Q. What is the first-year student called?

The United States uses the term freshman to identify a first-year student. This name is common in institutions of higher learning, such as colleges and universities, where it's used for people who are engaged in their initial year of study. This term runs very deep indeed in the American education system, and it's part of academic vernacular everywhere across the United States.

The term freshman is actually derived from the Middle English word "freshe," which means novice or beginning. Since the 16th century, it has been in use and is now a common term to describe students just starting out in college life.

For students, the leap from high school to college is a fresh step along an academic path. By the time students enter, they have usually undergone an initial period of adjustment to their new environment for academic work and increased personal autonomy, and now, many actively face problems in college life. The term "freshman" does not belong to any one field of study alone but rather is a general denotation used in all kinds of fields and programs.

Besides the term freshman, years beyond first-year undergraduate study are designated similarly. Each year of the undergraduate cycle is called "sophomore," "junior," and senior, respectively. Taken collectively, these are known as a student's class rank or place in the academic pecking order. The concept has become one frequently used to describe students at American colleges.

Although the word 'freshman' is widely recognized and used, over recent years, there have been many discussions on gender-neutral language. Some organizations have proposed terms such as first-year students to achieve inclusiveness and avoid gender differences.

To sum up, the US calls its one-year students freshmen, a term that is deeply ingrained in American education and has strong cultural significance.