Today we have a fantastic addition to the Glossary of Confusing Words. The word is "extracurricular," and the person who submitted it said they found it in their school reference and didn't know what it meant.

Extracurricular is one of those great words that, if you break it down, actually tells you what it means. Take a look:

Extra = outside of

You might have heard aliens referred to as "extraterrestrial" (outside of earth). Or maybe you know someone who's had an "extramarital" affair (outside of their marriage). When "extra" is used as a prefix it means "outside of."

Curricular = related to a school's academic program

In a previous Glossary entry, we defined "curriculum" as the set of courses offered by a university or program.

So if something is extracurricular, it is outside of a school's academic program.

Most often you'll hear this word in the context of extracurricular activities. These are activities that happen at a school but are not part of the coursework, like clubs or sports. In the U.S. extracurricular activities are a big part of student life.

[Read about why extracurricular activities were the best part of college life for one Ukrainian student]

In addition, extracurricular involvement can strengthen your college application, as Anna found, and actually enhance your classroom education, which Cristiana discovered during her graduate studies.

Finally, we couldn't have a discussion about extracurriculars without closing with one of our favorite videos, showing some of the extracurricular activities our bloggers have had the pleasure to be part of:



Do you have a word to contribute to our Glossary of Confusing Words? Share words that have confused you or that might confuse others about studying in the U.S. Leave your suggestions in the comments, or use the form below.

Loading...

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.