So I was accepted to USC for spring, not fall. A little disappointed because it was my dream school and I wanted to get in, but I knew I wasn’t going there anyway because of the cost. Even with the 1/2 scholarship, it’s just too expensive. I actually have been committed to UCF since January, and I’m superrrrr excited to go there!! I went to their president dinner Friday night, and it was really nice! The discussion about the future of UCF was both funny and exciting with all of the stuff UCF has planned! I can’tttt waiittttt for June 22nd (move-in day).
@CContemplative1 Under one of the Benacquisto rules promulgated by the State for renewal of the scholarship, the student must have “earned credit for all hours enrolled by the end of regular drop/add period each term.” So a failed course, a course dropped AFTER the drop/add period, or a “NC” would not meet the requirements for renewal.
See http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/factsheets/FIS.pdf
(this hasn’t yet been updated to specify it also applies to OOS but I am assuming the rules for renewal will not change.)
@g8torlaw – I believe you are correct. The only change I an aware of is to extend the Benaquisto to OOS, including waiving OOS fees or tuition supplements for them so that the amount the schools receive from the state as payment in full on behalf of OOS is the same as for in-state students. Nothing else changes. OOS are now, unless they change it again, treated exactly the same as in-state for this scholarship.
NJDad00 Waitlisted at Duke, ( yeah right). Son received UF Honor’s this evening. Son is a heavy lean toward UF with no worries. He likes Hume Hall, and plans to study Engineering. Waiting on others reports on UF visits but I will be the first to report when he makes his final decision. We are grateful for the schools who Honor Merit kids, UNM, TT,UTD, TAMU, UCF, etc. etc.
Looks like my NMF DD is going with the Baylor Regents Gold full tuition plus scholarship $200k+. She received a few smaller scholarships from Baylor along with an NMSC corporate scholarship. Baylor has an interesting BSE engineering degree plan (ABET) that will let her minor in chemistry in case she wants to go to Pharmacy school. She has quite a few AP credits so looks like she can take manageable course loads. DD said “So they are going to basically give me $200k for a single 3 hour exam?” Yup.
I am also grateful for the NMF scholarship schools. We are full pay everywhere, and with a large 529 balance and an only child we could have made that work. However with the full ride at UTD we can save the 529 for grad school; if S doesn’t go to grad school or if he gets it paid for through fellowships/scholarships, then we will give him the 529 balance for a nest egg.
Without the NMF package I would probably not have thought about taking S to visit UTD, and what a shame that would have been. He liked it so much that he didn’t even want to apply to any other schools! Now, I don’t believe in the “dream school” concept and I know S would thrive at many different colleges. But still it’s nice that this one felt so right to him that he was happily one-and-done, with his college decision made and acceptance in hand back in July. It’s made his senior year so low-stress.
@saxynerd We were at UCF’s dinner too ! My daughter was the one from Mesquite Texas. I thought their presentation was very impressive. Is June 22 the move in day for Towers?
@NJDad00 What is your DS going to study? We had an amazing weekend at UCF for NMF kids.
Those of you who are accepted at UF as well as UCF.
Where are you going? Why? And what is your major.
I am still torn between them as a premed.
@saxynerd and @Philipper - I’d love to hear more about UCF’s NMF weekend if either of you would like to share. It’s probably in the top 2 for D…
I would love to hear more about the UCF dinner too…we head out there April 18 for a one day visit… Is it a true COA? Why June 22 move in? Is that just for summer classes? TIA
Would also like to hear about the dinner. Just visited for a tour a few days ago, missing the weekend event.
My son is accepted at both UF and UCF for CS. We visited both this past week while on spring break in Florida from Illinois. It helped that the weather for both visits was sunny and in the 80s while we had 5 inches of snow at our house the day after we left. He has decided to attend UCF for several reasons. While he would like the better overall national reputation of UF and the traditionally better sports teams to cheer, he really loves the ’perks’ about being NMF at UCF with Towers 3 housing and the Burnett Honors College as well as the awesome internship and job prospects for College of Engineering students with more things to do in Orlando off campus. Two funny stories to illustrate what led to the decision. My younger son, after walking several miles on campus already, saw the some football recruits being shuttled around on golf carts around the stadium at UF and said ‘Why don’t we get to go around on those golf carts like we did at UCF earlier in the week?’ Also my junior high daughter, who had never seen a dorm room prior to Towers 3 earlier in the week, said after touring what I consider a well above average dorm room at UF, “Where is the kitchen and do you really have to sleep in the same room with another student?” Anyway, IMO you can’t really go wrong with either school as a NMF, now even if OOS, and one really has to pick where one believes they will fit in better.
For those who wanted to hear more about the UCF NMS dinner, see this thread and post #30 from @Phlipper It was a very nice evening!
@dbhawk My son also accepted admission to UCF this week. He struggled with the same decision between the two schools (although he is EE major not CS). You have perfectly articulated his reasons for choosing UCF over UF and its Gator Engeering @ Santa Fe. While he liked the UF program, the program and prestige weren’t enough to overcome all the UCF Honors program offered him. He just felt more at home at UCF. Broke his Gator parents’ hearts but even we can see UCF fit his personality better.
@Phlipper – DS is pre-med. He is really struggling with the choice between UCF and UF. UCF has a lot of obvious advantages (superior location, honors college, nice new facilities, lots of attention to NMSes, and a medical scholars program), versus the vastly superior academic reputation of UF. His head is spinning, and so is mine! 
Here’s hoping the Benacquisto OOS NMF will still be there for class of 2021! My Texan D is already excited at the thought of Florida for college. She wants to go see UCF.
“versus the vastly superior academic reputation of UF.” (something to think about)
My wife and I are both “Floridians”. We both are FSU grads. (Go Noles) My son grew up watching FSU football and occasionally attending a live game. He is a huge FSU fan. But, I woke him up this Easter morning to the tune of Molly Hatchet singing “Gator Country”.
"I’ve been to Alabama, people, ain’t a whole lot to see;
Skynard says it’s a real sweet home, but it ain’t nothing to me
Charlie Daniels will tell you the good Lord lives in Tennessee, ha!
But I’m going back to the Gator Country, where the wine and women are free
There’s a gator in the bushes, he’s calling my name
And a saying come on, boy, you better make it back home again
There’s many roads I’ve traveled but they all kinda look the same
There’s a gator in the bushes, Lord, he’s calling my name"
UCF or UF? It’s a good problem to have.
NJDad00 
Go to UCF.
You are in BMS program, you can major in anything, film production/ music/ theatre/ super nova astrophysics.
Go to UF, you will be just one of legions of good students. UF had put little stocks on giving National Merits much special financial merit. Their money has been rightlfully spent on all top quartile students there. UF is no Harvard or Stanford, but at their premed basic courses, be prepare to face competition tougher than Harvard and Stanford.