UF Presidential Scholarships

Hello, I’m sure this has been discussed before, but the only threads I can find are several years old. So I thought I would ask again. What is the threshold for receiving a UF Presidentail Scholarship? Mainly stats? Essay? Is it true that these scholarships are almost exclusively for minority students? I have a daughter who is a senior. She will qualify for Bright Futures, which is great. Just curious if UF might offer her something else as well…

Hi,
I actually received one myself. I wrote a post about what I believe is the reason I have received it.

http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/university-florida/2079899-i-received-a-32-000-uf-presidential-gold-scholarship-this-is-my-story.html#latest

Futureagator55–thanks for the insight. In your case, it seems like your essay made a difference. I have read on prior threads that this scholarship is given mainly to minorities. If you don’t mind my asking, is that true for you? (Please don’t answer if you don’t want to reveal information like that.)

@LakeAlto I’m just a regular white middle class person. I’m definitely not a minority. I could be mistaken, but I also believe race is not a required question on the application so it COULD be omitted if you didn’t want to list your race/ethnicty. I don’t know of anyone else from my school receiving this scholarship in my class or past years, but as far as mainly minorities getting it…yep. As interesting as it would be to be a part of a minority culture, I’m not a minority but yet I have received a scholarship.

@LakeAlto What I mean by yep in the reply is that I don’t think that mainly minorities get it, but yes I’ve heard people say that before. I believe it’s just a rumor. With only about 30ish (maybe less) receiving this scholarship out of all in state applicants, if the majority are minorities, then it would be such an impossible chance that I have gotten it since I am not a minority or low income. I really feel like it’s more about the essay because that is where you really get to know an applicant’s voice. Grades and stats are great but you need to tip it over the edge somehow…I believe the essay and unique extracurriculars does just that.

We’ve been researching the statistics and can’t seem to find the stats of those that received. However, this publication has the number of scholarships the admissions office offered…it’s the 2018 admission book based on 2017 awards. It’s not a lot when you look at the number of application. http://cloud.flipb.com/university-of-florida/admissions-2018annual-report/index.html Page 13 has the scholarships. In state: 167 presidential (5000/year), 31 presidential gold (8,000/year), 12 presidential plantinum (10,000/year). Out of state: 25 alumni (8,000/year) , 7 sunshine (16,000/year), and 13 gator nation (20,000/year)

So for in state like 2% of those admitted have one…maybe they awarded more but some of them didn’t enroll…

what I know…I would love son to be a gator. Both his dad and I are alumni…I did undergrad and graduate school there…but $ is a factor and UCF offered him the Provost of 30,000. We would love UF to give him some $ but statistically, it’s unlikely!

Every yr and situation is different but this might give you an idea of a profile. S was awarded the Presidential (5k/yr) for fall of 2017. Stats: 1410 SAT, 3.95 UW GPA / 5.8 W GPA (not sure what the FL GPA was - assume 4.6 or higher). Took all but 1 AP classes offered, passed all of them.

ECs- Class President, 4 yr varsity baseball / captain jr and sr yr, golf team, Link Mentor (mentored freshmen for 2 yrs), student ambassador, NHS, Science NHS, AP with distinction, etc.

Won many academic and civic accolades ans awards in school (best overall student for three straight yrs, best math student, etc.)

He was also accepted into the UF Honors program - I think admissions process to that is different now.