Major undecided, 3.8 GPA, good but not stellar SAT scores. Already accepted to FAU and UCF but just wanted to make sure S20 is not missing anything before EA admission deadlines hit. Thanks.
Merit aid is based on stats, so is the 3.8 GPA weighted or unweighted? What is the SAT score?
What do you consider reasonable?
University of South Florida is climbing in the rankings. Worth a look.
How much can you afford?
One of my favorite programs is FSU’s first year abroad program that does cost $45k for OOSers but gives such students in state tuition rates after that first year.
In our area, UTampa (Private) has given some nice merit money to a number of students. Rollins and Stetson have also been generous
What is a “good but not stellar” SAT score?
FIU and FAMU appear to have large merit scholarships for stats, but you need to find out how they recalculate HS GPA. FIU’s web page is not entirely clear if the scholarships are competitive beyond the stats listed, or if being “very competitive” is due just to the high stats levels.
@AlwaysMoving and @ucbalumnus , his school calculates GPA on a 100 point scale. His UW GPA is a 94.31 and his Weighted GPA is a 95.98.
He has 11 Honors classes and just one AP class (in progress). SAT score is 1250 (single sitting).
He needs to retake the SAT ASAP. Scholarships often depend on high SAT scores.
Look into Eckerd, Flagler?
@MYOS1634 If only. (sigh) He is completely unmotivated to study for the SAT. I forced him to take the August sitting and now he feels that he can’t/won’t raise his score any further since this was his third sitting and he just won’t study for it. He has no “dream college” so he is content to land at the schools where he has already been accepted. It’s me that wants to make sure we don’t leave anything on the table, even though we can only work with mediocre stats.
My big regret is not making him take the ACT since both of his siblings were way better at the ACT than the SAT. But he has already submitted five applications and feels he is on to the next phase.
Is he happy with his 5 choices? Are they affordable?
He can throw an application to Eckerd and to Flagler since they don’t have any extra essay; he can check the “honors” request on both I think.
UCF is HUGE and suffering from that rapid expansion though. Not sure it’s worth it from OOS, except for Engineering and/or if he got into the Honors College.
USF is in a better location than UCF. FIU has lots of OOS applicants and good merit (1250 qualifies for consideration at Honors.)
@MYOS1634 , not as affordable as we would like, but he’s happy with his choices. I have some cousins who went to Flagler (recent grads) and their parents were dismayed at how much of a party/drinking atmosphere it was, though we might expect that at any of his choices truth be told. And Flagler is in such a beautiful town (would be nice to visit)!
I’ll look into your suggestions. Much appreciated.
Is he interested in engineering? If so, FAMU shares an engineering school with FSU but there are a lot more scholarship opportunities at FAMU than FSU, especially for OOS students. Same courses, often the same dorms.
I’d pick USF or FIU or FAU just because they are on the ocean. I think Flagler is great and much less expensive for OOS students.
New College of Florida OOS tuition is about $15K after scholarships.
I like Flagler, but agree that the “F” in Flagler stands for fun (especially for guys due to imbalance of enrolled females (66%) over males (34%).
Flagler College has a great location, gorgeous facilities, attractive students, practical curriculum & stellar social life. Also, a very affordable option at a total annual COA of approximately $32,000. (Rollins College’s annual COA is about $67,000 with a country club atmosphere & trimmings.)
OP’s SAT is too low for merit money at Rollins, but is in the top 25% for Flagler College.
Circling back around here to update this thread and share some results.
UTampa surprisingly awarded him their Presidential Award plus another grant which together total just under $20k, making them way more affordable than anticipated and bringing tuition + Room/Board into the low $20k range.
FAU awarded him an “Academic Achievement Grant” that brings tuition + Room/Board to about $17,500 (but we are keeping in mind a higher cost of living in Boca Raton). They did stipulate that the student must keep 15 credits per semester (and 30 credits per year) to retain the grant. I’m not sure how I feel about that in the off chance a student needed to withdraw from or drop a course. Any thoughts on whether this is a concern or a non-issue? This is a $14k per year grant.
These awards make the Florida schools comparable to, or lower in price, than our in state options but we’ll do a careful and honest analysis of realistic travel expenses in any cost comparison.
Check to see if they allow summer school classes to count toward the 30 credits per year stipulation. If so, he might be allowed to drop a class in the spring, as long as he took a class in the summer.
@EconPop , that’s exactly what I’m concerned about. We live nearly 1200 miles away (17 hr drive) from FAU and he plans to work at his summer job here at home during the summer, at least for the first few years. Whether or not he eventually spends summer in Florida remains to be seen but I don’t want it dictated for him as it adds further to the COA if he needs to pay summer rent.
I feel like the 15 credit minimum would be okay at a local college but it gives me pause for an OOS student with a grant contingent upon it.