Make the Call to Admissions to Get Answers

If You’re Worried, Then Call…

Sometime later in February, the UF Admissions department sends out with their acceptance letters. My older daughter, my niece, and my nephew all applied the same year. That made the acceptance date even more nerve-wracking, with my sisters and I all waiting anxiously along with our kids. We all felt engulfed by a swirling cloud of concern, wondering if all three would get accepted, perhaps none, or an awkward combination of some.

As it turned out, two of the three got accepted, making that day bittersweet. While my sister and I were elated that our daughters got in, we felt sad for my sister, whose son did not. Fast forward 8 years, and my sister will readily admit now that her son’s qualifications did not necessarily match up with the highest of UF’s applicants. And he DID end up on exactly the right track for him. But back then, they both were devastated and she did call admissions.

So, this blog is for the students that have been denied admission or been accepted into one of UF’s newer student programs. leaving them with questions. We’ll start by saying that UF rarely reverses a decision, regardless of your alumni status or lengthy legacy lineage.  But if your student’s heart is set on being a Gator, it may be worth the effort — or peace of mind — to make that call.

You can also start the conversation with your student about taking classes at Santa Fe State College as a part of transitioning over to UF. Going to Santa Fe does not guarantee you admission to UF upon completion of your AA there, but UF does admit more students from SF than any other state college. Eighty-eight percent of students in the Santa Fe Honors Program are admitted to UF, as are a majority of the Santa Fe graduates. Sante Fe also offers several other programs and perks that can help your student become a Gator. You can read about them here.

Call Admissions?

Often, we are apprehensive about calling the admissions departments of any college for fear of somehow being blackballed for the call. While we would not recommend calling the same day acceptances come out, there is nothing wrong with placing a call a week or two later. Actually, having your students make that call is a good first act of advocating for themselves. You can always be standing in the wings for consultation.

As we acknowledged, acceptance day is difficult for students and their parents. Perhaps your student was unexpectedly admitted to the PACE program or Innovation Academy. While that may not have been their first choice to achieve Gator status, we highly recommend talking to an advisor as well as other students already enrolled in these programs. That insight and information may have your student rethinking their opinion. You can both read more about PACE and Innovation Academy, with input there from our interns’ perspectives.

In the end…

Sometimes, when a student doesn’t get their first choice, it’s the parents that have a harder time accepting the news than the students. At that point, it’s time to put your feelings in your back pocket and have any and all the conversations your student needs to decide the best path for their future. Kids are fairly resilient, so encourage them to thoroughly investigate all the options on their plate. Assure them that they can still realize their dreams at another college or university. Help them see that it is THEY, themselves, who wield the power to fulfill their own visions. You’ll most often find that everything works out in the long run.

In our case, what became of the three that all applied in that same year? My daughter graduated from UF and it was a great fit for her. My niece turned down her acceptance, opting to take an alternative road. She is now working at her dream job. My nephew received his Master’s degree in accounting from UCF and is successfully employed. He had a great experience at UCF because he did what we suggest for every college student everywhere. He got involved and took advantage of all they had to offer.

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