<p>thanks everyone for the feedback. Ray... sorry about your daughter not getting in. I am sure she will be happy whereever she goes, even though it may not seem that way right now. This is one of my greatest concerns with my son applting next fall. if he applies to uf it will be early decision, but we are still not ruling out tampa. we know its a totally different experience than a larger school like uf. he loves sports and i know he would love being a gator, but there is also something nice about a school like tampa where its smaller. we shall see. we know it will be a very anxious period of time next fall.</p>
<p>i just want him to get in where he wants to go. sounds like UF is really hard to get into, but hopefully he will do well on the ACT and SAT and have the option of applying there if he wants to.</p>
<p>Two of my friends go there right now, from the Orlando area. They both swim there and they like the school a lot. It's a really nice location, compensating for any lack of on-campus life. Ybor City, Busch Gardens, and most importantly the beaches are all very close. USF is right by there too, if anyone is desiring more campus parties. Their sports teams are all really good, if you are into that. My friends swim there and Tampa is in the top 10 for both boys and girls in NCAA DII. One of my friends is in the honors college, and she said it was very challenging, but she still managed a 4.0 GPA for her first semester there. It's a good school for students with good averages looking for good merit aid packages.</p>
<p>i would encourage anyone not sure about U tampa to try and visit. it has a great feel to it and they really try to make the point that as a student there, you will get a lot of private attention from professors, advisors etc. they claim to have great internship opportunities especially in business.</p>
<p>it certainly seems to be a university on the rise and may be one of those places in 5-10 years from now that has 1300 SAT 3.9GPA type profile.</p>
<p>I know two kids that go to Univ of Tampa one a sophomore(boy), one a freshman(girl), from the northern virginia area. They both seem to really like it.</p>
<p>nycollege dad, thanks for the comments we did know going in that it was a stretch school.</p>
<p>If you are starting your Florida college search there is an article we found interesting about Florida admissions process. Google or web search the words:
ADMIT DENY DONE, it will point you to a article which ran in the St Pete Times. I think there is some helpful info there for prospective Florida students and their parents. It will also give some additional perspective about what happens at large universities like UF in Florida State system.</p>
<p>Let me know what you came away with after reading it.</p>
<p>that was a very interesting article. If you take the article as being true, I suppose, the "holistic" approach to evaluating applicants that many colleges tell you they use is nonsense.</p>
<p>i also can see how many mistakes are made during the evaluation process. i would say the one important tip you can take from the article is to apply early. by doing this you remove your application from being processed with as many as will be processed during regular decision periods. schoold that offer "rolling admission" basically seem to be a bit more flexible in the admissions standards during the rearly phase of the rolling admissions process. getting an application in early september to a school that does rolling admission perhaps gives you a better chance of having the "entire" application reviewed. anyway, thanks form the article, here is a link if anyone else wants to read it...</p>
<p>The article supported my suspicions that big state schools are numbers driven. They don't have the time or man power to read every essay and teacher recommendation. I am glad that my daughter is looking for a smaller school. Hopefully a school that cares about the whole student. I know a little idealistic. But in case she changes her mind, her scores are good enough for Florida State and if she raises her SATs a little next time, maybe U of Florida as well.</p>
<p>The Bright Futures scholarship program has been very successful in keeping top students in Florida. UF, UCF & others also offer incredible packages to NMFs. This makes admissions to these schools extremely competitive. However, unlike the Ivys & top LACs, they are purely numbers driven (unless you are a recruited athlete). </p>
<p>I live in Tampa. It's a great city and UTampa is a beautiful (albeit small) school in a nice location. Don't know much about the academics, though.</p>
<p>Note that those scores are about three years old in the article. FSU's scores have risen...the average was 1206 for Fall 2006. I'm pretty sure they cut off admissions early this year, so no telling where they are now.</p>
