college freshman sophomore junior senior

Others dispute this meaning and believe that the term comes from the Greek word “sophumer,' which referred to students - called “sophists' - who had attained a certain level of wisdom. Some believe it comes from the Greek words meaning “ wise' and “foolish.' Thus, sophomores are “ wise fools' because they've gained some wisdom through their first year but are still foolish compared to juniors and seniors. There's a bit of argument about where this term comes from. They have a little bit of experience, but they also have a long way to go. The kids in their second year of school are no longer freshmen and most of them are thankful for that fact. They still have someone one rung above them on the ladder, so they're juniors, not seniors. They have quite a bit of experience, but not as much as the seniors. They've been around the block and seen it all.īut what about those kids in between freshmen and seniors? The kids in their third year of school are called juniors. Just like senior citizens are the older members of our society, seniors in high school or college are in their fourth - and usually last - year of school. Why? We suppose it's because they're new and fresh on the scene. For example, the newbies? They're called freshmen.

When you get into high school and college, there are even special names for the people in each year of school. Older kids are the seasoned professionals who've been around the block a few times.

From the moment kids start school, they become well aware of where they stand in the overall scheme of things.

College freshman sophomore junior senior