FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY – LAKELAND – USA

  • Small, public suburban university
  • The newest of the 12 universities in the State University System of Florida
  • Created 2012
  • 100% focused on STEM education
  • 1,600 students
  • 20% female
  • 12% non-Florida residents
  • Selective – 44% acceptance rate
  • 18:1 student to faculty ratio
  • 70% retention rate

Location

  • Central Florida
  • Halfway between Tampa (30 mins) and Orlando (40 mins)
  • Located in the ‘High Tech Corridor’ of Florida – 70% of the tech jobs in Florida area within a 60 mile radius
  • 170 acre campus

Academic

  • 10 bachelor degrees – 31 concentrations
  • 4 year BSc degrees
  • Most popular majors are Computing Science (45%) and Mechanical Engineering (22%)
  • All programmes have the same admission criteria so once a student is admitted to the university they have access to all programmes
  • Students complete just over a year of STEM general education requirements and then dive into their specific major
  • All students do a senior capstone project
  • Lots of hands-on and experiential learning opportunities
  • Students must complete at least one internship to graduate – many do more.
    Examples of internships include: NASA, FBI, Amazon, Walt Disney, Kennedy Space Centre
  • 70% of internships end up leading to full time job offers
  • All classes are taught by full time professors
  • Small classes – no lecture halls. Largest class is 45 students and average is 18-20
  • Students can really get to know their professors and they are easily accessible
  • New in 2022 – $47 million 85,000 squared foot Applied Research Centre with a maker’s space and 18 state-of-the-art labs

Application

  • Opens 1st August
  • Priority deadline – Nov 1st (guarantees decision by Nov 15th and is also the priority deadline for merit scholarships)
  • Regular Decision -1st March
  • Use Common App or Florida Ploy website application (no preference)
    Application fee $30
  • SAT/ACT is required. SAT 1200 – 1360 / ACT 26 – 31. Super-scored.
  • Average weighted GPA 4.0
  • Evidence of Maths preparedness is key in the transcript – the majority of admitted students have taken a calculus class
  • No separate essay
  • Application: Test results, transcript, 1-3 letters of recommendation – encouraged, but not required / good to have at least one from a STEM teacher or mentor
  • Academic Support Services runs a Student Success Centre staffed by coaches who provide academic support and help with adjusting to university

Finances

  • Lowest student debt of all Florida public universities
  • Out-of-state tuition = $21,005
  • TCOA = $34,000
  • All students are automatically reviewed holistically for scholarships – the whole application is considered

Accommodation

  • Two residence halls – enough for just over ½ the student body
  • 80%+ of first years live in university housing
  • A new building will open in fall 2024, and another is planned for 2025/26

Activities

  • 30+ student-led clubs and organisations
  • Club Row is held at the start of each semester for clubs to showcase themselves
  • The University Trail – multi use trail attached to the campus
  • Opportunity to join the student government
  • Fitness centre and a range of health and wellness services – including free counselling and the support of Peer Health Educators

Other

  • Campus tours are offered 7 days a week
  • First university with a completely digital campus library

Visit the Florida Polytechnic University website

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