 | This article possibly contains original research .(February 2016) |
A freshman, fresher, first year, or colloquially frosh, [1] is a person in the first year at an educational institution, usually a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions.
In Albania the freshman/woman is called "fruth", which literally means "measles". The etymology of it is "a person that has not yet passed the social measles", social measles referring to the transformation of social skills that usually takes place in the first year of university. Freshmen/women are regarded as socially inept.
In much of the Arab world, a first-year is called a mubtabi' (مبتدئ; plural مبتدئون, mubtadi'ūn), which is Arabic for "beginner". [2]
In Brazil, students that pass the vestibulares and begin studying in a college or university are called "calouros" or more informally "bixos" ("bixetes" for girls), an alternate spelling of "bicho", which means "animal" (although commonly used to refer to bugs). Calouros are often subject to hazing, which is known as "trote" (lit. "prank") there. The first known hazing episode in Brazil happened in 1831 at the Law School of Olinda and resulted in the death of a student. [3] In 1999, a Chinese Brazilian calouro of the University of São Paulo Medicine School named Edison Tsung Chi Hsueh was found dead at the institution's swimming pool; this has since become one of the most well known episodes of violent hazing and has received extensive national media coverage since that year. [3] [4] [5] [6]
The term "first year" is used for a first-year student at university or college. The student orientation period at Canadian universities is often called "Frosh week."
Mechón or mechona is used for the first-year students of University of Chile, a term that has spread to the rest of the universities in the country.
The term brucoš is used for either first-year college or university students or students who haven't yet passed any exams.
Some Asian countries use the same names as used in the United States (freshman, sophomore, junior, senior), among them Malaysia.
In some elite institutions in France, freshman/woman is called "cagne", the etymology of which is from Middle Age French, meaning "weighed down by the books", "lame because weighed down by books."
In Germany, a first-semester student of a university program (Bachelor, Master, State exam etc) is called Erstsemester, or in short and more common, Ersti, with erst meaning 'first' and the -i adding a benevolently diminutive tone. The plural is Erstis.
Unlike the word freshman, which stands for a student in their whole first year, the German word Ersti is exclusively used for students in their first semester. Students of higher semesters are accordingly called Zweitsemester, Drittsemester, Viertsemester etc. and sometimes, but rarely, also Zweitis, Drittis, Viertis, etc.
Students at the beginning of their first year of university are often known in England and Wales as freshers; however, the term 'first years' is also used. The first week of term before lessons is widely known as freshers' week, [7] when there are usually no classes, and students take part in induction events and fairs; but this arrangement is not universal. As freshers are newcomers to the institutions and often experience a period of adjustment as they navigate university life, there are numerous UK websites available that offer support and resources to help freshers with university preparations, such as providing guidance on accommodation, academic advice, social activities, and general tips for a successful start to their university journey. [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
Unlike in Scotland, this term is not used in reference to pre-university education, the equivalent terms being year sevens for the first year of secondary school and first years, lower sixers and year twelves used at sixth forms. [15] [16] [17]
First year (also known as S1 in Scotland) is the first year of schooling in secondary schools in Scotland and is roughly equivalent to Year 8 (Second Form) in England and Wales and Year 9 (Second Form) in Northern Ireland. Most pupils are 12 or 13 years old at the end of S1.
The first year of primary education in Scotland is known as Primary 1 (P1).
At the four ancient Scottish universities the traditional names for the four years at university are Bejan ("Bejant" at the University of St Andrews) (1st), [18] Semi (2nd), Tertian (3rd) and Magistrand (4th), though all Scottish universities will have a "freshers' week" (as with all British universities) and the term is as widely used with more traditional terms. [19]
Freshman is commonly in use as a US English idiomatic term to describe a beginner or novice, someone who is naive, a first effort, instance, or a student in the first year of study (generally referring to high school or university study). [20]
New members of Congress in their first term are referred to as freshmen senators or freshmen congressmen or congresswomen, no matter how experienced they were in previous government positions.
High school first year students are almost exclusively referred to as freshmen, or in some cases by their grade year, 9th graders. Second year students are sophomores, or 10th graders, then juniors or 11th graders, and finally seniors or 12th graders.
At college or university, freshman denotes students in their first year of study. The grade designations of high school are not used, but the terms sophomore, junior, and senior are kept at most schools. Some colleges, including historically women's colleges, do not use the term freshman but use first year, instead. [21] [22] Beyond the fourth year, students are simply classified as fifth year, sixth year, super senior, etc. Some institutions use the term freshman for specific reporting purposes. [23]
A student is a person enrolled in a school or other educational institution.
A freshman is a first-year student.
In the United States, a sophomore is a person in the second year at an educational institution; usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. In high school a sophomore is equivalent to a tenth grade or Class-10 student.
Matriculation is the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by fulfilling certain academic requirements such as a matriculation examination.
Hazing, initiation, beasting, bastardisation, ragging or deposition refers to any activity expected of someone in joining or participating in a group that humiliates, degrades, abuses, or endangers them regardless of a person's willingness to participate.
The Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets is a student military organization at Texas A&M University. Established with the university in 1876, it is the oldest student organization on campus.
An academic term is a portion of an academic year during which an educational institution holds classes. The schedules adopted vary widely. Specific synonyms are commonly used to denote the duration or a term. In most countries, the academic year begins in late summer or early autumn and ends during the following spring or summer.
Varsity teams are sports teams that compete in university sports events.
The Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets (VTCC) is the military component of the student body at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Cadets live together in residence halls, attend morning formation, wear a distinctive uniform, and receive an intensive military and leadership educational experience similar to that available at the United States service academies. The Corps of Cadets has existed from the founding of the Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College in 1872 to the present-day institution of Virginia Tech, which is designated a senior military college by federal law. As of August 2021, about 1,200 cadets are currently enrolled in the program.
Redshirt, in United States college athletics, is a delay or suspension of an athlete's participation in order to lengthen their period of eligibility. Typically, a student's athletic eligibility in a given sport is four seasons, aligning with the four years of academic classes typically required to earn a bachelor's degree at an American college or university. However, in a redshirt year, student athletes may attend classes at the college or university, practice with an athletic team, and "suit up" for play – but they may compete in only a limited number of games. Using this mechanism, a student athlete (traditionally) has at most five academic years to use the four years of eligibility, thus becoming what is termed a fifth-year senior. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, an additional year of eligibility was granted to student athletes by the NCAA who met certain criteria. Student athletes who qualified had up to six academic years to make use of their four years of eligibility, taking into consideration the extra year provided due to exceptional circumstances.
Student orientation or new student orientation is a period before the start of an academic year at a university or tertiary institutions. A variety of events are held to orient and welcome new students during this period. The name of the event differs across institutions. Post-secondary institutions offer a variety of programs to help orient first year students. These programs can range from voluntary community building activities to mandatory credit-based courses designed to support students academically, socially, and emotionally. Some of these programs occur prior to the start of classes while other programs are offered throughout the school year. A number of research studies have been done to determine the factors to be considered when designing orientation/transition programs.
Regional Science High School Union (RSHS-Union) is a specialized system of public secondary schools in the Philippines, established during the academic year 1994-1995. It is operated and supervised by the Department of Education, with a curriculum heavily focusing on math and science. It remains within the ambit of the Department of Education, unlike the specialized science high school system of national scope, the Philippine Science High School.
Amoud University is a comprehensive public university, located in the city of Borama in Somaliland.
The First-Year Experience (FYE) is a program at many American colleges and universities designed to help students prepare for the transition from high school to college. FYE programs often foster the participation of students in co-curricular events such as common reads, concerts, art exhibits, guest lectures, and organic leadership development initiatives.
Dearborn Center for Math, Science and Technology (DCMST) is a specialized secondary education center with a four-year advanced, research based, science and math curriculum located in Dearborn Heights, Michigan. The school was founded in 2001, with its first graduating class in 2005. Most of the school is located in the Henry Ford Community College building, but some of the Michael Berry Career Center (MBCC) building is also used by DCMST. About 75 students are selected each year from the three high schools in the Dearborn City School District. Once in the program, students are committed for four years. In freshman and sophomore year, students attend their three classes at DCMST in the afternoon from 11:15 to 1:55. Juniors and seniors attend in the morning from 7:35 to 10:15. The other three hours are spent at student's home school. DCMST is a member of the NCSSSMST, an alliance of specialized high schools in the United States whose focus is advanced preparatory studies in mathematics, science and technology. The school is also accredited by the North Central Association (NCA) as all other Dearborn Public Schools are.
A super senior is a student in a four-year educational institution who has more than four years in attendance or a surplus of credits required for a diploma and has not yet graduated. In certain cases these students are also known as postgraduates.
Caraga Regional Science High School is a public school in San Juan, Surigao City, Philippines. It is the leading school in the Division of Surigao City with high MPS during the annual National Achievement Tests (NAT), and has been consistent in making its name in Division, Regional, National and International level contests.
A junior is a person in the third year at an educational institution in the US and some other countries, usually at a secondary school or at the college and university level, but also in other forms of post-secondary educational institutions. In United States high schools, a junior is an eleventh-grade student; juniors are considered upperclassmen.
The term senior, in regard to education, has different meanings depending on the country.
The traditions of Washington & Jefferson College are a key aspect of the culture of Washington & Jefferson College. One of the oldest traditions at Washington & Jefferson College were the "Freshman Rules", a system of rules and restrictions on freshmen. Failure by freshmen to follow these rules would subject them to beatings by upperclassmen or other punishments doled out by the "Freshman Court". During the 1870s and 1880s, the students engaged in organized athletic competitions, pitting the freshman versus sophomore classes in the "Olympic Games" that involved elaborate opening ceremonies and the smoking of a Pipe of Peace." Another form of physical contest between the freshman and sophomore classes were the annual "color rush," where the teams fought over control over strips of fabric, the "pole rush," where the teams battled to raise a flag up a flagpole, and the "cane rush" where the teams fought over control over a ceremonial cane. These contests generally devolved into outright gang violence.
