March 28, 2024

Florida's Colleges

The Admissions Squeeze

Students are finding it harder to get into the state's schools - and a crisis looms as the competition intensifies over the next five years.

Mike Vogel | 9/1/2006


University Snapshots

University of Florida
» 7,211 of the 7,673 who were admitted had accelerated coursework in high school. UF accepted 346 of the 369 valedictorians and salutatorians who applied. 4
» UF not only has some of the state's brightest kids but also its wealthiest, regardless of race or ethnicity, according to UF economic geography professor Grant Thrall. Over half of newly enrolled students in 2005 came from households making more than $65,000 per year, and 44% came from households making more than $94,000. About 10% of UF students come from households making $37,000 or less.

Florida State University
» FSU accepted 228 of the 252 applicants ranked first or second in their high school class. 96% of incoming, instate students received Bright Futures scholarships in 2006. Overall, 67% of FSU undergrads are on Bright Futures. The university's acceptances averaged five English credits in high school, 4.5 math, 3.5 science, 4.5 social studies and 4.5 foreign language.

University of West Florida
» UWF has seen an increase in the number of students applying from Louisiana and Mississippi after Hurricane Katrina.

University of Miami
» UM admitted 65% of its students from out of state. 95% of the in-state students received financial aid, called Florida Resident Access Grants, from the state.

Florida Gulf Coast University
» Driving the jump in applications at Florida Gulf Coast University: Increased awareness among high school counselors and students and a growing number of programs, says Marc Laviolette, admissions director.

New College of Florida
» 24, or 4.6%, of New College's accepted freshmen were valedictorians, up from nine, or 2.2%, last year and 11, or 3.7%, in 2001. 58.2% of accepted students were in the top 10% of their class; 88.5% were in the top quarter of their class. 485 of the 522 accepted students took accelerated coursework in high school: IB, Cambridge/ AICE, AP classes or National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (such as MAST Academy in Miami or the Center for Advanced Technologies at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg).

Florida Atlantic University
» 36, or 0.7%, of FAU's accepted students were in the top 1% of their class.

» "While the number of high school graduates has increased, the share of the high school-aged population that graduates from high school has not. Over the past 35 years, the graduation rate of the population aged 17 has remained relatively constant at just over 70%."
-- National Association for College Admission Counseling, State of College Admission 2006

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