They’ve Been Accepted, Now What?

They’ve Been Accepted

Congratulations Class of 2024… YOU’VE BEEN ACCEPTED! It IS great to be a Florida Gator for so many reasons. You can all now take that deep sigh of relief that your student’s decision has been made and then take a look at our list of what to do next. While this may sound silly, first check your student’s admission letter for accuracy regarding their name, entrance term, address, and major. If any changes need to be made it needs to happen in writing or online at myUFL.

When they applied, your student will have received a UF identification number (ID) which can be found on their application status page. (When I went to UF, they used our social security number, but that’s no longer the case so as to further protect a student’s privacy.) Next, they will create their Gator identity via a digital username which will both give them access to most UF information systems and become their UF email address.

You are going to want to get that $200 non-refundable deposit and form in by the May 1st deadline for summer and fall semesters, and December 1st for the spring semester. Without the deposit, your student won’t be able to register for the mandatory orientation, etc. This can also be done through myUFL.

Forms and Waivers

Then, prioritize completing that Immunizations Form and send it in. Registration cannot happen without this. You can download the form here.  At UF, every accepted student is required to show proof of having health insurance or the University will purchase insurance for you. (Trust me, they will. My daughter had her own insurance coverage but never updated the information online and insurance was purchased for her by UF. By the time she realized this — actually, I saw it when the cost was deducted from her Bright Futures — we had to pay a cancellation fee.) The insurance waiver can be filled out when they log into their account. Please note that this waiver needs to be renewed each year that your student attends UF, or the same purchase and/or penalty applies.

While UF sends email reminders and post notifications to your student’s One.UF account, you can also follow this link for the applicable waiver submission deadlines. This deadline happens once a calendar year for your student, but not at the same time for every student based upon their original waiver submission. The current submission deadlines are:

• Spring 2020 — Friday, January 17, 2020
• Summer A/C 2020 – Friday, May 22, 2020
• Summer B 2020 – Friday, July 10, 2020
• Fall 2020 – Friday, September 4, 2020

And while you are on the Health Services page, take note of all the amazing services they offer students.

Check, Check, Checklists

UF provides a Freshman Checklist here. At the risk of a little repetition, which I think is absolutely worth it, here’s our line item checklist.

Be sure to address the following:

• **You can currently find online campus tours here.**
• Confirm your residency status for tuition purposes.
• Confirm that your student has signed up for Bright Futures. Check our blog here for more info.
• Arrange for any final transcripts and scores (AP, IB, AICE, CLEP, and transfer credits) to be sent to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.
• Manage your Florida PrePaid program if you have one. (You will need to be familiar with what you paid for with Florida PrePaid as it may only cover certain fees or dorms. Although it does not preclude your student from living in certain dorms, overage fees may be charged.)
• If you have not already done so, get that FAFSA form started. You can check out our blog on the FAFSA form here.
• Check out the housing information. There are many options at UF both on and off-campus. If living in a particular dorm is very important to your student, don’t wait too long to send a deposit and apply for housing. On-campus housing is limited and not guaranteed for all freshmen. **You can currently find Virtual Dorm Tours here.**
• Have your freshman join the Facebook group for their incoming class. (Many freshmen find their future roommates through this group page.) As a parent, you can join a similar Facebook Families page.
• Check for any holds on your student’s account. It could be the simplest thing, but there is nothing worse than going to register for classes and not being able to do so because of something simple that could have been fixed earlier. This includes making certain that a final transcript from high school (or other colleges, if transferring) has made its way to the UF Office of Admissions. This must arrive in a sealed envelope.

Orientation

By late February or early March, you and your accepted student will receive Preview Orientation information. This is mandatory for your student as well as you. Read our blog on Orientation to learn the important facts before you go. And now that you are accepted, you should also read our blogs on Housing and Meal Plans for many more helpful details.

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