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GATORTALES
January 2015
From Our Director
Happy New Year! We hope you were able to get
some much needed rest during the winter break.
Over the next few weeks, our staff will finish reviews
on freshman applications to meet our February
notification date. We are grateful that more than
30,000 students have chosen to apply to UF. On
February 13, we look forward to welcoming admitted
students to the Gator Nation. We encourage admitted
students to learn more about UF through our website
or by visiting Gainesville. Our staff will be happy to
help answer any questions students may have as they
consider attending UF.
While we will make many students happy on February
13, we also know that we will disappoint many students
who had their hopes on attending UF. While we are not
able to accommodate all of the students who applied
to UF, we have given each applicant a thorough and
comprehensive review. As part of our holistic review,
we have considered not only how students may
contribute to the academic community, but also how
students may contribute to the diverse, social and
active community at UF. While some students may not
have received the decision they had hoped for, we are
happy to counsel students about other options in their
pursuit of higher education.
UF Pathway to Campus Enrollment (UF PaCE). UF
PaCE will require selected students to complete at
least two semesters of study through UF Online. After
meeting PaCE program requirements, students are
automatically admitted to the UF residential campus.
We will share additional details about UF PaCE in our
next edition of Gatortales. We hope students provided
this opportunity will give strong consideration to the
benefits of enrolling at UF through PaCE.
As we continue in 2015, we look forward to our
continued partnerships. Do not hesitate to let us know
if we may assist you or your students. Go Gators!
— Andrea Felder, Director Freshman and
International Admission
Decision Day
As a reminder, students who completed the application
by the November 1 deadline, completed the SSAR by
the December 1 deadline, and submitted ACT/SAT
scores by the December 31 deadline will receive their
decision online on Friday, February 13, after
6 p.m. Students may check their application status
from our website, www.admissions.ufl.edu. Only
admitted students will receive official notification
through the mail.
Lastly, some of your students may be offered an
opportunity to join UF through our newest initiative,
Continued
GATORTALES
January 2015
FAFSA Reminder
Apply Early
Although students must be accepted for enrollment at
UF before being considered for financial aid, they should
apply for aid before being admitted. To apply for financial
aid, students need to complete the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. The FAFSA
can be filed as early as January 1 each year. We strongly
encourage students to apply by March 1 to receive the
results of the FAFSA from the federal processor by March
15. Financial aid is awarded on a first come, first served
basis so encourage your students to apply as early as
possible to be considered for the most, and best aid. In
order for UF Student Financial Affairs to consider a financial
aid package, students must be admitted student and have
met the deadline.
What can students do to prepare for 2015-16?
Apply Online
Most aid applicants nationally now apply
online. We recommend filing online
using the FAFSA website. Filing an online FAFSA
can save you weeks of processing time. The online
application also has edit checks to catch errors.
The online application is at www.fafsa.gov
For applications to be considered “on-time,”
Student Financial Affairs (SFA) must receive
FAFSA results, with a calculated Expected Family
Contribution (or EFC), by March 15. Keep in mind
that students are submitting the FAFSA to the federal
government, not to the University of Florida. Submit the
FAFSA weeks before the March 15 deadline so that
there is enough time for the FAFSA data to reach our
office before the deadline. Apply as early as possible to
be considered for the most, and best aid.
Don’t Hesitate—Estimate
Many students make the mistake of waiting
to file their FAFSA until income taxes for the
previous year are complete. If parents have not yet
filed their federal income tax returns for the previous
year when it’s time to apply for aid, report “estimated”
income information on the FAFSA. The FAFSA site
offers a handy income estimator for students as they
file. Students must then correct the FAFSA if the
estimate differs from the actual income.
Reapply
Don’t make the mistake
of assuming that financial
aid magically renews itself—students
must reapply each year by filling out
the FAFSA.
FOR A DAY
Have questions or need help
completing your FAFSA?
