Prospective Students: A Definition

Hi everyone, I've come across the term 'prospective student' while reading about college admissions. What does it exactly mean? Is it different from being a regular applicant?

The term 'prospective student' is often used in the context of college admissions to denote an individual who is considering applying or has shown interest in a specific school, but hasn't formally submitted an application yet. There's no specific set of actions that make you a prospective student—it could simply mean that you're in the research phase of your college search, or that you've attended a college fair, information session, or visited the campus of the school you're interested in.

It is indeed different from being a regular applicant. Once you officially submit your application to a college, you transition from being a prospective student to an applicant. This shift is essentially reflected in the seriousness of your interest in the school. When you're a prospective student, you're exploring possibilities, but once you become an applicant, it means you've committed to wanting to be considered for admission by that particular school. This transition also changes the ways in which you might be communicating with the university—from asking general questions about the school and its programs as a prospective student to much more specific follow-ups about your application as an applicant.

For example, as a prospective student, you may be on a university's mailing list and receive informational material or updates about admissions events. As an applicant, the nature of those communications may be more tailored, and you might receive messages regarding your application status, interview invitations, or additional requirements.