Rejected from UF....appeal? transfer?

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of Florida
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<p>A little bit of background...</p>

<p>My daughter was rejected for fall admissions to UF. She had good stats, not the best, but solid. She had friends with lower test scores and GPA's get in and a friend with outstanding stats (went to the outstanding scholars program at UF last summer) get denied. It was extremely frustrating to her to wrap her head around what she could have done better. That being said, we were in Gainesville this past weekend and she stopped by admissions to get some answers about her denial and the appeals process.</p>

<p>First off, the admissions counselor was unable to answer her about why she did not gain acceptance. He told her that her stats were great, she would have definitely been in that pool of talented candidates that were seriously considered. She mentioned her frustration at figuring out the "why?" when she had friends of various talents gain entry or get denial. He summed it up by telling her that they have a very large pool of talented applicants but they cannot accept them all (it's a numbers game). There is no magic answer on what one must do to guarantee acceptance (as evidenced by her friend). Basically, once you have solid enough stats to be in that pool of talented candidates the process becomes pretty random...he did not use the word "lottery" but implied such. </p>

<p>I don't say this to put down those who did get in...because you earned your spot by getting entry into that pool of candidates they chose from. I only say this to those who are upset at why they didn't get in. The admissions counselor said you cannot beat yourself up about what you could have done better because you could be one of the best and still not get in. In a nutshell, if you are a future applicant, don't put yourself in a position where admission as a freshman to UF is your only choice because you are setting yourself up for disappointment. Keep UF as an option but find the good in other schools that can get you excited as well.</p>

<p>So, the scoop on appeals was that you can call March 1st and request the packet. He advised there was about a 2-3% reversal through appeals last year so it's a real shot in the dark. Also, there is no set timeframe for appeal decisions so you need to be mindful of the deadlines at your other choice schools. He didn't discourage it but said if you really want to get into UF, focus on your other academic opportunities, get your prerequisites done for your major and then re-apply as a transfer. He advised it isn't too early to contact the appropriate college for your major within UF and find out what they require of transfers. He said this is not a random process for entry as you can better gauge what you must do to get in. </p>

<p>That being said, I believe my daughter is moving on to her other choice, FSU honors (she only wanted UF or FSU) and look to the future as a possible transfer candidate after a year when she will have her 60 hours....that is, if she really wants to go to UF at that point! </p>

<p>Hopefully this helps someone put things into perspective...</p>

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<p>Thanks for the info! I’m applying hopefully this summer. If you don’t mind sharing, what were her stats? It’s all right if you don’t want to say, thank you any ways :)</p>

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<p>Sorry to hear of your daughter’s rejection and subsequent frustrations–I have several friends who didn’t make it in–I can sympathize. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, a large part of the admissions process is a numbers game. I recently read that the average weighted GPA for incoming Freshman for Fall 2012 is ~4.65 on a 4.0 scale. Freshman applicants must have stellar academic records, but they also need to be equally well rounded; extra-curricular activities (sports, music, etc.) sustained community involvement (not just for the few months before they apply), and on and on. And even then, that’s not always enough. I have heard that IB involvement is weighted heavier, but that could just be conjecture.</p>

<p>In addition to everything I just mentioned, admissions also comes down to budget numbers. Starting with the 2008/2009 academic year, The University of Florida has consistently accepted fewer students, and has expected/required more from those of us that do make it. Also, 2008 saw the biggest cut in its operating budget, when the State of Florida reduced the UF budget by $80 million. Numerous programs were cut, and the campus went into a money saving frenzy. The after-effects are still being felt.</p>

<p>With that said, your daughter does have the option of attending her first two years at the community college level, then attempting to transfer in once she attains her A.A… Transfer admissions is also tight (only ~24% are accepted) but admissions is generally GPA & open-slot based (each college within UF has its own transfer GPA requirement, and as long as she meets that minimum GPA, and there’s room for her, she’s in.) </p>

<p>So, is UF hard to get accepted into? Yes it is. But it’s also a GREAT school, so she should not give up. </p>

<p>I wish her well. </p>

<p>Go Gators!</p>

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<p>^</p>

<p>Average freshman GPA is not 4.65. Middle 50% has 4.1-4.4</p>

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<p>Provide exact statistics of everything that was submitted and I’ll be able to explain.</p>