Overview

Snapp contains a number of enumerations (i.e., value lists). These enumerations range from a list of states and provinces, to grading scales, to essay prompts. This section provides detail about a few noteworthy enumerations in the Snapp data standard. Where possible, an external reference is provided to give some insight into how we picked the values.

Details

This section contains detail and usage notes about the enumerations in Snapp:

General - Other Values

Many enumerations have an "Other" value. If an Other value is present, it's usually at the bottom of the list (in the XSD). Most enumerations with an "Other" value have a companion text field to provide additional information. For example, entities that reference the CountryList enumeration have a CountryOther text field to contain the name of a country not provided in the enumeration.

General - List Sorting

Those delving into the Snapp XSD have asked about the convention we use to sort enumeration values. Enumeration lists in the standard are sorted via the following approach:

If a list has a natural order, such as an increasing amount, a sequence of events, a typical order in everyday use, or a graph of associations, we generally sort by that.
If there is no natural sequence, we fall back to alphabetic.
An "Other" value is typically the last item.
A "None" or "Not Selected" is added to the end of a list (immediately above "Other," if present).

AttachedFileTypeList

Used by Student.AttachedFile.FileDescription. Contains a structured list of file types. Many of the types are, by design, general in nature, usually where implementers have requested the ability to exchange a type of attachment but where norms aren't established in the application space.

By convention, the following usage is recommended for each type:

Enumeration Value	Description	Usage Notes
Audio	Any audio file.	General-purpose type.
College Board CSS PROFILE - Data	The College Scholarship Service PROFILE data from College Board. Detailed financial information typically used by private universities to determine an applicant's financial need.	This CSS PROFILE type is used to convey a machine-readable version of the PROFILE. College Board provides this information as XML. Student applicants will typically not upload this file themselves. Programs should only provide this file if they have the rights to do so.
College Board CSS PROFILE - Printable	Same as above, only human-readable.	This CSS PROFILE type is used to convey a human-readable version of the PROFILE information.
Degree Certificate	A file or image of a degree proving attainment of a degree.	Typically a PDF or image type.
Diploma Certificate	A file or image of a certificate of graduation.	Typically a PDF or image type.
FAFSA	A file copy of a student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid information. Used by most public institutions and many private institutions to establish financial need.	Typically a PDF. See `USDoE MyStudentData File` for a machine-readable version of this information.
Formal Student Portrait - Large	A formal portrait of the applicant. Typically: Is professionally produced Is on a neutral background or backdrop Has only the student in the frame	Typically an image file type such as JPG, PNG. Can be a GIF, but that doesn't help the complexion. Contrast with `Informal Picture of Student`.
Formal Student Portrait - Small	Same as above, only smaller file size.	Typically a small image file type such as JPG, PNG, GIF. Contrast with `Informal Picture of Student`.
Informal Picture of Student	A selfie, snapshot, or other informal picture of the student.	Contrast with the two `Formal Student Portrait` items above.
Medical Document	Any medical document.	For all practical purposes, a general-purpose type. (X-rays? Doctors' notes? Admission form?)
Picture	Any picture.	General-purpose type.
Portfolio Document	An example of an applicant's work.	Can be any human-readable document type. Typically PDF.
Proof of Achievement	An award, certificate, affidavit, or other proof of an applicant's achievement.	Can be any human-readable document type.
Proof of Employment	A letter from an employer, pay stub, or other proof that the applicant is employed.	Can be any human-readable document type. Typically PDF.
Recommendation/Reference Letter	A letter of recommendation or reference on behalf of the applicant. Typically a formal letter from an institution.	Can be any human-readable document type. Typically PDF.
School Acceptance Letter	Evidence that an applicant has been accepted into a particular school or program. Typically contains the word "congratulations" somewhere in the text.	Can be any human-readable document type. Typically PDF.
Student Aid Report (SAR)	The Student Aid Report summarizes the information an applicant submits on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.	Can be any human-readable document type. Typically PDF.
Transcript	The student's academic history.	Can be any human-readable document type. Typically PDF.
USDoE MyStudentData File	A downloadable version of the FAFSA information available from the U.S. Department of Education. For information on the MyStudentData program, see this page.	A CSV data file.
Video	Any video file.	General-purpose type.
Other	A type not found in the above categories (or worthy of additional explanation).	The AttachedFileType.FileOtherDesc element can convey a description of the file. By convention, implementers should always include a FileOtherDesc when `Other` is selected.