<p>Noles Parent thanks for the info, you are correct that scores have risen since the writing of the article, since it is my daughters number one choice we have followed FSU very closely over the past two years and have been on campus twice. I don't believe the SAT's are quite as high as you have mentioned. We track the common data set from both FSU and UCF, while both advertise a median SAT in the info packages when you look at the data that every Florida school has to track it actually is a bit lower. I think the median at FSU is around 1160. here is the data from the common data set from 2006. </p>
<p>C9 Percent of first-time, first-year (freshman) students with scores in each range:<br>
C9 SAT Verbal SAT Math<br>
C9 700-800 5% 4%<br>
C9 600-699 33% 37%<br>
C9 500-599 53% 53%<br>
C9 400-499 10% 6%<br>
C9 300-399 0% 0%<br>
C9 200-299 0% 0%<br>
Totals should = 100% 100% 100%<br>
C9 ACT Composite ACT English ACT Math<br>
C9 30-36 7% 15% 6%<br>
C9 24-29 58% 56% 61%<br>
C9 18-23 36% 28% 32%<br>
C9 12-17 0% 1% 1%<br>
C9 6-11 0% 0% 0%<br>
C9 Below 6 0% 0% 0%<br>
Totals should = 100% 100% 100% 100%</p>
<p>As far as admissions I talked to a counselor there after we got the deferal, they set the bar very high for early admission and a big bunch of kids got defered in the second block. These decsions are due out 3/28. As far as I know the deadlines for applications are still what they were documented on the web page. I think given what has happened at FSU we are looking very hard at UCF as an alternative. We have sent updated test scores and mid terms to FSU, but the wait goes on. If you have any additional data on FSU admissions this year we would love to hear it. It's like a black hole that the stuff goes into and we sent applications in back in October.</p>
<p>Actually, Ray the data I mentioned is correct - and your data is as well. FSU's Fall 2006 average SAT is indeed 1206 while the average you mentioned is a composition of all semesters, including Summer and special programs when scores are typically lower hence the reduced average.</p>
<p>Universities tend to mention the Fall scores as a way of putting their best FTIC foot forward, since this semester is when most freshmen enter. This is quite conventional among all public universities in Florida at a minimum.</p>
<p>With two kids at FSU we have found the best way to gain acceptance is to apply as early as possible for Fall, such as in August of the preceding year when applications for the next Fall semester are accepted. Your admissions decision comes out on November 1, I think it is, and then you immediately apply for university housing online. The housing priority number is essential (lower is better). When we determined that our daughters wanted to attend Florida State we made an appointment and personally visited an Admissions Officer with transcripts and test scores. By the time August rolled around, we knew when to apply and that this timing gave our kids the best chance of admission and a chance at scholarships - which are first-come, first served. By the way - both kids turned down UF to attend FSU.</p>
<p>Noles thanks for the info, we attended a visit in July and talked to an admissions officer at that time we got a pretty positive report. We had the applications and stuff in place, but the HS dragged it's feet in getting out the info and we ended up in the December decison block from which we received this defered decison for new test scores and midterm marks. We were also told she has 2 pluses and no minus in their ranking system. This decision has annoyed my D to no end.</p>
<p>My thinking is that they defered many kids early on and had the bar set very high for ED. My D had a 3.4 her Junior year and is carrying a 4.0 this year while taking a full slate of Physics, Pre Calc, ect. She also increased her ACT from around 75% of all all college bound Freshman to around 86%. Now they have everyone shaking up in this giant pot waiting for the next Decision on 3/28. I have found the admission people on the phone to not be very helpful in giving us any indications of where this is going and as you observed Housing is getting late, April is getting late. We aren't at all sure what might happen if they offer her a Summer admission which starts in June.</p>
<p>Do you have a perspective as she really wants to go to this school? Basically each student has a finite potential to improve their GPA and test scores. The sin in this process would be if she did the best possible outcome from her senior year to which she has worked very hard and comes up short. I can just hear the question Dad why did they just string me on for these many months?</p>
<p>Wow, Ray that's tough! What about Summer session? It's usually easier to get in.</p>
<p>All I can offer is that it's just getting harder to be admitted (we're FSU alumni as well) to FSU. We were warned in an alumni publication months/years ago that FSU was increasing standards and that even though our kids got one point for being a "legacy" applicant, it was going to be tougher and we should not count on entry. I've heard other FSU alumni yell in anger that their child was not admitted even though they had decent grades and test scores. Other than having your child take as many AP courses as possible and retaking the SAT and ACT to improve scores (notify FSU Admissions right away of results) you might have your hs guidance counselor call and see if they may help the situation. Don't give up.</p>
