| A | B |
| associate's degree | a 2 year college diploma/degree |
| bachelor's degree | a 4 year college diploma/degree |
| college certificate | proof of knowledge in a specific area - earned in less time than a degree |
| trade school | a school that focuses on skills for a specific profession |
| unsubsidized student loan | a loan that builds interest from the time it is taken |
| subsidized student loan | a loan that does not build interest until the student has graduated |
| grant | money for college that does not need to be paid back |
| undergraduate student | someone working on a 2 or 4 year degree |
| graduate student | someone working on a master's or doctorate degree |
| college major | the subject of focus for a college student |