A-B Tech InfoBase

We're here to help you find quick answers to common questions. Use the search box to look up key words or browse through the categories below.
Can't find what you're looking for? Click here to email us your question or call us at (828) 398-7900.

Glossary of Terms

Glossary is usually defined as an alphabetical list of technical terms in some specialized field of knowledge. This InfoBase glossary provides a collection of InfoBase documents that define many technical terms. These terms are arranged alphabetically, but you can quickly jump to a specific term by selecting its first letter from the index of the InfoBase glossary below.

C.A.A. (CAA)
or Comprehensive Articulation Agreement. A legal document negotiated between the community colleges of NC and the 16 public NC universities that provides certain protections to graduates of NC community college when they transfer
Cap and Gown
The attire word by graduates at graduation ceremonies, which is available for purchase through the A-B Tech Bookstore.
Certificate
An award for completing a short-term program or course of study. Usually 3 to 5 courses scheduled over 1 to 2 semesters are required to complete a certificate program. These courses cover minimum skills in the program of study and provide an opportunity to achieve entry-level job skills, to upgrade skills, or to cross-train. Not all certificate programs are eligible for financial aid.
Certified Nursing Assistant/CNA (Nurse Aide 1)
Classes providing basic training in the entry-level caregiving skills needed to work as a Nursing Assistant in various healthcare settings such as nursing homes, hospitals, or private homes. Additional information can be found at abtech.edu/cna
Co-requisite
A course that must be taken with or before enrolling in another course. A course’s co-requisite(s) are listed in the College Catalog and in Self-Service. For example, a Chemistry lab may be a co-requisite to a Chemistry lecture class.
COA (Cost of Attendance)
The total amount it will cost to go to school, usually stated as a yearly figure. COA includes tuition and fees, living expenses, and allowances for books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and child care. It also includes miscellaneous and personal expenses, including an allowance for the rental or purchase of a personal computer, costs related to a disability, and reasonable costs for eligible study-abroad programs. For students attending less than half-time, the COA includes tuition and fees and an allowance for books, supplies, transportation, and child care expenses, and can also include living expenses for up to three semesters. Additional details about what should be included in the COA calculation should be discussed directly with the Financial Aid Office.
Collection Agency
An entity that recovers unpaid debt from borrowers who have defaulted on their loans.
Common-Law Marriage
A marriage relationship made by agreement and by living together without a marriage license. Not all states allow common-law marriages, and the elements required for a common-law marriage change from state to state.
Community College
A college offering two-year associate degrees, one-year diplomas, and short-term program certificates. Upon graduation, students either go directly into the workplace or transfer to a four-year college to complete a bachelor’s degree.
Completion Rate
The overall percentage of credits a student has successfully completed, based on the total amount of credits that have been attempted at A-B Tech (including any credits that have been transferred into A-B Tech). The Financial Aid Office calculates pass/completion rate and uses this figure, along with cumulative GPA, to determine whether a student is maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Students must maintain a minimum completion rate of 67% (for students who have completed 30+ credits) or 50% (for students who have completed 1-29 credits) to remain eligible for financial aid.
Comprehensive Articulation Agreement
or C.A.A. A legal document negotiated between the community colleges of NC and the 16 public NC universities that provides certain protections to graduates of NC community college when they transfer
Consolidation
The process of combining one or more loans into a single new loan.
Contact Hours
The total hours of class, lab, and clinical required per week in a course. These numbers can be found in the College Catalog, next to the specific course. 29 or more contact hours is considered full time, 23-28 is 3/4 time, 15-22 is half time, and 14 or less is considered less than half time.
Cost of Attendance (COA)
The total amount it will cost to go to school, usually stated as a yearly figure. COA includes tuition and fees, living expenses, and allowances for books, supplies, transportation, loan fees, and child care. It also includes miscellaneous and personal expenses, including an allowance for the rental or purchase of a personal computer, costs related to a disability, and reasonable costs for eligible study-abroad programs. For students attending less than half-time, the COA includes tuition and fees and an allowance for books, supplies, transportation, and child care expenses, and can also include living expenses for up to three semesters. Additional details about what should be included in the COA calculation should be discussed directly with the Financial Aid Office.
Course Number
The subject and 3-digit number that identifies a specific course within each subject; for example, English classes may be numbered ENG-110, ENG-111, ENG-112, etc.
Course Load
The total number of courses/credit hours the student is enrolled in per semester.
Credit Hour
Credit hours are a unit of measurement applied to the approximate quantity of college coursework in a particular course, and is usually based on the number of hours per week in class. Most classes are three credit hours, but some are worth more or less. Labs are usually one credit hour, although you may spend more than one hour in the lab per week. In order to be enrolled full time, you must take 12 credit hours or more.
Curriculum
The sequence of courses in a program that leads to completion of that particular program.
Curriculum Courses
Courses offered for college credit, as opposed to Continuing Education courses, which are not offered for college credit. All courses leading to a college degree are considered Curriculum courses.
Changing Lives | Strengthening Communities