<p>You might consider Tallahassee Community College for a bit and then try and transfer to FSU. Lots of kids have taken this route.</p>
<p>Wish I had better news. </p>
<p>Keep trying - and jump on housing the second she gets admitted.</p>
<p>My daughter chose U of Tampa as her #1 school. We're from NJ and happened to know a friend whose daughter was attending and happy there, so we drove through the campus. Beautiful! Researched online and D applied in early Nov. for early decision after we had a campus visit during Open House scheduled for Oct. Wrote email to Adm. Dept to tell them they did a great job -- we/she loved the school and she was applying. No response.
Much confusion after D finished her application on line and we waited for a response. Kept getting calls from different Ad. counselors that letters of recom. and HS transcripts weren't received. Much agonizing and hesteria on D's part, told her application was "in jeopardy." I made immediate calls to HS Principal/Guidance Counselor/Teacher writing recommendation, etc. Guidance Counselor spoke to Adm. Dept., told application "looked good," and was assured all paperwork was received. School posted D's rejection on its website a few days later, in mid Dec., right before Xmas, and before any letters were received. Horribly upsetting. Incredibly insensitive to student. Very unprofessional, in my opinion. Received rejection letter a week later.</p>
<p>I appealed U of Tampa's decision on behalf of my daughter. Sent email and hard copy letter to University President; follow up letter to Dir. of Admissions; formal letter of appeal to Dir. of Admissions w/backup paperwork, third & fourth letters of recommend., second personal essay, second SAT scores (250+ rise in scores), and samples of D's writing. After 3 weeks: no acknow. of my letter or email to President, not even an email from his staff; curt reply from VP of Admissions via email that wasn't even signed with her name; no aknow. of packet of materials received by Dir. of Admissions; no reply to second email to Univ. President. Called Dir. of Admissions and received conflicting information, apology and excuses for lack of response from Admin. as a whole; promise to put appeal in front of Faculty Committee yesterday (3 weeks ago promised it would happen "immediately). Received phone call with second rejection today.
There are hundreds of fine colleges and universities out there who will show parents and students the respect they deserve -- who are more than happy to take your $120,000 tuition money. I would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER</p>
<p>My daughter chose U of Tampa as her #1 school. We're from NJ and happened to know a friend whose daughter was attending and happy there, so we drove through the campus. Beautiful! Researched online and D applied in early Nov. for early decision after we had a campus visit during Open House scheduled for Oct. Wrote email to Adm. Dept to tell them they did a great job -- we/she loved the school and she was applying. No response.
Much confusion after D finished her application on line and we waited for a response. Kept getting calls from different Ad. counselors that letters of recom. and HS transcripts weren't received. Much agonizing and hesteria on D's part, told her application was "in jeopardy." I made immediate calls to HS Principal/Guidance Counselor/Teacher writing recommendation, etc. Guidance Counselor spoke to Adm. Dept., told application "looked good," and was assured all paperwork was received. School posted D's rejection on its website a few days later, in mid Dec., right before Xmas, and before any letters were received. Horribly upsetting. Incredibly insensitive to student. Very unprofessional, in my opinion. Received rejection letter a week later.</p>
<p>I appealed U of Tampa's decision on behalf of my daughter. Sent email and hard copy letter to University President; follow up letter to Dir. of Admissions; formal letter of appeal to Dir. of Admissions w/backup paperwork, third & fourth letters of recommend., second personal essay, second SAT scores (250+ rise in scores), and samples of D's writing. After 3 weeks: no acknow. of my letter or email to President, not even an email from his staff; curt reply from VP of Admissions via email that wasn't even signed with her name; no aknow. of packet of materials received by Dir. of Admissions; no reply to second email to Univ. President. Called Dir. of Admissions and received conflicting information, apology and excuses for lack of response from Admin. as a whole; promise to put appeal in front of Faculty Committee yesterday (3 weeks ago promised it would happen "immediately). Received phone call with second rejection today.
