and readiness to pursue college-level coursework in English, mathematics, natural science, and social studies.

A student in Workday with the following Program of Study Status: Matriculated, In Progress, Leave of Absence, or Pending Completion.

A professor who teaches on a limited-term contract, often for one semester at a time. Non-tenure-track faculty teach college classes at all levels and are typically tasked with the same instructional responsibilities as tenured faculty, such as assembling syllabi, ordering textbooks, and writing lectures.

The rate at which applications are accepted. It is calculated by dividing the number of acceptances by the total number of applications.

An applicant who is offered admission.

Financial aid and sponsor contract funds that have not yet been disbursed to the student's account.

A person who submits an application to admissions.

A course taught online with no set meeting time; course content is available only during a set academic period.

The total number of credits that the student registered for and attempted to earn credit. This does not include courses withdrawn during the add/drop period.

Financial assistance provided to a student to help cover the cost of education. Awards can include scholarships, grants, loans, or work-study funds. They are typically determined by the institution, government agencies, or private organizations based on factors such as financial need, academic achievement, or other specified criteria. In Workday, they are referred to as "award items."

The award package lists the types and amounts of financial aid being offered, along with a breakdown of the college's cost of attendance.

A seven-week non-standard academic period beginning in October and ending in December.

A bachelor's degree at WPI is an undergraduate degree earned after completing a minimum of 135 credits, 72 of which must be completed at WPI. Specific university and major degree requirements are listed in the undergraduate course catalog.

A student who has applied to a BS/MS program will complete a BS or BA degree and internally articulate credits from the undergraduate record to the graduate record. The graduate record should have a declaration date within five years of completion of the undergraduate record.

A seven-week non-standard academic period beginning in January and ending in March.

A student cohort is a group of students defined by specified criteria for purposes such as advising, reporting, registration, or business processes.

The year that a class of students begins attending college.

All supplemental materials required for an application to be reviewed by a counselor are ready for review.

The completion of all requirements for an academic program, resulting in degree conferral. Students must apply for graduation by the Registrar’s published deadline. Upon conferral, the Program of Study Status is updated to Completed.

An accepted admissions applicant who has paid an enrollment deposit and agreed to attend WPI.

A student who has previously been enrolled at WPI in the degree level and program of study.

The monetary cost of a student’s education at WPI for the academic year, including tuition and fees, room and board, books and classroom supplies, personal expenses, and transportation.

A measure of a student’s enrollment in a course and progress toward a degree. Undergraduate students need 135 credits to graduate. Credits may also be referred to as credit hours or units. At WPI, 3 credits equals one-third of a unit.

Credits earned throughout a student's entire degree program.

Credits earned throughout a student's entire degree program, including transfer credits from other institutions and Advanced Placement credits.

A seven-week non-standard academic period beginning in March and ending in May.

An academic honor and notation, with requirements that vary by school, recognizing a student’s academic achievement for a semester or academic year.

Admitted first-year and transfer students may defer admission for up to one year.

The applicant was accepted and has chosen not to enroll at this time but may do so in a future term. In Workday, this is captured as a Program of Study Status of "Discontinued" with a reason of "Deferred Admission."

An award conferred by a college, university, or other postsecondary institution as official recognition for successful completion of a program of study.

Students enrolled in courses for credit who are seeking a degree or certificate.

An applicant who has received an admissions decision of deny.

A formal document certifying successful completion of a prescribed program of study.

Program of Study Status indicating the student is no longer active and their program of study was not completed.

The highest academic award earned for graduate study, including degrees such as Doctor of Education (EdD), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), and others.

A student whose Workday Citizenship Status is listed as United States.

Graduation with two separate degrees at the same degree level.

A five-week non-standard academic period beginning in May and ending in June or July.

A five-week non-standard academic period beginning in July and ending in August.

An early application round that does not require students to attend WPI if accepted.

A binding admissions plan requiring applicants to withdraw all other applications and enroll at WPI upon acceptance.

The number of credits a student successfully completes with a passing grade.

A calculated completion date based on a student's start date: generally four years for undergraduate students, two years for master's students, and eight years for PhD students. It is initially set upon admission and may be updated based on student progress.

A federal form students and families use to apply for financial support and aid such as grants, work-study, and federal loans to help cover the cost of attending school. Colleges use the FAFSA to determine financial aid eligibility.

A 14-week standard academic period that includes both A and B Terms. It begins in August and ends in December.