EssayTypeList

The Snapp Data Standard supports the exchange of essays. From a student's perspective, this is perhaps one of the most useful pieces of information to share between applications. The EssayTypeList enumeration values provide the means of identifying the subject or type of essay – usually defined by an essay prompt.

To establish the list of essays, the Snapp team reviews use by current implementers and also does an annual survey of essay prompts in the scholarship application space.

The Snapp EssayTypeList enumeration mapped to a sample of real-world application prompts follows, along with annotations on which version(s) of the Snapp Data Standard includes the type.

Snapp EssayType	Common App Prompt	Dell Scholars Prompt	Other Application Prompts	v2.0	v3.0
Post graduation and career goals		What do you want your education to achieve? What are your goals after you graduate from college?	Describe your academic and career goals and your plans to achieve them. (Paraphrased from multiple example applications.) Where do you see yourself in 10 years? (Paraphrased from multiple example applications.)	Y	Y
Education plans beyond graduation				Y	Y
Leadership experiences			Describe an event in which you took a leadership role. What did you learn about yourself? About others? (Paraphrased from multiple example applications.)	Y	Y
Organizational leadership roles and outcomes				Y	Y
Lifetime goals and objectives				Y	Y
Personal background or history	Q1. Some students have a background, identity, interest or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story. [No change]			Y	Y
Family background or history		Describe how your family history and relationships have shaped who you are today.	How has your family history affected the way you view the world? (Paraphrased from multiple example applications.)	Y	Y
Affecting the lives of others				Y	Y
Community contribution		Have you spent time volunteering in your community or school (examples may include: community center, senior center, church, school, etc.)? Share with us how often you volunteer and what you've learned through these experiences. If you haven't volunteered, please explain reasons why.		Y	Y
Community leadership				Y	Y
~~The~~ Community impact upon the student				Y	Y (Removed "The" from v2.0 value)
Favorite activity	Q6. Describe a topic, idea or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more? [New]			Y	Y
Home responsibilities		Please provide more detail about your home responsibilities and how that has impacted your ability to manage your academic work.		Y	Y
Overcoming adversity	Q2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience? [Revised]	Describe some of the hardest things you experienced while growing up? How did you overcome those challenges? What did you learn from those experiences?	What challenges have you overcome in achieving your education (e.g., financial, personal, medical)? (Paraphrased from multiple example applications.)	Y	Y
Work responsibilities		Please provide more detail about your need to work. How has it impacted your ability to focus on school work?		Y	Y
Personal achievements, awards, and honors	Q5. Discuss an accomplishment, event or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others. [Revised]	Describe your most meaningful achievement to date and how it has influenced your life.		Y	Y
Special circumstances affecting college finance		(Other) How do you think your family's financial situation will impact your ability to be a full-time college student? State any ongoing financial responsibilities you have and how you plan to manage them.		Y	Y
Why student deserves the scholarship				Y	Y
How ethnicity shaped the student				Y	Y
How college readiness programs helped the student		How has this program better prepared you to be successful in college? Please provide some examples of skills or strategies you will use.		Y	Y
Problem or issue in the world student would like to address			What do you consider to be the single most important societal problem facing the world today? Explain. (Paraphrased from multiple example applications.)	Y	Y
Athletic involvement, achievements, and impact on the student				Y	Y
Special programs participation and outcomes				Y	Y
Explanation of student's college choices		Please tell us what reasons you considered in selecting these schools as your top choices. Elaborate on the factors you considered such as academic fit and financial affordability.		Y	Y
Explanation of student's major choices		What inspired you to choose this major and study the degree you are planning to enroll in?		Y	Y
Failures and the resulting lessons learned				Y	Y
How the student challenged herself	Q4. Describe a problem you’ve solved or a problem you’d like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma — anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution. [No change]			Y	Y
Disciplinary or legal problems		Have you ever been subjected to disciplinary action (such as probation, suspension or dismissal) by any school you have attended?		Y	Y
Other				Y	Y
Financial need or hardship		What personal financial hardships have you had to overcome to be the person you are today? State any special personal or family circumstances to explain your financial need.	Explain why you need financial assistance.(Paraphrased from multiple example applications.) From a financial standpoint, how would this scholarship impact your education? (Paraphrased from multiple example applications.)	N	Y
Challenges foreseen with college		(Other) Describe the most significant challenges you may face transitioning to and while in college and what steps you may take to address those challenges.	Many college freshmen are overwhelmed by the transition from home to independent life. What challenges do you foresee? How will you overcome them? (Paraphrased from multiple college applications.)	N	Y
		(Other) Please provide more detail about why you did not work.		N	N
Why student is applying for scholarship		(Other) Use this essay to give us more information about who you are and why you want to be a Dell Scholar.	In NN words or fewer, please tell us about yourself and why you are applying for this scholarship. Please be clear about how this scholarship will help you achieve your goals. (Paraphrased from multiple example applications.)	N	Y (Distinct from "Why student deserves the scholarship")
		(Other) Please provide an explanation of your housing and living situation.		N	N
Challenging or questioning ideas	Q3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome? [Revised]			N	Y
Topic of student's choice	Q7. Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you’ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design. [New]			N	Y (Distinct from "Other")
Role model or influential person in student's life			Who has been the most influential person in your life so far? (Paraphrase from multiple example applications.)	N	Y
Book or other artwork influential in student's life			Choose a book that has affected you profoundly and explain why. (Paraphrase from multiple example applications.)	N	Y
Personal attribute or quality			Does any attribute or skill distinguish you from others? How did you develop this quality? (Paraphrase from multiple example applications.)	N	Y

