很多同学在做四六级考研等阅读理解的时候会发现这样一个问题，很多单词都认识但是依然不是太清楚文章在讲什么。问我原因，回复说其中可能的原因之一是缺乏对某个特定领域术语的真正理解。下面这组经常会出现在四六级快速阅读的部分，例如2009年12月最近的这次四级快速阅读就出现了merit aid 这样我们认识单词但不太明白它到底是怎么回事的东东，今天就贴个东东在这里对大家必有帮助。

Base Year: Each time that you apply for aid, income from the preceding calendar year will be used in calculations of your aid eligibility. These are your "Base Years" for financial aid. The first base year is most important because it sets the stage for following years.

Cost of Attendance (COA):  Each college uses a standard COA figure to calculate aid packages. It includes tuition, fees, room and board (housing and food), books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC):  Aid formulas analyze income and assets to determine how many dollars each family must contribute towards college costs. If the student is dependent, the EFC includes the Parents' Contribution and the Student Contribution.

Eligibility for Aid (“Need”):  The Cost of Attendance minus the Expected Family Contribution is the amount of Eligibility for Aid ("Need"). If an aid package doesn't meet the entire amount of Eligibility for Aid, there is an aid gap. At some colleges, financial aid is based only on "Need." Other colleges offer both merit-based aid and need-based aid.

Federal Methodology (FM):  Congressional aid formulas, known as FM, change each year. They determine EFC for the purpose of allocating federal aid funds at public and private colleges. At most public colleges, federal and state funds are the major source of aid. Applicants must fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form.

Gap:  When an aid award does not meet the full amount of calculated eligibility for aid, there is an aid gap. Educational expenses will be at least as high as Expected Family Contribution (EFC) plus any gap. Student and parent loans are available to cover EFC and any gap.

Institutional Methodology (IM):  IM formulas determine EFC for awarding private institutional aid funds at private (and some public) colleges. Different schools may use different IM formulas. Applicants complete a college form and/or the PROFILE form, as well as the FAFSA.

Merit Aid:  Merit aid is based on the student's attributes, not on financial need. Another name for merit aid is "non-need" aid.

Professional Judgment (PJ):  Aid administrators have the ability to make decisions based on special circumstances.

Self Help:  Aid packages enable students to "help themselves" through student loans and work-study jobs.