There are five critical data distinctions that AIM uses in describing academic activity at UCLA.

(1)   The UCLA campus is divided into general campus and health sciences departments and degree programs.

(2)   Enrollments on the general campus and health sciences campus include both state-funded students and students in self-supporting programs.

(3)   Enrollment can be calculated as either headcount enrollment (the number of individuals) or as full time equivalent (FTE) enrollment (the amount of instructional activity, converted into a standard full time student unit load)

(4)   Full time equivalent (FTE) students for an academic term or year can be estimated FTE, calculated according to state budgeting conventions, which apply a lagged conversion factors to headcount enrollments, or as actual FTE (or "real-time") enrollment, which summarizes actual student workload during the period.  Estimated FTE are used for state budgeting discussions, while actual FTE are used in local budget discussions.

(5)   Headcount enrollment and degrees granted can be calculated by counting double majors twice (once in each major) or only once (0.5 in each major).  The first method is labeled duplicated, the second unduplicated.

Generally, current and historical enrollment reports use headcount enrollments, and departmental instructional activity reports display real-time FTE.  Campus level enrollment projections display FTE that have been calculated using state budgeting conventions.