SEE END OF BLOG FOR CHANGES EFFECTIVE WITH THE 2020-2021 ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR

Bright Futures has been a great source of financial aid for many Florida Students and is now shining even brighter. Summer 2018 was the first-year Florida Academic Scholars received 100% tuition and summer 2019, 75% of tuition is available for Florida Medallion Scholars. The $300 college-related expense stipend is still only available for fall and spring semesters.

The requirements for summer are as follows

• Must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours across all summer sessions.
• Students with less than 6 credit hours required for graduation, may receive FAS and FMS by submitting a memo on letterhead from an academic advisor indicating less than 6 hours are required for graduation.
• Graduate-level hours may be approved by the student’s academic advisor.  Students taking graduate-level courses must submit a memo from the academic advisor indicating graduate-level courses meet undergraduate graduation requirements.

NOTE: A maximum of 45 credit hours may be funded in one academic year.

The requirements for Bright Futures are as follows

The top scholarship awards students with an SAT score of 1290 or an ACT score of 29 and higher. The Florida Medallion Scholarship awards students with an SAT score of 1170 and an ACT score of 26.  In addition, there are weighted GPA minimums of 3.50 for the Florida Academic Scholars Award and 100 community service hours and a 3.00 GPA for the Florida Medallion Scholars Award and 75 service hours.

For the renewal of Bright Futures, students need a minimum cumulative GPA of a 3.0 for the Florida Academic Scholarship and a minimum of a 2.75 for the Florida Medallion Scholarship (unweighted and unrounded).

Students who do not meet the annual minimum renewal GPA requirement in their first year of funding will be allowed a one-time restoration in a subsequent summer or academic year renewal period (end of spring term). Students who do not meet the minimum earned hours requirement or who fail to meet the minimum GPA requirement after their first year of funding will NOT be permitted a restoration opportunity.

Funding from financial aid will not disburse until after the end of the drop/add period for each term, which is typically after the second week of each semester.

Florida Prepaid disburses first for tuition and then Bright Futures will be applied to any institutional charges on the students’ account. Any left-over credit will be funded into your student’s bank account.

Effective July 1, 2019 – The actual test scores will be released in the next few weeks

FLORIDA ACADEMIC SCHOLARS AWARD

For high school students graduating in the 2018-2019 and the 2019-2020 academic years, a student must achieve an SAT combined score of 1290 or an ACT composite score of 29.

For high school students graduating in the 2020-2021 academic year and thereafter, a student must achieve the required examination scores published by the department, which is determined as follows:

The minimum required SAT score for the Florida Academic Scholarship must be set no lower than the 89th national 902 percentile on the SAT. The department may adjust the required SAT score only if the required score drops below the 89th national percentile, and any such adjustment must be applied to the bottom of the SAT score range that is concordant to the ACT.

FLORIDA MEDALLION SCHOLARS AWARD

For high school students graduating in the 2018-2019 and the 2019-2020 academic years, a student must achieve an SAT combined score of 1170 or an ACT composite score of 26.

For high school students graduating in the 2020-2021 academic year and thereafter, a student must achieve the required examination scores published by the department, which is determined as follows:

The minimum required SAT score for the Florida Medallion Scholarship must be set no lower than the 75th national percentile on the SAT. The department may adjust the required SAT score only if the required score drops below the 75th national percentile, and any such adjustment must be made to the bottom of the SAT score range that is concordant to the ACT.

Should you have any questions about the number of hours your student needs or the impact of dropping a class or any other situation, download the interactive tool here  – BFCreditHourTool (8)

For more information on UNF Bright Futures scholarship award requirements click here.

For more information on the Bright Futures scholarship, visit here.

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Students usually choose a major over a period of time. I have always been a fan of taking a variety of classes until you find the ones that you enjoy most and choosing a major around that. Every school, including UNF, has its more popular majors as well. However; in these unprecedented times, students might want to consider recent events when choosing or changing their major.

As with any major event, such as a recession, war, or, in this case, a pandemic, there is a shift in what type of degree a student may want to consider pursuing. Certainly, the job market will look different in the future. Contemplating what jobs were sustainable throughout the pandemic may also help in the decision-making process.

For instance, UNF’s Brooks College of Health has multiple majors that would apply to public health. They can include health administration, public health, nutrition, and dietetics (two different programs), and nursing (multiple programs and degrees); for which UNF is well known. Many of these were already fast-growing majors but may continue to grow due to an upcoming need. Similarly, we definitely learned the significance of our health-care workers. Many avenues can stem from majors in the Health Sciences.

