Updates on College Admissions for Florida Public Universities

A few days ago, we attended an event with all State Universities of Florida. Following are some updates on the college admissions process several of the public universities in the sunshine state!

University of Florida (UF):

The University of Florida is ranked ninth of public universities in the nation and offers the third-best college value. The university has a new president that has transitioned from the prestigious University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. UF has a 2,000-acre campus and more than 900 buildings, including a renovated career resource center. 61% of students graduate debt free.

The UF Application has been open for more than one month, and the university has received 1,355 applications. The freshman class is very large this year with approximately 15,000 students admitted and 6,900 starting. With 39 days left before the November 1, 2018 application deadline, below are some application tips for those who have yet to hit submit on their UF Coalition Application.

 UF Tips:

• The UF Freshmen application is due November 1, 2018
• The Student Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR) is due December 1, 2018
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is due December 15, 2018

If all requirements are not met by the deadlines, the student will go on to the second round of applicants, and the acceptance rate will decrease significantly. The University of Florida spreads out the deadlines for each component so that you may focus on one at a time. If you miss any of their deadlines, your application will be reviewed only on a space-available basis.

Remember, completing an application takes time, and it can be stressful if you wait until the last minute. The admission officers recommend applying between the last week of September to the first two weeks of October to avoid any penalties if there is any sort of submission error.

Pathways to the University of Florida program consist of two consecutive semesters of college to get in. While the Design and Architecture program is available, the bridge program still exists, and students can gain admission for the summer or fall term.

Students with an Associate degree will be reviewed as transfer applicants. Also, keep in mind these requirements:

• An Innovation academy essay is required on why the student is creative and innovative
• Honors program requires two additional essays for students interested in applying
• No learning disabilities or information on LD required any longer

University of Central Florida (UCF):

UCF is an emerging preeminent research university in Florida and one of the largest universities in the United States with current enrollment at 67,000 students. In addition, a new downtown campus will open for 7,700 students next fall. The university has great resources for program exploration, including: The Compass program and the highest in research activity with many experimental learning opportunities available. In 2017, the university placed second in the nation in the Cyber Defense competition.

UCF offers a Financial Literacy program that allows a large percentage of students to graduate debt free. Student athletes have a 94% graduation rate; one of the highest of all colleges. In addition, 16,000 degrees are granted in one year along with 82 national merit scholars

UCF Tips:

• New programs include:
  • The College of community education and innovation
  • The Graphic designs program
  • Interdisciplinary film and communications school
  • The Athletic training program, which also became a master’s level program, Kinesiology
• Free application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) priority deadline is December 1, 2018
• Guaranteed admission to students in the top 10% of the class and guaranteed on-campus housing if applying before December 1, 2018

Florida State University (FSU):

Florida State University has been officially designated as a preeminent research university in the state by the Florida Legislature because of having met a set of rigorous benchmarks. The university consistently delivers an affordable, high quality education and offers distinctive opportunities to engage its students. FSU is an internationally recognized teaching and research institution committed to preparing our graduates for the ever-expanding opportunities of a global society.

The university’s student body is diverse and represents every county in Florida, all 50 states, and 130 countries. Minorities represent 33 percent, and women represent 55 percent of FSU’s 41,867 students. The university had 51,000 applicants and accepted 17,000 in 2017.

Note: Seminole pathways international study program allows students to spend semester abroad not in the Tallahassee campus – and has become very popular.

 FSU Tips: 

• Institutional application and admissions deadline is November 1, 2018
• The Student Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR) is required
• Self-reporting of test scores is encouraged. FSU will evaluate student applications without the official ACT/SAT test reports
• Biomedical engineering and Fashion Retail are some of the new degrees being offered
• Engineering, business, and biology are some of the most popular degrees
• Dual enrollments with GPA below 2.0 are not acceptable

Florida Polytechnic University (FPU):

Florida Polytechnic is a top engineering, accredited school in Florida offering all STEM degrees. Florida Polytechnic University is Florida’s only accredited public university with an exclusive focus on the core STEM disciplines of engineering, technology and applied science. FPU has partnerships with John’s Hopkins and other great stem strong universities

Their beautiful new building designed by Calatrava is a state-of-the-art campus conveniently located in the heart of Florida’s high-tech I-4 corridor. FPU also offers a luxurious on-campus housing with apartment style suites. Uniquely defined by project-based learning, applied research and industry internship opportunities, Florida Poly’s advanced degree programs equip graduates with the skills needed to lead the way in today’s fastest-growing fields. The university offers a rigorous curriculum, advanced research equipment and a focus on solving industry problems with creative solutions.

FPU Tips: 

• All students must study and work and complete internship
• An Essay and letter of recommendation in math or science is required
• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available
• Priority deadline is November 1, 2018
• Rolling admissions

New College of Florida (NCF):

As the State of Florida’s legislatively-designated “honors college for the liberal arts,” New College is the only public college or university in the state whose sole mission is to provide an undergraduate education of the highest caliber to leading students from around the country. Located on a beautiful 110-acre campus on sunny Sarasota Bay, New College provides an ideal learning environment for intellectually curious, motivated students who thrive on active learning and are drawn to an intellectually rigorous curriculum.

 NCF Tips: 

• Top-ranked small liberal arts college in Florida, still offering scholarships to up to 95% of their student population
• NCF wants to increase bilingual student recruiting and no has a bilingual admissions staff member. The college is recognized by the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) as an Associate Member Institution because at least 10% of the current student population identify as Hispanic.
• Early Decision was offered this year
• Various joint-degree programs offered with schools around the Sarasota-St. Petersburg-Tampa area, including program with Ringling for artists
• A presentation will be offered in South Florida October 3, 2018

University of North Florida (UNF):

The University of North Florida is an accredited public university located in Jacksonville, Florida. A member institution of the State University System of Florida. UNF is liaison with a University of Valencia that allows students to graduate with degrees from UNF and from an international university, and excellent bilingual skills in English/Spanish.

The University of North Florida currently has an enrollment of more than 16,000 and offers more than 50 undergraduate degree programs, about 30 graduate-degree programs and five doctoral programs, with distinguished Flagship Programs in international business, coastal biology, nursing, nutrition and dietetics, transportation and logistics, and music. UNF is known for providing students with Transformational Learning Opportunities, or TLOs, as they are known on campus.

UNF Tips: 

• Now offering their application through Common App or institutional application
• The Student Self-Reported Academic Record (SSAR) is required
• Programs Offered include:
  • College of Computing (one of the most popular)
  • Excellent nursing program
  • Building construction program
  • Financial analytics certificate
  • Global Health Graduate Certificate sustainability of food and water resources