SchoolYearList

Snapp provides a structured list of "School Year" values.

By convention, "College Year 5" through "College Year 8" mean a 5th through 8th year of working toward one's bachelor's degree.
By convention, "Graduate School" years may apply toward a master's or doctoral degree.
The Scholarship Purpose and Enrollment School Program can provide additional details about the intended enrollments of an applicant.

Snapp Year List
High School Grade 9
High School Grade 10
High School Grade 11
High School Grade 12
College Year 1
College Year 2
College Year 3
College Year 4
College Year 5
College Year 6
College Year 7
College Year 8
Graduate School Year 1
Graduate School Year 2
Graduate School Year 3
Graduate School Year 4
Other

StateOrProvinceList

Snapp currently has structured values for North American states and provinces. We want to allow students to indicate mailing and physical addresses in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico – including U.S. territories and outlying areas, armed services addresses, and similar.

There was no single standard or ISO specification that perfectly served this purpose, so we combined a few references.

For the U.S., we largely relied on postal codes (which include armed forces address values not included in the common ISO references). See Wikipedia here, for example.
For Canada, we also relied on postal codes – which align with the ISO 3166-2 standard. See Wikipedia here, for example. For standardization and readability, we used the prefix-code format (e.g., CA-NB for New Brunswick).
For Mexico, we also relied on postal codes. Rumor has it that the postal service in Mexico doesn't publish an official list. For readability and consistency, we aligned with the approach we took for Canada and used a prefix-two-letter-code format. Most values included are mappable to ISO 3166-2. See Wikipedia here, for example, for the codes and the mapping.
The Mexican state of Guanajuato is represented in Snapp as "MX-GT". Implementers have noted that GJ is the more common code, so they would have expected MX-GJ. We have a ticket to verify and update, if needed, in a future version of Snapp.