Brooks College also prepares students to influence and improve an array of societal problems and challenges through a Bachelor of Science in Health with a concentration on Exercise Science. If new and innovative ways to exercise are learned (think virtually), this major is important. Note: This is also a good major choice for students considering continuing their education towards a Doctor of Physical Therapy.

Teaching has undoubtedly taken on a new lens, aside from many having a newfound respect for the value of a good educator. UNF offers multiple degrees in education to prepare students for traditional and non-traditional avenues through its College of Education and Human Services. However, while the look of education has been altered, teachers will always be needed and now could also benefit from a background in computer sciences. Students can also receive pertinent certifications through the College of Education and Human Services.

Politics in one form or another, particularly since politicians and government seemed to have become an integral part of our daily lives, could be worth considering. UNF’s Political Sciences major prepares students for careers in law, government and non-government organizations, politics, and the private sector.

More Ideas

Wellness in mental health has taken on new forms (particularly those that can be done remotely) and have increased in popularity, so a major in psychology, of which there are quite a few at UNF, can lead to varying careers in this realm. A Bachelor of Science in psychology is widely sought in business, education, and mental health fields. As well, UNF’s College of Arts and Sciences offers a degree in Social Work.

Majors in engineering range from civil, computing, and info. sciences, electrical, mechanical, and information science through the College of Computing, Engineering, and Construction. UNF’s Coggin College of Business offers degrees in areas like Finance or Finance Planning which can prepare students for careers in financial management, investments, and insurance, among others, will continue to be needed. There are also five different International Business Programs offered. Economics and Accounting majors are taught skills and training for careers in business, law, government, politics, teaching, research, and a variety of other areas that lead to stable, higher-paying jobs that will undoubtedly remain popular. However, in today’s climate, it can’t hurt to consider what jobs can be done remotely as well.

In addition to choosing a major, students may want to add some skills like mastering Photoshop, Google-drive, Zoom, data analysis, computer programming, proficiency in a second (or third) language. Many certificate programs can be done outside of college classes that can only enhance your employability. Increasing your knowledge escalates your value to potential employers.

Some college majors may be changing and many are offered almost solely online. New ones may be added and others may disappear. Find out what major programs are of interest to you and how UNF can help you decide. Encourage your student to visit the Career Center or its website. They offer seminars and meetings to not only help find them a job but to educate them on the careers out in the working field; and for now, it is all offered virtually.

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The time has come to pay for your college costs and panic sets in. I have three kids and each experience has been different. My oldest son’s financial aid took forever to disburse and we had to make sure that the school would not assess any penalties. My younger son’s financial aid disbursement has been like a dream. Disbursement has been on schedule with a certain amount left over for his books, rent, or whatever he needs. Although my daughter’s funds were disbursed on time, UNF requested a lot of financial information for her financial aid. With each child, I wonder when does the money get disbursed this time? Can you get a deferral for books, living accommodations, and student fees if necessary?

For your student’s specific account details, you should log into their mywings account. UNF encourages all students who receive financial aid to sign up for a direct deposit. Go online to mywings and click on the eRefund section under the “View & Pay My Bill” link and enter the routing and account number you wish to have your refund deposited into.  You will see on that page a tab on how to set up an eRefund Account.

Here are some specifics:

Financial Aid Disbursement

As a rule, the first available financial aid disbursement date is typically two weeks after classes have begun each semester. Your individual disbursement date maybe later depending on the status of your financial aid file. For example, if you are selected for verification and have not submitted the requested documents, your disbursement will be delayed.

The summer semester at UNF is a bit more complicated as there are multiple terms (A, B, C, 10, and 12 weeks) and two separate add/drop weeks. Enrolling in fewer than 6 hours during the summer A and/or C term could delay, or even prohibit, disbursement of your financial aid. As an example, if you have accepted a Federal Direct student loan, you are required to enroll in a minimum of 6 credit hours in a semester to receive those loan funds. If you choose to take 3 hours in summer A (or Summer C) and 3 hours in summer B, your student loan would not disburse until after summer B add/drop has ended.

To avoid disbursement delays, remember to monitor myWings and your UNF e-mail in the weeks leading up to disbursement. Respond to any request for documentation promptly, read emails from financial aid thoroughly, and ask questions well in advance of the start of classes.