Visit:
www.fasfa.gov
or
www.sfa.ufl.edu/applying/how-to-apply/
If your students are interested in the Gator for a Day
program, applications are now available online for
the spring semester. This is a great way for students
to experience UF classes and student life first hand!
Eligibility criteria and more information can be found by
visiting www.admissions.ufl.edu/outreachmap.html.
Continued
GATORTALES
January 2015
UF Honors
The University of Florida Honors Program application
will be available for admitted freshmen on noon on
Monday, February 16 at www.honors.ufl.edu through
11:59 p.m. on Sunday, March 1.
Late applications will not be accepted. Any highachieving student with an interest in deeply engaging
in the academic culture at UF may apply. Students
who have earned at least a 2070 SAT or 33 ACT
and a 4.0 weighted GPA are encouraged to apply,
but students who do not meet those scores may
petition for admission into the program by writing an
additional admissions essay.
All applications will be reviewed carefully. Essays
are particularly important. UF Honors should be
viewed as an opportunity for potential leaders and
scholars to maximize their undergraduate experience.
Personalized advising, an involved community of
like-minded achievers and support for taking on new
challenges are hallmarks of the program.
Please especially encourage those students who
are risk-takers, adventurers and growth-minded
individuals. To download a summary handout to share
with your students about the UF Honors Program, visit
http://slidesha.re/1wQF3pa. We will release decisions
to students’ UF email account by April 1. Accepted
students must confirm participation by May 1.
Note: Honors’ confirmation is separate from the
UF confirmation. If you have questions about the
admissions process, please contact Dr. Melissa
Johnson at [email protected].
For UF Honors social media updates, click the links below:
INNOVATION
ACADEMY
This year is off to an exciting start for the Innovation
Academy. On January 5, we hosted our Launch Into
IA convocation event for incoming freshmen in the
beautiful University Auditorium.
We were lucky to hear from President Fuchs in his first
speech of the new year. Our new students also had
the opportunity to hear from local entrepreneur and
founder of Student Maid, Kristen Hadeed, and current
IA sophomore Ronnie Socash.
W. Kent Fuchs, UF's new president, put Innovation
Academy at the top of his list of first public
appearances as he addressed 2015 IA students at
their convocation.
IA hosts several information sessions for prospective
students and families called “Discover IA” from
February to April. Our academic advisors host these
30-minute presentations to give an overview of IA
and all the program has to offer, as well as answer any
questions.
Discover IA dates will be posted at
innovationacademy.ufl.edu by the end of the month.
Continued
GATORTALES
January 2015
UF Online
Lombardi/Stamps Scholarships
Your guidance inspires them to be greater.
The application deadline for the Lombardi Scholarship
program and the Stamps Scholar Program is quickly
approaching, and we are seeking your help in
identifying one or two outstanding seniors from your
school who are seeking admission to UF for fall or
summer 2015. Students selected for these awards
exemplify a commitment to excellence, community
service and public responsibility.
UF’s online undergraduate programs are ranked
No. 5 in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.
Your students can pursue the same top-tier, careershaping degrees as individuals on campus without
having to leave home. Florida residents are also
eligible to receive one of the lowest tuition rates
in the state. Guide your students to greatness.
Start here.
Why should your students apply to UF Online?
• Choose from a growing number of bachelor’s
programs including criminology, psychology,
business administration and more
• Graduate with the same degree as on-campus
students
Packets must be postmarked by January 30,
and nomination forms are to be included in the
applicant’s packet. Note that admission decisions will
not be made by this date, but the committee will take
decisions into account when they become available
in February. For your convenience, you can find the
application and nomination forms on our website
at www.honors.ufl.edu/Lombardi-and-StampsScholars.aspx.
• Take classes 100 percent online: part time or
full time
• In-state students pay 25% less in tuition (even
more when considering fees) than on-campus
students.
• Follow UF Online on social media by clicking the
links below :
Stay Connected
Please join the Guidance Counselor listserv by
following the directions at
www.admissions.ufl.edu/ugrad/frlistserv.html.
Follow our UF Admissions social media by
clicking the links below: