Can't get into UF? Try Eckerd or Rollins

For all those high schoolers still weeping over the rejection letter from UF or FSU, and for future students who might be shut out by the state universities' enrollment cuts, presidents of Florida's 28 private colleges and universities have a message: We'd love to have you!

Leaders of the Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida said today that they'll create room for students and will work with them on financial aid packages that make the institutions affordable.

“It’s a shame that state universities have to limit enrollment because of Florida’s fiscal crisis, and our members want to do whatever they can to help students earn the college degree they seek to attain,” said ICUF President Ed H. Moore.  “As private institutions serving the public interest we are committed in good times and bad to help Florida produce the skilled graduates it needs to drive the economy.”

Those financial aid "packages" would include the FRAG grant of $3,000 a year. But it's worth noting the governor wants to cut out money to fund incoming students next year, and Sen. Steve Oelrich wants to make the grant need-based, and contingent on more stringent academic standards.

Comments

It is possible to attend a Florida private college for not much more than a state university. One big advantage is the student (except for Univ. Miami) is not a number in a university with 40,000 plus students.

My kid received an aid letter yesterday from a Florida private college for over $25,000 for her freshman year.

The big difference in coming out a private school vs. a state school is probably around $70,000 in debt.

Voters begin to reap the rewards of their knee-jerk support of the neo-con tax cutting fiends of the far right. Thanks for keeping it in the spotlight SPT, maybe people will quit voting to give away their own kids opportunities so that the realtors and developers' little Buffy and Betty can drive a new Beamer to their private shool.

[seanndc]

This sound real cute. FSU, USF, & UF's tuition for the year is about $3,500. Rollins and Eckerd is about over $30,000 a year.

As was said before, this would saddle kids down with near 100k in debt.

Go Hatters!

If Linda South can get a degree from Rollins, and use it to do nothing at DMS, then so can you!

who cares about the class size thing?

sure, at a state school you have hundreds in your freshman bio or english classes, but by the time you get into your major, its less than 30...

so, go ahead and go into massive debt if you're worried about little Johnnie having a class with lots of other kids, but don't do it on my dime!

Everybody that attends a state university is doing it on your dime.

Eckerd College, Harvard of the South!

Your dime here is only $3000. Your dime for every kid attending a state university is closer to $15,000. Students who choose the private schools are doing the state taxpayers a favor and they do not end up having the loans described above. Students across the board are borrowing money. By the way if you want to see fancy cars and apartments go drive through any state university parking lot. Those stuDents are the ones living in fancy apartments and driving fancy cars. It is the state schoolS who have the hIghest average family incomes, not the privates.

the typical piglican approach:

"if we keep 'em ignorant and uneducated, they will actually believe the SWILL we feed 'em!"