The face of developmental reading is changing. Yet, the mission does not change: Students must be prepared to tackle academic texts if they are to be successful in college, and this is the essence of academic literacy instruction. Developmental reading professionals must have a deep understanding of academic vocabulary acquisition. Unfortunately, there has been a dearth of current research on academic vocabulary in the field. By looking to related research beyond the field, though, professionals in the field can think about how to shape future research to help find answers specific to college students. This manuscript aims to do just that by offering a brief critical literature review on academic vocabulary across educational levels and contexts in order to highlight what might be modified and/or reexamined for the college level.