<p>I have already posted this in the Florida Colleges forum, but that one did not seem very active. Not really heavily looking at colleges let, but I am interested in computer science and engineering. I was wondering how you think Florida Poly will turn out, it being a new school and all. What other southeastern engineering schools should I look into?</p>
<p>Honestly, I hadn’t heard of it. It’s so new that classes only started in August 2014. It’s way too early to tell much of anything about its likelihood of success or the quality of education its intrepid students will receive. Nice looking architecture, to be sure, but that says little about the quality of instruction, research, internships, etc. How quickly it receives accreditation and from which accrediting bodies will tell you a lot, but that’s 2 to 6 years down the road.
You’ve probably already read this, but for everyone else an article from the Miami Herald:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/article1981378.html”>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/article1981378.html</a></p>
<p>My son is one of the “intrepid” students there, in his freshman year as a computer engineering major. He also applied to UCF and Florida Tech. Chose Florida Poly because of its STEM curriculum, small class sizes and the general energy/attitude of the other students, faculty and administration (not to mention a generous scholarship). The school met its first year enrollment goal of over 550 students, and has since received over 12,000 inquiries from students thinking of coming there in the next few years. Accreditation is on track and will happen. </p>
<p>My son loves it there, as do his new-found friends and roommates. There is an air of excitement - not just about being among the first there, but also about the curriculum and faculty. He says his professors are “young and fun.” (As a parent, I also noticed that their credentials make them very well qualified.) The university has also gone out of their way to create a sense of community among everyone there – with tons of socials and activities. Faculty are expected to interact with the students throughout the campus, not just in the classrooms. They even were there to help check students in and lug stuff into the dorm on move-in day.</p>
<p>It is too soon to tell about the internships since school just started, but there are already several engineering and research projects in process and industry partnerships in place with some big name companies (Cisco, Microsoft, etc.). So far, they have delivered everything they’ve promised, even under some very challenging deadlines.</p>
<p>The no federal aid until accredited “situation” can be a bit of a hurdle for some people. That means there are NO federal grants or student loans available, not even private - until Florida Poly is accredited and “in the system” for the various lenders. However, they can accept Florida Prepaid and Florida Bright Futures (which is from the state, not federal) and are awarding a minimum of $1,000 scholarship (up to full ride) to incoming students for the 2015-2016 year, depending on qualifications. </p>
<p>I would highly encourage a visit if you have the chance. Whether you choose to go there or not, you should definitely see it for yourself. Happy to answer any other questions from our experience there so far, and going forward.</p>
@SpeedyG - thanks for that update! How do you feel now that the first year has ended?
We are very interested in Florida Poly, but hoping to hear more about the accrediting process. My son has stats to go into various CS or CE programs, but I like the size of FL Poly. I feel like he would do well in a smaller environment, with an innovative mindset.
Would love to know what you guys are thinking now that you’ve got a year under your belt.
Hello. Thanks SpeedyG, and can you give us a newer update? Also wondering if there are any other Florida Poly students or parents out there who are willing to share their experiences. Our son is seriously looking at it and is applying now. There is so little information out there on it now due to the newness of it all. Thanks for any info.
Hi wpbmom, I am a mom of a senior who is looking into Florida Poly. We live in Orlando, and my daughter has applied to UF, FSU, UCF, USF and Stetson, but we recently heard about Poly, and it looks great. She has done very well in school, has taken 6 AP’s so far, will be 8 by the time she graduates, has a weighted 4.2 but is not the best test taker. She has a 24 ACT. I’m sure you know how selective UF is, which is the school she is hoping for, but I think she has a 50/50 chance of getting in. So Poly is something to think about. Everything I have read and looked at looks great so far. I’m not so worried about them not yet being accredited, I realize that is something all schools must go through when they are new, they will get it. My husband is a little harder to convince, he doesn’t even want to look at it, but my daughter and I are going to tour the school on 11/23. Have you taken a tour yet? My daughter is a little on the nerdy side, lol, and she is perfectly OK admitting that, all of her friends are in engineering at UCF. Have you looked on their Facebook page? They have several videos about the school which are very interesting. The students at this school seem like the kids that my daughter hangs with, just her type of crowd. I think it is worth looking into. She has a friend who is graduating this year, he already knows that this is where he is going. I think the kids that look at the school know right away whether it is the right choice for them or not, so we will see how she feels on the 23rd after our visit. The housing is incredible…that is a very big plus for my daughter. Of course, if she does get into UF, she will likely go there, but if not, this may be an option for her. I will let you know how our visit on the 23rd goes. Hopefully her dad will go and change his mind about the school. He seems to be like many people who know nothing about the school and yet are ready to turn their nose down at it. I personally think it is going to be an amazing school one day and will be very competitive.