Federal grants are financial aid awards issued by the United States government. A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to support a public purpose authorized by federal law.

Federal Student Aid provides financial assistance in the form of grants, loans, and work-study funds.

Financial assistance that helps students and their families cover the cost of college, including scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study opportunities.

An applicant whose parents have not earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

A student attending any institution for the first time at the undergraduate level. This includes students who enter with advanced standing earned before high school graduation.

A prospective first-year student applying to WPI.

An undergraduate student in their first academic year at WPI.

A postsecondary institution that offers programs of at least four years in duration or programs at or above the bachelor's degree level.

A graduate student enrolled in 8 or more semester credits, or engaged in thesis or dissertation preparation considered full-time by the institution, unless approved for an exception.

An undergraduate student enrolled in 12 or more semester credits. See Load Status in Workday.

A person's internal sense of gender, which may be male, female, both, neither, or another gender. Examples include woman, man, genderqueer, and nonbinary.

A measure of academic achievement on a scale from 4.000 (A) to 0.000 (F).

A measure of academic achievement on a scale from 4.000 (A) to 2.000 (C). While GPAs are accessible on students' academic histories, they are not officially reported outside WPI.

A student who holds a bachelor's or first-professional degree and is taking courses at the post-baccalaureate level.

A non-standard academic period that generally begins in April and ends in June.

A student who has earned a degree.

A 12-month period beginning July 1 and ending June 30. For example, Graduation Class Year 2024 includes degrees awarded from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.

The rate at which a cohort of full-time bachelor's degree-seeking students completes degree requirements within a specified timeframe.

The semester corresponding to a student's degree conferral date.

The active Program of Study Status that begins when a student's program of study starts.

A student in Workday with a Program of Study Status of Discontinued, Dismissed, Institutional Withdrawal, or Completed.

An application that is missing one or more required supplemental materials needed for review.

Financial aid offered directly by WPI.

A Program of Study Status assigned to a student who withdraws from the institution and is no longer active.

A student whose citizenship status is neither U.S. citizen nor permanent resident.

Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

A required, non-refundable fee.

A postgraduate academic degree awarded to individuals who demonstrate a high level of expertise in a specific field after completing advanced study beyond a bachelor's degree.

A Program of Study Status assigned when the matriculation process is completed and a student record has been created in Workday.

A term used for confirmed applicants who ultimately do not attend the institution.

A student who has not previously been enrolled at WPI in the same degree level and program of study.

A student who is not currently admitted to a degree program and may be taking courses before applying, matriculating, or participating through exchange or consortium arrangements.

A period within the academic calendar that occurs within or spans standard academic periods. Examples include A, B, C, and D Terms.

A graduate student enrolled in fewer than 8 credits during an academic period.

An undergraduate student enrolled in fewer than 12 semester credits.

The amount of Federal Pell Grant funding a student is eligible to receive in a specific academic year.

A student who has been awarded and received Federal Pell Grant funds as part of their financial aid package.

A Program of Study Status assigned when a student applies for graduation.

A student whose Workday Citizenship Status is designated as Permanent Resident (United States of America).

Words used in place of a person's name, such as he, she, or they. Using a person's stated pronouns affirms their gender identity.

An optional name a person wishes WPI to use in communications and campus systems.

The major program of study linked to a student's academic reporting record.

The state of a student's academic program, including Matriculated, In Progress, Discontinued, Institutional Withdrawal, Leave of Absence, Suspended, Pending Completion, or Completed.

Previously known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, an examination administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to assess readiness for college-level academic work.

An undergraduate student who has earned 102 or more credits, including transfer credits.

A classification recorded on legal identification documents, such as a driver's license or passport.

An undergraduate student who has earned between 30 and 65 credits, including transfer credits.

A 14-week standard academic period including C and D Terms, beginning in January and ending in May.

The primary, continuous, non-overlapping semesters in the academic calendar: Fall, Spring, and Summer.

A full-time equivalent measure that combines full-time and part-time student counts using IPEDS formulas.

A full-time equivalent enrollment measure calculated from instructional activity and credit hours reported to IPEDS.

A 10-week standard academic period including E1 and E2 Terms, beginning in May and ending in August.

An official record of student academic performance showing completed coursework and grades.

Credits earned at another institution or through Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) programs and accepted by WPI.

A student entering WPI for the first time who previously attended another postsecondary institution at the same level.

The amount charged for instructional services, either per credit or per semester.