The Process

The process of applying to a college or university can sometimes be a bit confusing and stressful, especially when your child is applying to several schools. The entire process, from start to finish, requires a great deal of work. No two schools are alike, and what a college or university is looking for in a student will vary. You and your child can get a head start in the process by checking out various college websites, visiting different schools, attending college fairs, and planning ahead.

We recommend that your son or daughter apply to Florida State University as soon as the senior year begins. The undergraduate application is available online August 1. In addition, the following information should be submitted to the Office of Admissions once your child has applied:

• An official high school transcript which reflects high school credits earned before the 9th grade, as well as work from the 9th grade through the end of the 11th grade, should be sent directly from the high school to Florida State. If your child attends a Florida public high school, the school will most likely send us the transcript electronically.
• If your child is taking college courses through dual enrollment, make sure we receive an official college/university transcript upon completion of each term.
• Official ACT and/or SAT score reports should be submitted for all tests taken. The ACT college code for Florida State is #0734; the SAT is #5219. If your son or daughter did not request test scores be sent to Florida State, the scores can be ordered through ACT or SAT. (If your child is planning to take the ACT, he or she must also sit for the ACT Writing Test.)
• The essay is an important part of the application. It assists us in learning about your child as an individual, independent of his or her academic grade point average, test scores, and other objective data. While it is not required, we strongly recommend that it be submitted. The 2013 essay should address the following: "Florida State University is more than just a world-class academic institution preparing you for a future career. We are a caring community of well-rounded individuals who embrace leadership, learning, service, and global awareness. With this in mind, which of these characteristics appeals most to you, and why?" The essay should be one page in length and no more than 500 words.
• If you claim Florida residency so that your child is assessed in-state tuition, you must complete the residency statement. The statement does not need to be completed prior to an admission decision; however, it must be on file before the first day of classes.

If your child is majoring in dance; film; music; nursing; or theatre, there are additional requirements, and he or she should check the program's website for details.

Please note that letters of recommendation are not required and will not be used in the decision-making process.

Once an application is submitted, your child will be able to monitor its progress online. We have created a system, known as the Online Status Check (OSC), which is available to applicants 24/7. The OSC will be the vehicle to check the receipt of transcripts, test scores, and essay, as well as the current status of the application. To access the OSC, your child will visit https://admissions.fsu.edu/statuscheck/ and log in with the FSUID and password created at the time of application. Because the University receives thousands of applications each year, it will take time for a file to be updated, especially around deadlines.

Many of our communications, including the admission decision, are sent electronically. Please stress to your child the importance of checking his or her email for information from us, and making sure we always have the most up-to-date email address. As your son or daughter begins the application process, it may be a good idea to create an email address exclusively for the college admission process. To ensure receipt of our emails, your child should include admissions@admin.fsu.edu in his or her address book.

Requirements

Florida State University receives approximately 35,000 freshman applications each year; therefore, admission is competitive. It requires graduation from a regionally accredited high school with certain high school academic units, a cumulative grade point average (GPA) in those academic units, and test scores. Satisfying these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.

The academic profile of the middle fifty percent of freshmen accepted in 2012 was:

3.7-4.2 academic GPA; 26-30 ACT composite; 1740-1960 SAT total

In addition, the typical student completed 4.5 units of English, 5 units of math, 4.5 units of natural science, 5 units of social science, and 3.5 units of foreign language.

The most important factor in our decision-making process is your child's academic profile. In addition to the GPA and test information, we will assess the application in the following areas: strength of academic curriculum, with greater consideration given to those students completing AP, IB, AICE, and dual enrollment coursework; number of academic courses taken and completed in the senior year; math level in the senior year; number of years in a sequential foreign language, grade trends, and class rank.

Applicants who bring other important attributes to our University community also receive consideration. These populations include students who apply to our CARE Summer Bridge Program, visual and performing artists, and skilled athletes.

Please note that letters of recommendation are not required and will not be used in the decision-making process.

How We Recalculate Grade Point Averages (GPAs)

Some schools recalculate GPAs; others do not. Some look only at class rank or what percentile the student falls in. Always check to see how academic credentials are evaluated.

