What’s the difference... Academic Vocabulary

by  Mia Della Pietra (native New Yorker)

Mia teaches TOEFL Preparation and other courses at NYLC's Upper West Side location. She was born and raised in NYC and lived in Thailand for two years training Muay Thai (Thai boxing) and teaching English.  Now she enjoys meeting students from a wide variety of cultures and backgrounds and loves finding the humor in the challenges of learning English. In her free time, she watches mixed martial arts, hangs out with her two cats, and eats as much boxed macaroni and cheese as she can.   

The US education system can be a little confusing. It’s not designed in the same way that most other systems are across the globe. This “What’s the Difference” edition will focus on some of the most common questions I get from my students, and how to distinguish between these words and ideas.

College / University

This one is extra confusing, because in England these two words have different meanings. However, in American English we almost exclusively use the word college to describe earning a bachelor’s degree. Most colleges in the USA have the word university in their name, but we would say “I’m in college” or “I went to college” rather than “I went to university.”


SATs / Entrance exam

Across the globe the way to be admitted to university is usually to take an entrance exam, which is very often a standardized test. However, we do not do this in the USA. There is a standardized test that high-schoolers take in their last or second to last year, and this is the SATs. However, this is only a small part of an application to college. To apply to college a student submits their high school grades, a personal essay, SAT scores, extracurricular activities, letters of recommendations and more! So while the SATs are required by most schools, they are just a small part of your application.


Credit / Class

Credits are similar to points, in that they reflect the value of a class. Each class that you take in college will have an assigned credit value. If the class does not require a lot of studying or time in class (for example, a private voice lesson) it might be worth 1 credit. An intensive biology class might be worth 4 credits. It is important to keep track of how many credits you are taking per semester, and how many you have taken in total. It is normal to take about 4 classes per semester for a total of around 12-15 credits. If you haven’t taken enough credits at the end of your 4 years, you might not be able to graduate on time!


Expelled / Dropped Out / Flunked out

If you are expelled from college (or high school) this means that the school decided that you could no longer attend classes there. This is usually due to a behavioral issue, such as cheating on an exam, plagiarism, or a situation involving alcohol or drugs. If you drop out this is usually a voluntary action, due to a personal or maybe financial situation. Flunking out is what happens when you fail your classes, and can no longer continue that that college. Flunking out is usually a mutual agreement between the college and student that is is best if the student discontinues their studies there.



Test yourself!
1. He was really struggling all semester academically, I heard that he ultimately ________________.
2. In most of the world an ________________ is what determines which university a student can or cannot attend.
3. New York ________________ is one of the most expensive schools in the country.
4. I’m really nervous about the ________________, I’m taking them next month and I need at least a 700 in every section.
5. I’m taking 4 ________________ this semester.
6. I went to ________________ in 2010 and got my bachelor’s degree in 2014.
7. My grandmother is sick, I might have to ________________ of school so that I can stay home and help her.
8. I only need 11 more ________________ to graduate, so I think I can finish by the end of the summer.
9. Getting ________________ from college can damage your reputation.