| SPRINGBREAK | Period that college students look forward to (and a hint to 17-, 30-, and 47-Across) |
| SHUTTLING | Going backwards and forwards: - to and fro |
| GRADUATION | Organised rag do at uni, something students look forward to |
| FRI | What many students look forward to: Abbr. |
| BLACKBOARD | Do students look up to this director's group admitting shortfall relates to the first billion? (10) |
| GPA | Number that college admissions boards pay attention to: Abbr. |
| PSAT | Exam that college-bound students get past |
| DEAN | Ned has a way with that college head |
| TRYINGTIMES | Taxing periods, and a hint to 17-, 30- and 45- Across |
| SIXWAYSTOSUNDAY | Completely ... with a summation of 17-, 30- and 47- Across |
| NOWAY | "Forget it!" ... or a hint to 17-, 30-, 46- and 62- Across |
| ACUTABOVE | Superior to, and a hint to the first letters in 3-, 28- and 9- |
| SOUPSUP | Adds horsepower to, and a hint to the starred answers' hidden words |
| FRENCHTWIST | Elegant hairstyle, and what the circled letters give to 17-, 30-, and 47-Across? |
| DATABACKUP | System administrator's task ... and a hint to what can be found in 17-, 30- and 47-Across |
| SLICEDBREAD | Food that the "best thing" is compared to, and a description of this puzzle's second parted word |
| SPLITINFINITIVE | Construction that places an adverb between "to" and a verb (5,10) |
| BUILDABEAR | What you can do by combining the last words of 17-, 30- and 44- Across |
| INTERNALAFFAIRS | Police department watchdog (and hint to 17-, 30-, and 48-Across) |
| STARTOFPLAY | Opening kickoff, say, and what both parts of 17-, 30- and 47-Across can be |
