Ability to Benefit (ATB) Student: An institution may admit a mature student 30 years of age or having worked and supported themselves for 10 years or more that does not have a high school diploma. The ATB student may be enrolled on probation with administration approval for 4 courses or one semester of classes determined by the institution. When student passes probation classes at collegiate level the probation can be lifted and student officially enrolled in a degree program.

Abroad: Any geographic location not included in the aggregate United States.

Academic Program: Instructional program of a professional or non-occupationally specific nature leading toward an associate, bachelor, master, doctor or first-professional degree or resulting in credits that can be applied to one of these degrees.

Academic year: The period of time generally extending from September to June; usually equated to two semesters or trimesters, three quarters, or the period covered by a 4-1-4 plan.

Accrediting Agencies: An accrediting agency establishes operating standards for educational or professional institutions and programs. That agency determines the extent to which the standards are met, and publicly announce their findings. There are two types: 1. United States Department of Education (USDE) approved accrediting agencies, and 2. private accrediting agencies that are not required to have USDE approval.

Adaptive content: Digital instructional materials that adjust difficulty based on user responses.

Adjunct Instruction: Instruction which takes place at a geographic location in the aggregate United States designated and approved by the administration of parent institution.

Adjunct International Instruction: Instruction which takes place at a geographic location not included in the aggregate United States designated and approved by the administration of parent institution.

Administratively Equal Institution: Separately organized, or independently administered site or campus with its own full administration and records system within an institutional system. This institution may report to a systems office but does not report to any other institution.

Admission Test Scores: Scores on standardized admissions tests or special admission tests.

Agent: means a person who is employed by a college that is subject to licensing requirements or an out-of-state college, and who solicits business for the college at any place other than the legal place of business of the college. The term does not include an entertainer at public event whose objective is to improve public relations for a college, if the entertainer does not accept the commitment of prospective students to attend the college.

Associate Degree: An award that normally requires at least two but fewer than four years of full-time equivalent college work (Source: IPEDS).

Asynchronous: Communication that is separated by time such as email or online discussion forums; it may be accessed from multiple settings (on campus and/or out of institution buildings).