Florida Prepaid Money

UNF will automatically post a deferment on the student’s account a few days after registration for the lesser of: the number of registered hours or number of remaining Florida Prepaid hours. The deferment will show on mywings as estimated financial aid under ‘View and Pay My Bill.’  If you do not see the amount listed, it could be due to a wrong social security number (either in UNF’s system or Florida Prepaid system) or your account is on hold with Florida Prepaid.

Any student that is using Florida Prepaid to pay their tuition and fees is required to pay the balance that Florida Prepaid does not cover by the payment deadline unless the student has other aid/awards to cover the balance due. Students participating in the Florida Prepaid College Program who are also expecting to receive financial aid (i.e., Bright Futures, Pell, student loans, other scholarships/grants) will have the Florida Prepaid applied first to tuition and applicable fees.  Financial aid received will be disbursed and applied to outstanding charges which may include tuition and fees not covered by the Florida Prepaid Program. Any excess financial aid that remains after debts have been paid will be refunded to the student (student/parent if PLUS Parent loan.)

Bright Futures

UNF automatically identifies UNF Bright Futures recipients from a State of Florida database. It is your responsibility to ensure that UNF is your “school of attendance” on your Bright Futures account. You must also check your UNF online bill to ensure that your scholarship is in place prior to the payment deadline each semester.  Florida Bright Futures recipients do NOT need to enroll full-time to receive their award each semester. However, a minimum of half time enrollment (six credit hours) is required to be eligible each semester.

Bright Futures awards appearing in myWings can be used to defer tuition charges. The initial amount awarded will be an estimate, assuming 15 credit hours per term. Throughout registration, your award will be adjusted to reflect your actual enrollment for the term. After the add/drop period has ended, your scholarship will pay toward your UNF tuition charges. If your Bright Futures and other forms of financial aid are greater than the balance due, excess financial aid will be issued to you in the form of a financial aid refund.

Deferral for Books/Bookstore Authorizations

If you have sufficient financial aid to cover your UNF bill with funds left over, you may qualify for a UNF Bookstore Authorization. If you qualify, you will receive a notification via an email to your UNF e-mail account about three weeks before the semester starts. This notification will provide you with instructions on where to locate your Bookstore Authorization in myWings. You can monitor your transaction history and amount remaining on the authorization in your myWings account.

Bookstore authorization amounts will vary according to your balance due and accepted aid, up to a maximum of $600. Only the amount that you charge will be posted to your account and this amount will reduce the refund you will receive. Please be advised that a Bookstore Authorization is not additional money for books. Rather, it is an advance of your anticipated financial aid overage. Learn more about Bookstore Authorizations.

Dorm Payments

Students are responsible for payment of their housing balance if financial aid money is not released in time to pay by the Housing rent deferment due date or if there is not enough money to cover all of the student’s university debts.

Students are responsible for paying their rent or obtaining a rent deferment prior to the rent due date to avoid any late charges. A $100 late charge will apply if the deferment is secured after the rent due date. Housing payment is due before tuition payment so that UNF knows who is living on campus. For a list of payment deadlines please check the academic calendar.

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Getting good grades in school really does matter. The grade you are given will have an effect on your overall college experience, and possible graduate schools you would like to attend. The college grading system can be confusing, especially coming from high school.  Is an A the same points as an A- or that matter is a B+ the same as an A-? Here is a look at the UNF Grading System.

Grade   GPA

A             4.0
A-           3.7
B+           3.3
B             3.0
B-            2.7
C+           2.3
C             2.0
D             1.0
F              0

Some students may end the semester with W or withdrawals and these do not factor into their GPA.  Typically speaking, students are aware of classes they have withdrawn from and students are aware of their grades going into finals. As a parent, while I am thrilled with my children if they get an A or an A-, my personal belief is that if you have tried your hardest and done your best, that is what matters.  But, with graduate schools becoming more and more competitive, sometimes trying their best and getting an A- may be the difference between acceptance and rejection.

Just as a point of reference, UNF undergraduate students who graduate with the following grade point averages will receive the corresponding Latin Honors distinctions:

3.50 to 3.64 cum laude

3.65 or 3.79 magna cum laude

3.80 or higher summa cum laude

We all want to see our students do their best, understanding how the college grade system works will help them to excel and be successful.

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Now that that’s settled, the idea of actually paying for college looms.  Hopefully, you have prepared in some way but fear not. Finding a scholarship can help with the cost of college. If you live in Florida and have purchased a Florida Prepaid plan, then that will start working for you immediately. And, if your student received assistance from Bright Futures, that too helps offset some of the costs.