There are hundreds of fine colleges and universities out there who will show parents and students the respect they deserve -- who are more than happy to take your $120,000 tuition money. I would NEVER, NEVER, NEVER recommend this university to anyone. After applying and having contact with 8+ Northeast colleges in the intervening months, this is not the norm. The staff at U of Tampa is overwhelmed, out of their league, real amatuers. Northeast parents, keep your kids closer to home -- we have so much to choose from in our own backyards and neighboring states.
Happy news is that she's been accepted with a $10,000/grant at a small school in NH; accepted at a small school in PA; a waiting for an expected acceptance at Penn State.
Wow, live and learn. Who knew this would be so heart wrenching and time consuming? Boy, am I a newbie!!!</p>
<p>Our HS always sends the info package by registered mail. I was told that alot of HS's do this now because of too many problems with confusion on the receiving end. One of my D's safe schools claimed they never received the application. The admin that sends out all the packages had the received ticket in her file and called the admissions dept and told them who and when received it. It was found shortly after. I've seen a number of lost info posts, perhaps this is some additonal info as a way of getting back to where it went.</p>
<p>NJ Nan- sorry you had such an unfortunate situation with U of Tampa.<br>
Our experience was quite different. D had applied relatively early in the cycle. UTampa actually e-mailed us to let us now that there would be a counselor at the College Fair at D's HS. And they did seem to give prompt attention throughout the process.<br>
The school I had most trouble with last year was George Mason. Eventually she got her acceptance, but they really did seem overwhelmed. And that was before GMU made the Final 4 in the basketball tournament.<br>
Our HS (though it may change) really encourages the kids to apply with paper applications. Once the application is received by the Registrar's office, a packet is prepared which contains HS Transcript, teacher recommendation, school profile and all the other things the HS is responsible for. They then send out the entire packet including application and all necessary documents from the HS.<br>
They have discouraged on line applications, as sometimes there is miscommunication between the kids and the HS. The school has gotten caught in the middle, as sometimes the student sends in the application and doesn't inform the HS to send out all the other needed documents. They have been enforcing a time table that ALL applications must be handed in by Dec 1st. Actually this works out well for everybody, as we can all enjoy our Xmas/Winter break without the stress of doing last minute applications.
I KNOW most colleges prefer on line apps, but our HS is still relying on the old fashion method.<br>
Glad your d has other great schools to consider. Most of our horror stories have happy endings!!</p>
<p>My daughter and I visited U of Tampa in 2005 as a safety school. We found their admissions department to be very helpful and we did receive the top scholarship.</p>
<p>The school had some nice things going for it - -particularly new dorms. It seems that they are planning to be more competitive and are expecting a larger enrollment in years to come. I do recall that the freshman retention rate was only about 80%, if that high, and that is troubling. You should look into why students leave after the first year.</p>
<p>The school brings in people from all over the country - in fact if you go to UF or FSU - its basically 90% Floridian. The location of the school is not great - the immediate neighborhood seemed a little run down. If you walk across the bridge, you are in downtown Tampa, however - but my daughter and I were wondering where all the people were in a big city - if you go to San Fran, Boston, Philly, Miami - there are people all over - here the streets were quiet. Yes, the campus is very small, and not having a Division 1 Sports program takes away from the comraderie, I believe. </p>
<p>My daughter ultimately selected a more challenging school for her.</p>