Florida State University

<h4 id="section---Pros"> Pros</h4> <ul><li>Ranked 97th among national universities by <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report</i> </li><li>Holds the Doctoral Research University - Extensive classification from the Carnegie Foundation </li><li>Has a graduation rate that is 8 percentage points higher than the national average </li></ul><h4 id="section---Cons"> Cons</h4> <ul><li>Has a lower acceptance rate than the national average </li><li>Has a higher student-to-faculty ratio than the national average </li></ul><h3 id="section---RankingsSchoolAnalysis"> Rankings &amp; School Analysis</h3> <p>Students enrolled at Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL, can pursue a post-master's certificate, in addition to associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral and professional degrees. As an FSU student, you can pursue one of over 100 educational tracks at 16 colleges. Some common majors include finance, criminal justice, political science, English and psychology. Faculty members include Nobel Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winners, and the college's research facilities include the government-funded Center for Advanced Power Systems. </p> <p>FSU ranks 97th among national universities, according to <i>U.S. News &amp; World Report</i>. In addition to this, the Carnegie Foundation has granted FSU its highest classification as a research-intensive university. FSU's 4-year graduation rate is 49%, compared to the average rate of 41%. </p> <p>According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), FSU is more selective than most universities, with an acceptance rate of 54%, compared to the national average of 65.5%. The NCES also reported that the student-to-faculty ratio was 27:1, which was considerably higher than the national average of 16:1. </p> <h2 id="section---AdmissionsFinancialAidAtFloridaStateUniversity"> Admissions &amp; Financial Aid at Florida State University</h2> <p>Florida State University's application fee costs $30, and the deadline for applying is January 14th, although the university recommends sending packets in as early as possible. In addition to reviewing official ACT or SAT scores and transcripts, the university considers class rank, personal essays and educational goals. Additional consideration is sometimes given to athletes and artists, as well as first-in-family college students. </p> <p>The Office of Financial Aid's STAR Center is an online program dedicated to listing information on all scholarships, from department-sponsored programs to privately-funded awards. As a freshman, you don't need to apply separately for FSU-funded merit scholarships, such as the University Freshman Scholarship, which is awarded automatically based on GPA and ACT/SAT scores. If you're a Florida resident, you may qualify for state-funded financial aid awards such as the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship. Other awards may be available to athletes, performing artists and ROTC participants. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> </th><th> Application and Tuition Information </th><td /></tr> <tr><td> <i>Regular Application Deadline (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> January 14th*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Notification of Acceptance (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> March 20th*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Application Fee (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> $30****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Acceptance Rate (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 54%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>All Tuition &amp; Living Expenses (2012-2013)</i> </td><td> $20,920 (in-state), $36,008 (out-of-state)**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Average Need-Based Award (2011)</i> </td><td> $3,779****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Percent of Students with Need Met (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 64.8%****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Average Student Debt at Graduation (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> $22,139****</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Student Loan Default Rate (2009)</i> </td><td> 5.2%**</td></tr> </table><h2 id="section---LivingAtFloridaStateUniversity"> Living at Florida State University</h2> <p>Florida State University is a large school that has a 448-acre campus with over 600 student organizations and clubs. These include everything from science clubs and debate teams to positions at the student newspapers and news websites. FSU is an NCAA Division I school offering athletic programs in a multitude of sports such as golf, football, baseball, cross country and swimming. </p> <p>Florida State students can search the Career Center's online database, SeminoleLink, for job postings and employer information. Career advising is available on a walk-in basis, but if you're seeking individual counseling, you'll be required to set an appointment. For additional assistance, you can search the Career Center's online or in-house library, participate in mock interview programs and attend onsite career fairs. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><th> </th><th> Student Life Info</th></tr> <tr><td> <i>Campus Setting</i> </td><td> Midsized city</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Student Population (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 41,087**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Male-to-Female Student Ratio (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 45% to 55%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of Full-Time Students (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 90%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of In-State Students (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 89%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of International Students (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 3%**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Retention Rate (2011-2012)</i> </td><td> 92% for full-time students**</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Campus Housing Available</i> </td><td> Yes</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>% of Students Living on Campus (2011)</i> </td><td> 18.9%***</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Number of Libraries</i> </td><td> 8*</td></tr> <tr><td> <i>Extracurricular Activities</i> </td><td> 628 clubs and organizations****</td></tr> </table><p><i>Sources: *Florida State University, **NCES College Navigator, ***The College Board, ****U.S. News.</i> </p> <h3 id="section---SchoolContactInformation">School Contact Information</h3> <ul><li><i>Address:</i> Florida State University, Office of Admissions, A2500 University Center, 282 Champions Way, Tallahassee FL 32306-2400 </li><li><i>Phone:</i> (850) 644-6200</li></ul>