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Admissions

ad-MISH-unz /ədˈmɪʃənz/

nounB2

formalacademic

The process or fact of being allowed to enter a place or organization, especially a college or university. Also, the department responsible for this process.

Can refer to the act of allowing entry, the state of being allowed entry, or the office/committee that handles entry. Often used in the plural ('Admissions Office').

The story behind the word. 'Admissions' traces back to the Latin verb admittere, meaning 'to let come in' or 'to allow entrance.' It's formed from ad- ('to, toward') and mittere ('to send'). So, to admit someone is literally 'to send them towards' or 'to let them come in.' The plural form 'admissions' specifically came to refer to the process and department in educational institutions.

Word relationships

Enrollment: often refers to the act of officially registering after being admitted
Entry: more general term for gaining access

Rejection: the act of being denied entry
Exclusion: the act of preventing entry

Commonly confused with

Admission: 'Admission' (singular) can mean a confession or the price of entry; 'admissions' (plural) typically refers to the college process or department.

Word family

Admit (verb): to allow to enter or to confess
Admissible (adjective): acceptable or valid

Collocations

college admissions
admissions office
admissions committee
admissions counselor
director of admissions
competitive admissions

Example sentences

"The university's admissions committee reviews thousands of applications each year." Referring to the department.
"Gaining admissions to an Ivy League school is highly competitive." Referring to the process/fact of being admitted.
"She worked tirelessly on her essays, hoping to improve her chances of admissions." Referring to the outcome.

Memory hook

The ADMISSIONS office ADDS you to the list of accepted students. Admit to admissions.

When not to use

Don't use 'admissions' when referring to a single entry (e.g., 'an admission ticket' for a movie). Use 'admission' (singular) for that.

Fun facts

The term 'admissions' can also refer to the act of confessing a crime or fault.
Some universities have 'holistic admissions,' meaning they consider many factors beyond just grades.

Related words

Application, Acceptance, Rejection

Explore more words

admission, acknowledge, registrar, matriculate, admissible, reception