At Florida State, we recalculate all grade point averages — we do not use the GPAs listed on the high school transcript or report card. Only your child's academic subjects will be used in this recalculation. Grades of C- or better in dual enrollment, AICE, AP, and IB coursework will receive one full bonus point in the recalculation (a B in AP English Language is recalculated as an A). Grades of C- or better in honors, pre-AICE, pre-AP, and pre-IB will receive one-half bonus point (a B in English Honors IV will be a B+). For repeated courses, we will only forgive a low grade if the exact course has been repeated (i.e., Algebra I will not replace an Algebra I honors grade — both grades will be used in the recalculation).

ACT/SAT Information

Test score requirements will differ from school to school, so always check to see if the school has a preference for which test should be taken, if the test can be taken multiple times without penalty, if the test scores will be superscored (the highest subscores are taken from multiple tests to form the highest possible ACT composite and/or SAT total), etc.

Florida State would like your child to:

• Take both the ACT and SAT tests, since we always use the best composite/total score for admission and scholarship purposes. (If your child takes the ACT, he or she must also sit for the ACT Writing Test.)
• Take each exam more than once, since we always use the highest subscores to create the ACT composite and SAT total.

In addition to looking at the overall ACT composite and SAT total score, we also look at the minimum subscores within each test. The following minimum subscores are required for admission.

• Writing - 21 on the ACT English and ACT E/W or 500 on the SAT writing
• Math - 21 on the ACT math or 500 on the SAT math
• Reading - 22 on the ACT reading or 500 on the SAT critical reading

If your child does not have these minimum subscores, please have him or her retest. In addition, having these minimum subscores does not guarantee admission. As you can see from our student profile, the typical student admitted to the University has much higher subscores.

The January SAT and February ACT taken in your child's senior year are the latest tests we will use in the admission process. Your son or daughter can always check the OSC to see if we have received the latest scores and if he or she has taken multiple tests, the highest possible subscores.

Homeschooled and GED Information

Florida State University will consider applications from students educated through a homeschooled program. The prospective student should submit a homeschooled transcript that includes a list of all coursework (both completed and in progress), which shows final grades and units earned for each course completed. A brief description of each course the student has taken or plans to take (with information regarding the teaching materials, including the title and author of all textbooks, DVDs, and other teaching materials utilized) and the methods used for evaluation should accompany the homeschooled transcript. If homeschooled applicants previously attended another school, or completed courses through the Florida Virtual School or dual enrollment at a local college or university, official transcripts are required, and those courses should also be reflected on the homeschooled transcript.

Applicants who present a GED will also be considered for admission. Official GED results, along with a partial high school transcript, must be submitted.

Deadlines

All information necessary to make an admission decision concerning your child must be received by the published deadlines. There are two deadlines and corresponding notification dates for freshmen who apply for either the summer or fall term. The University does not generally accept freshman applications for the spring term.

Applications And All Supporting Documents Received By: Decision Available Online: October 15, 2012 December 19, 2012 January 14, 2013 March 20, 2013

In addition, the University always reserves the right to close freshman admission earlier if warranted by enrollment limitations and the number and quality of applications. We strongly encourage your child to complete his or her file by our first notification period, so he or she can receive all of our communications in a timely fashion. Housing and financial aid are first come, first served.

Once an application has been submitted, your child will be able to monitor its progress through the internet. We have created a system, known as the Online Status Check (OSC), which is available to applicants 24/7. The OSC will be the vehicle to check on the receipt of transcripts, test scores, and essay, as well as checking the current status of the application. To access the OSC, your child goes to https://admissions.fsu.edu/statuscheck/ and logs in with the FSUID and password created at the time of application. Because the University receives thousands of applications each year, it takes time for files to be updated, especially around deadlines.

Many of our communications, including the admission decision, are sent electronically. Please stress to your child the importance of checking his or her email for information from us, and making sure we always have the most up-to-date email address. As your son or daughter begins the application process, it may be a good idea to create an email address exclusively for the college admission process. To ensure receipt of our emails, your child should include admissions@admin.fsu.edu in his or her address book.