Here is the latest information about UF being back into the NMSC fold!!!

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Florida
1

Hello all concerned parents of NM Finalist baby Gators to be: Yes UF is back in business with NMSC but the award is variable from $500 to start to up to $2000 only if you also fill out a CSS profile. Whether or not the CSS profile must be filled out this year or next year, I am trying to discover but I assume it is for next year. Your student must also list UF as their choice for 2015! This info obtained directly from NMSC because UF absolutely stinks with their communication.

2

Thanks @saismom. I heard 3rdhand that UF has said that any student receiving the FIS scholarship will be grandfathered in for the duration of their degree, regardless of funding. Sounds too good to be true to me? Edited to add that while I agree, UF is not the most communicative, Mr. Mauney in Student Financial Affairs has been as helpful and responsive to me as he could possibly be. The situation is so fluid that he just found out a few days ago and has already contacted the parents that he knows are waiting for information.

3

Well Financial Aid team 1 is never there and never returns calls.

4

I looked at the list of schools that participate in the CSS profile and UF is not on it. I assume this means that we can’t be expected to have already filled one out for them, right? I’ve never dealt with the CSS so I’m not even sure my question makes sense! I’m so afraid of missing a deadline somewhere!

5

@saismom for some reason, they seem really responsive to email and ignore phone calls.

6

Talked to NMSC today. No UF is not on the NMSC or the CSS list because they just this week joined but your student should list UF as their 1st choice school if they actually do want to attend UF and have made Finalist status. This should be done no later than May 31st. The CSS profile is very involved and is required by many of the private schools who award merit aid. We had to fill one out and submit it for a few of my D’s schools. I do not believe you need to do it this year but NMSC indicated that UF is doing a variable award of $500-$2000 per year and the way this is usually handled is they will require a CSS profile to be filled out for each year. Since this is new, I doubt they will require it for this year.

7

I would like to clarify about what I had written earlier about UF and Mr Max Mauny in the Florida Incentive Scholarship forum.

I wrote that :
“He (Mr Max Mauny)added that even if the FIS law is changed at a later date we can expect the State to grandfather it and the students who have started on the FIS could expect to be funded till the end of their bachelors degree (4 year or 5 year degree program).”
At no point did Mr Max Mauny say UF would step in to fund the program: he said he did not think the State would drop the kids already started on the program even if the State stops funding kids in future years.

So to be doubly sure:

  1. it would be good if we all called our state senators/congressman or congresswoman and tell them that
    if they do’nt want to lose kids to out of state universities they should keep this funding going.
    And clarify further (word better) the law that if a student starts on the funding, the funding will continue till the student receives a bachelors degree (as long as the student maintains the standards - 3.0 GPA etc that is already stated in the current law). ie the wording should state the funding is guaranteed not merely for one year but all 4 or 5 years of the bachelors program.

and

  1. We should also appeal to UF (through Mr Max Mauny? or any higher ups) to promise the funding incase the kids actually do lose funding (other universities do promise funding no matter what - I know UCF, USF do, I dont know about others, I will check with umiami on monday)

At UF all calls about FIS should be to Mr Max Mauny - others at FA are not helpful. He is responsive and helpful and appears to be the only person likely to know the latest details in this evolving saga.

I do agree with Mr Max Mauny that it is unlikely the rug will be pulled underneath our kids with respect to FIS, but it is better to have everything in writing (be it the State or the college) so there is absolutely no room for misinterpretation.
It is also reasonable to count on a student’s scholarships for all 4(or 5) years of her/his bachelors program, not just the first year - and surely the State and the University will see that.

Good luck to all our kids!