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Jadon’s Playbook
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Glossary & Sources

Every word explained simply, plus where every number comes from.

Here is a friendly dictionary for this whole site. If a word ever looks new, find it here and keep going. None of it is as complicated as it sounds.

Academics

GPA
Grade point average: the single number that summarizes your grades.
Unweighted GPA
Grades on a 4.0 scale where an A is 4.0, no matter how hard the class was.
Weighted GPA
GPA that gives extra points for harder classes (honors, AP, IB), so it can go above 4.0.
Course rigor
How challenging your classes are. Colleges look at whether you took the hardest courses your school offers.
AP (Advanced Placement)
College-level high school courses with an exam; a strong score can earn college credit and raises your weighted GPA.
IB (International Baccalaureate)
A rigorous international program some high schools offer instead of, or alongside, AP.
Honors classes
Advanced versions of standard classes, harder than regular but usually below AP/IB level.

Testing

SAT
A standardized college admissions test scored 400 to 1600. Now fully digital and adaptive.
ACT
A standardized college admissions test scored 1 to 36. The new 'Enhanced ACT' makes Science optional.
PSAT 10
A practice SAT taken in 10th grade. Low stakes, good for a baseline.
PSAT/NMSQT
The junior-fall PSAT that qualifies you for National Merit Scholarships.
National Merit
A scholarship program; high PSAT/NMSQT scorers earn recognition and can win awards.
Superscore
Combining your best section scores across multiple test dates into one higher total.
Test-optional
A school lets you choose whether to submit SAT/ACT scores. Submit only if your score helps you.
Test-blind
A school will not look at SAT/ACT scores at all, even if you send them. The entire UC system is test-blind.

Admissions

Academic Index
A quick combined score of your GPA, course rigor, and test scores that top schools use to screen applicants.
Holistic admissions
Reviewing the whole applicant (grades, activities, essays, context), not just the numbers.
Early Decision (ED)
Apply early with a binding promise to attend if admitted. Often a meaningfully higher admit rate.
Early Action (EA)
Apply early and hear back early, but you are not bound to attend.
Regular Decision
The standard application timeline, with deadlines usually in December or January.
Likely letter
An early signal from a school (common for recruited athletes) that an official admit offer is coming.
Common App
One online application you can send to hundreds of colleges at once.
Common Data Set (CDS)
A standardized report each college publishes with its real admissions numbers. The source of truth for stats.
Reach / Target / Safety
A balanced college list: reaches are a stretch, targets are realistic matches, safeties are very likely yes.
Yield rate
The share of admitted students who actually enroll. Schools care about it a lot.

Extracurriculars

Extracurricular
Anything meaningful you do outside required classes: clubs, sports, a job, research, the arts, or your own projects.
Spike
One area where you have gone deep enough to be undeniable. Depth beats breadth, every time.
The four tiers
How colleges rank activities, from Tier 1 (rare, national) down to Tier 4 (common membership).
Recruited athlete
An athlete a college coach actively wants on their team. A nice boost, but it is not the focus here.

College

Major
Your main field of study in college, the subject most of your classes are in and the one your degree is named after.
Minor
A smaller, secondary focus, fewer classes than a major, for going deeper in a second interest.
Double major
Completing the full requirements for two majors at once.
Net price
What you actually pay after financial aid and scholarships, not the sticker price.

Sources

These numbers were last checked on June 27, 2026. Admissions, testing, and salary figures refresh every year, which is a good thing: it means the picture keeps getting clearer. Before you lean on any single number, it is always worth a quick peek at the primary source below to see the latest.

Rankings & admissions data

UCLA & the UC system

Testing (SAT / ACT)

Extracurriculars

Careers & salaries

Official & primary tools

Keep exploring

Why CollegeThe honest, optimistic case for going, and what college is actually like.
Your 4-Year PlanA calm, year-by-year roadmap from freshman to senior. No stress, just a rhythm.
Grades & ClassesWhat GPA and course rigor really mean, and what strong schools like to see.
The SAT & ACTWhat recently changed, which test to pick, and the scores to aim for over time.