Value	State or Province Name	Country
AA	Armed Forces Americas	U.S.
AE	Armed Forces Europe	U.S.
AK	Alaska	U.S.
AL	Alabama	U.S.
AP	Armed Forces Pacific	U.S.
AR	Arkansas	U.S.
AS	American Samoa	U.S.
AZ	Arizona	U.S.
CA	California	U.S.
CO	Colorado	U.S.
CT	Connecticut	U.S.
DC	District of Columbia	U.S.
DE	Delaware	U.S.
FL	Florida	U.S.
FM	Micronesia	U.S.
GA	Georgia	U.S.
GU	Guam	U.S.
HI	Hawaii	U.S.
IA	Iowa	U.S.
ID	Idaho	U.S.
IL	Illinois	U.S.
IN	Indiana	U.S.
KS	Kansas	U.S.
KY	Kentucky	U.S.
LA	Louisiana	U.S.
MA	Massachusetts	U.S.
MD	Maryland	U.S.
ME	Maine	U.S.
MH	Marshall Islands	U.S.
MI	Michigan	U.S.
MN	Minnesota	U.S.
MO	Missouri	U.S.
MP	Mariana Islands	U.S.
MS	Mississippi	U.S.
MT	Montana	U.S.
NC	North Carolina	U.S.
ND	North Dakota	U.S.
NE	Nebraska	U.S.
NH	New Hampshire	U.S.
NJ	New Jersey	U.S.
NM	New Mexico	U.S.
NV	Nevada	U.S.
NY	New York	U.S.
OH	Ohio	U.S.
OK	Oklahoma	U.S.
OR	Oregon	U.S.
PA	Pennsylvania	U.S.
PR	Puerto Rico	U.S.
PW	Palau	U.S.
RI	Rhode Island	U.S.
SC	South Carolina	U.S.
SD	South Dakota	U.S.
TN	Tennessee	U.S.
TX	Texas	U.S.
UT	Utah	U.S.
VA	Virginia	U.S.
VI	Virgin Islands	U.S.
VT	Vermont	U.S.
WA	Washington	U.S.
WI	Wisconsin	U.S.
WV	West Virginia	U.S.
WY	Wyoming	U.S.
CA-AB	Alberta	Canada
CA-BC	British Columbia	Canada
CA-MB	Manitoba	Canada
CA-NB	New Brunswick	Canada
CA-NL	Newfoundland and Labrador	Canada
CA-NS	Nova Scotia	Canada
CA-NT	Northwest Territories	Canada
CA-NU	Nunavut	Canada
CA-ON	Ontario	Canada
CA-PE	Prince Edward Island	Canada
CA-QC	Quebec	Canada
CA-SK	Saskatchewan	Canada
CA-YT	Yukon	Canada
MX-AG	Aguascalientes	Mexico
MX-BN	Baja California	Mexico
MX-BS	Baja California Sur	Mexico
MX-CM	Campeche	Mexico
MX-CP	Chiapas	Mexico
MX-CH	Chihuahua	Mexico
MX-CA	Coahuila	Mexico
MX-CL	Colima	Mexico
MX-DF	Mexico City	Mexico
MX-DU	Durango	Mexico
MX-GT	Guanajuato	Mexico
MX-GR	Guerrero	Mexico
MX-HI	Hidalgo	Mexico
MX-JA	Jalisco	Mexico
MX-MX	México	Mexico
MX-MC	Michoacán	Mexico
MX-MR	Morelos	Mexico
MX-NA	Nayarit	Mexico
MX-NL	Nuevo León	Mexico
MX-OA	Oaxaca	Mexico
MX-PU	Puebla	Mexico
MX-QE	Querétaro	Mexico
MX-QR	Quintana Roo	Mexico
MX-SL	San Luis Potosí	Mexico
MX-SI	Sinaloa	Mexico
MX-SO	Sonora	Mexico
MX-TB	Tabasco	Mexico
MX-TM	Tamaulipas	Mexico
MX-TL	Tlaxcala	Mexico
MX-VE	Veracruz	Mexico
MX-YU	Yucatán	Mexico
MX-ZA	Zacatecas	Mexico
Other	Other Country Name	Any

Data Standard Documentation Contents

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