Every year, I hear stories about thousands of dollars in scholarship money that are never applied for.  It does take a lot of work and time to research scholarships, apply for them, and to validate the authenticity of them.  But, that work can pay off at a reduced cost to you. Some are quite competitive, some last for four years, and some are downright silly, but pay for something.  Some scholarships require essays and believe it or not, those are the ones most avoided; therefore, have the least amount of people applying. Don’t steer away from these; seek help with the essay instead. It is also recommended to apply for any scholarships as early as possible and be sure to have your FAFSA form completed beforehand.

Scholarships Scoop

The best place to start is probably on some of the following websites:  FastWeb and NextStudent.com (both are excellent free search engines that are updated daily), GoodCall, BestColleges.com, Cappex.com, CollegeAnswer.com, Scholarships.com, Scholarship Experts, CollegeScholarship.org, and ScholarshipGuidance.com. Goingmerry.com can be used as a scholarship resource website.  Goingmerry.com makes finding and applying to scholarships easier. Your student can get matched and apply to dozens of scholarships in less than 30 minutes, for free. They also have an app that can be downloaded to make the process easier. Also, check with the city that you live in as many municipalities have scholarship money available. Additionally, check out the app Scholly, one of the fastest-growing apps after appearing on Shark Tank in November 2015. It matches the student to scholarship using specific parameters including gender, state, and race as well as customized data. The app can even spot scams and weed out scholarships that require you to give a social security number (did we mention, never, ever do this).

More specialized searches targeted toward specific subjects, financial situations or minorities can be done through websites like CollegeWhale.com (which will walk you through the FAFSA, student loans and financial aid, as well as match your student to the best scholarships for them), AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org (for minority students), NewsFund.org (journalism scholarships funded by Dow Jones Newspaper Fund), LatinoCollegeDollars.org and Hillel.org.

The college advisor at our high school used to send out a weekly letter with a list of new scholarships listing the name of the program, eligibility, application availability and deadline, and the number and amounts of awards given. Some are more local; others were open to the public. See if your high school offers that. Even a small scholarship that will pay for your student’s textbooks will be appreciated. One of the college advisors at a Broward County High School offers her scholarship “mini” show called the Scholarship Plug on many social media platforms including Instagram, Facebook and You Tube-it is filled with scholarship information.

There are many options for free scholarship search engines as well as campus resources. Be cautious of scams and don’t pay for services that say they will find them for you or offer a money-back guarantee and never provide personal information such as bank account numbers, credit card numbers or social security numbers. Consider creating a separate email address just to be used for scholarships. Some scholarship websites sell your email information to third party companies. This will allow you to keep your personal email address and your .edu email address private.  Here are a few more details to be aware of when looking for a scholarship.

*Guarantee of a Scholarship – No company or organization can guarantee the receipt of a scholarship, especially before an application is submitted.

*Advanced Fees – There is no reason to pay upfront for a scholarship search since there are a number of free resources online.

*Financial Information – Bank account or credit card information is not required by legitimate scholarship grantors.

* High-Pressure Sales Tactics – No matter how much the promoter claims you can receive, don’t give in to pressure to sign up for any product or service immediately. Ask for written information and then research the company and the product before committing to any contract or payment.

*Dodging the Question – If you receive vague or evasive answers to your questions, this is a big red flag. Walk away.

UNF offers several merit or need-based scholarships. For more information on scholarships offered through UNF, click here. Make sure to check all the requirements and deadlines for each scholarship, as some apply only to certain degree programs. UNF also has scholarships that are only available to incoming freshman, these can be found here.

Within the university, there are specific college scholarships. The links can be found below:

Brooks College of Health

Coggin College of Business

College of Arts & Sciences

College of Computing, Engineering, and Construction

College of Education and Human Services

Hicks Honors College

Additionally, check out the app Scholly, one of the fastest-growing apps after appearing on Shark Tank in November 2015. It matches the student to scholarship using specific parameters including gender, state, and race as well as customized data. The app can even spot scams and weed out scholarships that require you to give a social security number (did we mention, never, ever do this).

Finally, we have found some other great scholarship opportunities for students that you can read about.

If your student receives a private scholarship and the check is made out to them, they should notify the university’s financial aid office as it may impact their financial aid package. If the check is made payable to the university, they will need to send these funds directly to UNF with your student’s name and student N# clearly marked: University of North Florida, Attention: Scholarships and Strategic Initiatives, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32224. Donors may explain how the funds are to be disbursed.

If your students are lucky enough to land a scholarship (or a few), it is highly recommended that they write a thank you note to the donor.

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