Florida Colleges

[Unregistered]

Merit money for housing and meals and then having the Bright Futures for tuition and books makes that a sweet deal. Do the students have to maintain a certain GPA to keep getting the USF merit money?

Not the poster but all schools have some kind of GPA requirement, some very stringent, some very reasonable. Read the fine print. Some kids don't make the grade (literally) and are left scrambling for financing. Even high achieving HS students can struggle in college, even more so kids whose parents loaded then up with tutors to keep grades up.

[Unregistered]

I don't know about UCF, but USF allows the merit scholarship to also be used towards housing and meal plans. So if you have bright futures as well, you are getting a nice deal. For example:

USF Directors Award
$16,000 ($4,000 per year)
4.00+ GPA and 1340+ SAT (Evidence-Based Reading/Writing and Math) or 29+ ACT

USF Scholars Award
$12,000 ($3,000 per year)
3.80+ GPA and 1240+ SAT (Evidence-Based Reading/Writing and Math) or 26+ ACT

One of our kids was offered a merit scholarship at a Florida college (not USF) but when we looked closer we realised the Bright Futures covered 100% tuition and most of books, thus the merit scholarship would never kick in for the dorm and meal plan and go unused. The fact that USF merit money can be used towards housing and meals is huge. A student with the 1340 plus SAT and 4.0 GPA plus should already have college credits going into USF already factored into the college cumulative GPA to keep the GPA afloat should they not do well in a 101 freshman college course. Usually the college standard is maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA to keep the merit money, and if the GPA dips below that they can take some courses in the summer to bump up the GPA to keep the merit money.

[Unregistered]

Thanks for sharing that on TS. No wonder USF is now a pre-eminent university.

But it is still a ghetto campus in the worst part of Tampa. There are better options out there.

[Unregistered]

But it is still a ghetto campus in the worst part of Tampa. There are better options out there.

Don't step too far off the UF or FSU campus.

[Unregistered]

Don't step too far off the UF or FSU campus.

No kidding. Weirdos like you lurking around

[Unregistered]

But it is still a ghetto campus in the worst part of Tampa. There are better options out there.

I guess you haven't been to many actual ghettos.

[Unregistered]

I guess you haven't been to many actual ghettos.

I've been to USF. That's enough.

[Unregistered]

Don't step too far off the UF or FSU campus.

Agreed. FSU is a horrible location. Stepping outside the perimeter is dramatic. UF is more redneck than ghetto, at least last time I was there.

[Unregistered]

I've been to USF. That's enough.

My mother was at the Moffitt Cancer Center across the street for months so I spent plenty of time there. It's fine, never once felt unsafe when going for much needed exercise. Most people are driving anyway since it's a large campus and it's a hike to go off campus. There are top schools up north surrounded by much sketchier neighborhoods.

[Unregistered]

Agreed. FSU is a horrible location. Stepping outside the perimeter is dramatic. UF is more redneck than ghetto, at least last time I was there.

There are different sections to Gainesville. Downtown is sketchy. College students have to be careful whereever they live. They are usually living in lower income apartments and parking their cars outside and commuting to campus parking lots or shuttling onto campus. They need to not leave their doors and windows unlocked, have buddies when walking around at night, and common sense safety.

[Unregistered]

There are different sections to Gainesville. Downtown is sketchy. College students have to be careful whereever they live. They are usually living in lower income apartments and parking their cars outside and commuting to campus parking lots or shuttling onto campus. They need to not leave their doors and windows unlocked, have buddies when walking around at night, and common sense safety.

That is not specific to college campuses. The same should be done just going to the mall.

[Unregistered]

Agreed. FSU is a horrible location. Stepping outside the perimeter is dramatic. UF is more redneck than ghetto, at least last time I was there.

Don't you get tired of answering your own post? My God you are such a loser.

[Unregistered]

That is not specific to college campuses. The same should be done just going to the mall.

Yes and young adults are much more likely to just be clueless about personal safety and too busy on their phones. One should always pay attention to your surroundings. Be smart and you can avoid a lot of trouble. Things happen in "nice" areas too.

[Unregistered]

Yes and young adults are much more likely to just be clueless about personal safety and too busy on their phones. One should always pay attention to your surroundings. Be smart and you can avoid a lot of trouble. Things happen in "nice" areas too.

Way more stupid adults being clueless than kids. Just saying...

[Unregistered]

One of our kids was offered a merit scholarship at a Florida college (not USF) but when we looked closer we realised the Bright Futures covered 100% tuition and most of books, thus the merit scholarship would never kick in for the dorm and meal plan and go unused. The fact that USF merit money can be used towards housing and meals is huge. A student with the 1340 plus SAT and 4.0 GPA plus should already have college credits going into USF already factored into the college cumulative GPA to keep the GPA afloat should they not do well in a 101 freshman college course. Usually the college standard is maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA to keep the merit money, and if the GPA dips below that they can take some courses in the summer to bump up the GPA to keep the merit money.

My friends child at UF, lost bright futures the first year...but is loving Greek life. party on Gainsville