ghost student

Definition

A student who enrolls in a course, appears on the roster, but never attends or participates, vanishing like an academic phantom. They haunt your gradebook until the withdrawal deadline passes.

Example Usage

I have three ghost students in my intro course who haven't submitted a single assignment or responded to any emails, yet somehow remain enrolled.

Origin

Contemporary academic slang from online and hybrid learning environments

Fun Fact

Ghost students became significantly more common during the pandemic shift to online learning, with some institutions reporting up to 30% non-participation rates

Source: Common faculty room terminology

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