First-year

First-years are NOT FRESHMEN. Don't say Freshmen. Or Freshman. First-years are like freshmen, but when you call them first-years it's more politically correct. Also, it sounds more like Harry Potter.

Confusion

The term first-year is confusing, however, because it does not refer to all students at Knox College who are at the school for their first year. If a student enters the school with sophomore or higher standing, that student is considered a member of that class and not a first-year. Transfer students are also not considered first-years in their first year at the school.

The term first-year merely operates as a synonym for freshman, but is more confusing.

Usage

The college officially used the term first-year in its official documents, literature and on its Web site.

The Knox Student

The Knox Student, the student newspaper, has recently changed their styleguide to revert to the term "freshman" instead of first-year.