Here are more stats 4.0 unweighted. I don’t know what my UF GPA is. I think it is around 4.6-4.7. I took 10 AP and honors classes. IB is offered in my high school but I couldn’t do it because I came in too late to my current school. I live in Panhandle if UF determine geographical position of student as factor. I am first generation, low income, and raised by single mother who is illegal immigrant(we share same birthday). My Sat is 1400 and it is 740 math and 660. I know Florida schools don’t do affirmative action but I am Hispanic of Mexican descent. I also worked in Construction, condo cleaning, and fast food. My essay was about my brother getting detained for being an illegal immigrant and I wrote letter for him in his immigration court case. So because I did no community service, am I auto-reject?
That’s a tough one. I don’t think it’s an auto-reject but it definetly doesn’t help. What’s good is that UF is holistic so they’ll look at the whole picture. There’s a good chance they’ll still take you and a good chance they won’t. Even though this may not help your application, try getting 100 hours so you can qualify for the highest level of Bright Futures. Since you live in FL you can get your whole tuition payed for. Good luck
NO, you are not an auto-reject.
UF uses holistic admissions, so they do consider factors other than grades and test scores.
About 50% is based on academics (GPA, course rigor, test scores and the essay), the other 50% is based on non-academic factors, like community service/volunteering, sports, clubs, leadership, work, etc.
UF really likes to see volunteer work, but they will look at the whole picture. UF wants to see that you engaged in stuff other than school and worked to overcome obstacles. It’s a lot harder earning a 4.0 GPA while working a part time job, than not.
They value work, and being the first in your family to attend college. They even consider your geographical location (to a lesser degree).
Go to section C7 of UF’s common data set, for an idea on what UF considers in admissions and how much weight they put on each area.
https://ir.aa.ufl.edu/media/iraaufledu/common-data-set/CDS_2017-2018_UFMain_7_20_18.pdf
Of course, with holistic admissions, it can all seem a bit random at times, as it’s hard to predict how UF may score your application, but community service is NOT a requirement.
Good Luck!
I think @Gator88NE is on target. Hopefully you detailed your work experience and that it took a lot of your time. Juggling a part time job while getting good grades is comparable (in my opinion) to being a yearbook editor or a drum major or the like. UF is looking for superstars, but they come in different shapes and sizes. The “rejected” landscape is littered with kids with good grades and high test scores who only focused on school but didn’t test themselves in other ways – like community service or leadership.
While I don’t think there is such a thing as an auto-reject, if you said that you had great grades and scores but didn’t work, didn’t do any ECs, didn’t take on any other initiatives to make you more well-rounded, then you would likely not be UF material.
Good luck and let us know what happens in February.
I agree with everyone above. UF has holistic admissions; they have been difficult for me to predict. So I would say, no, you are not an auto-reject IMHO. Your #'s are very good. I agree with trying to get the 100 hours of community service if at all possible, because that will get you the highest level of Bright Futures ($$$).
Good luck and let us know how you make out.
I am also in Academic team and I also put translating Spanish as my extracurriculars. So overall my chances are low then? I couldn’t do community service because I didn’t had a reliable transportation and sometimes I went walking to home from school because my mother was busy working.
@dopeyawn Because UF uses its holistic process, it is difficult for anyone to really have high confidence about getting in. I know students who had the grades and test scores to get admitted to the FSU honors program but not admission to UF. You are likely competing with more than 40,000 other students for about 15,000 admits. UF looks at course rigor, GPA, test scores, essay, ECs, volunteer work, work experience and other factors to help create a balanced and compelling freshman class. The school also looks at first generation college students and also your personal situation – which you can discuss in your essay.
Again, the admissions landscape is littered with smart kids who applied themselves in the classroom but were rejected because they didn’t truly apply themselves outside the classroom. UF has the luxury of many applicants who have excelled in both – and that is who you are competing against. Good luck and please let us know in February. Go Gators.
Didn’t one of UF’s supplemental essays ask about family or work commitments that would preclude you from other activities? How did you answer that?
We are not from your area of the country (we have snow on the ground right now, and no alligators within 1,000 miles).
However, I think that your chances are very good. Your GPA is great. Your SAT is above average for UF. Your work experience is likely to be a significant plus.
To me it looks like you have overcome a tough situation and shown that you can do very well academically.
Let us know how this comes out. I am optimistic on your behalf.
Do you have all the requirements for BF except the community service? If so, I’d work on getting it ASAP. It can all be done at your school, for your teachers. If you are helping with translation in your community, count that and get someone (pastor, social worker) to sign off on it.
D17 was accepted from PA with zero community service…didn’t realize until after we applied that it was important to UF.
I would argue that you DO have extra curriculars. You have helped your family. You have worked a job. You’ve shown compassion and dependability and lots of other great qualities. I think you have an excellent chance.
I answered I had to help my mother clean condos every weekend especially when tourism is at peak. They about 8 hours to clean.
I got in! hahaha. I did it.
Congrats
Great news!
“I got in!”
Thanks for letting us know, and congratulations.
Plan to work hard at UF and keep ahead in your classes. I think that you are going to do very well.
Get your community service completed so that you can qualify for Bright Futures.
Congrats!!!
Congrats! I heard recently from a college counselor that many schools are starting to prioritize work experience and family commitments. I hope that is the case, because I think it shows at LEAST as much about your character and work ethic as community service.
~Old-time Gator ('88)