Florida State University offers students an R-1 university experience with a price tag that U.S. News & World Report has ranked in the top #5 nationally for Best Value.
The university’s commitment to combining accessibility with a quality education has earned it recognition from respected publications like INSIGHT Into Diversity and The Institute for Higher Education Policy.
In other words, FSU is a place where students from all walks of life can excel.
All walks of life include all types of interests. Students who are more interested in the arts will be pleased to know that Florida State University’s College of Motion Picture Arts is home to Oscar and Emmy nominated faculty and alumni.
Those more interested in the sciences will find themselves overwhelmed by the possibility of 60+ research institutes and centers to conduct research in.
In addition to a rich on-campus experience, FSU also has strong partnerships with local and national businesses. This has been most recently demonstrated in FSU’s election by the U.S. Association for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurship to host their annual national conference.
Students can be reassured that when they attend FSU, their education will prepare them for real-world careers and the contacts to find these careers.
Finally, FSU knows that higher education isn’t complete without community and peer support. Students will have over 750 possible student groups to join, including a wide range of Greek life, student unions, and special topic clubs.
FSU’s commitment to connecting students to community, resources, and opportunities is what makes it one of the best higher education options locally and nationally.
Below is a breakdown of what FSU’s acceptance rate, GPA, requirements, and more.
Florida State University Acceptance Rate
The acceptance rate at FSU for first-year students was around 37% for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Compared to other top Florida universities like the University of Florida and the University of Miami, this is a little higher than average.
The priority deadline to apply to FSU is November 1st, but students technically have until March 1st to submit their applications.
Those applications submitted after the November 1st deadline will be accepted on a rolling basis. Certain benefits can only be accessed by applying by the November 1st priority deadline, so students need to plan accordingly.
FSU’s admissions application has cut students a break in areas like essays and letters of recommendation, but it requires SAT/ACT scores and an intensive grade reporting process called the SSAR.
Students need to give themselves plenty of time to understand the application process so everything can be completed in the appropriate time frame.
Like most universities now, FSU provides students with three different ways to apply. Students need to choose from either the Common Application, the Coalition Application, or the Florida State University Application.
The university doesn’t have a preference, but students will find that the information required in the applications differs slightly from each other. A breakdown of these differences can be found on the FSU admissions website.
All students are required to submit the SSAR, a $30 application fee or waiver, SAT/ACT scores, transcripts, and one of the three applications.
There may be additional requirements depending on a student’s desire to pursue a scholarship, the honors college, or a certain degree program.
Florida State University Out-of-State Acceptance Rate
As of 2019, the out-of-state acceptance rate is 19.5%.
For students who have a unique circumstance where they aren’t sure what their residency status is, FSU has provided an excellent information page to lay out exactly what it means to be a resident or non-resident.
GPA for Florida State University
The average GPA for FSU is 4.07.
The reporting requirement for grades is a huge part of the application process at FSU and students who aren’t familiar with the process need to pay special attention to this requirement.
Unless a student received a GED or is an international student, all first-year students are required to fill out a Self-reported Student Academic Report (SSAR).
In fact, even before a student starts their application, they should complete the SSAR. The university will not be able to consider a student’s application if they do not have the SSAR completed by the time they have to submit their application.
This may sound daunting, but thankfully FSU provides an in-depth SSAR FAQ page that breaks the process down into understandable steps.
SAT & ACT Requirements for FSU
The State of Florida requires universities to have an SAT/ACT requirement as part of their admissions process.
50% of accepted students have SAT scores between 1250-1400 and ACT scores between 28-32. Scores are calculated using super-scoring.
To learn more about the requirements for SAT/ACT scores, students should visit the FSU admissions page.
Other Requirements and Admission Tips
To recap, for the general application process to FSU students need to complete the SSAR, pay or waive the $30 application fee, fill out one of the three online applications, send transcripts, and send SAT/ACT scores.
All of this must be completed by November 1st for the priority deadline or March 1st by the rolling admissions deadline.
As mentioned above, the date that students choose to submit their application will determine their eligibility for certain benefits. Among the benefits are scholarships and the Honors Program.
FSU is ranked as one of the top colleges for Best Value.
This is demonstrated in the cost of tuition and in the range of merit-based and need-based scholarships FSU provides.
Students who complete their application by November 1st will automatically be considered for scholarships – this includes out-of-state students. To learn more, students should explore FSU’s scholarship page.
The Honors College is another important consideration for students during the application process. The Honors College gives students access to special classes, Fellowships, research opportunities, and extracurricular activities.
This community of scholars is for students who wish to take their education experience to the next level.
Students interested in being considered by the Honors College will need to submit their general FSU application by November 1st and check off “Yes” when prompted with the question “Are you interested in applying to the Honors Program?”
Once the general application is submitted, then the student will be sent an additional application to fill out for the Honors College.
The Honors College application must be completed by November 15th. This application is different from the general application in that it requires students to answer a series of questions.
Admission will be based on the full picture of a student’s academic performance, extracurricular involvement, and any additional information they share in their application.
There is one final note about particular programs.
Some departments, most notably the dance, music, film, and art programs that require portfolios and auditions, may have additional deadlines for their special admissions requirements.
Students who have a particular department of interest need to check what additional admissions requirements are, along with their specific deadlines.
Essays for Florida State University
There is no essay requirement for FSU. That said, including an essay and resume is highly encouraged.
When a student can provide additional information about their accomplishments, aspirations, and academic ability, FSU can then make the most informed decision based on all parts of a student’s life – not just grades on a transcript.
Is Florida State University Right for You?
FSU understands that the college selection process can be stressful not only for a student, but also for the parent or guardian helping (and often supporting) the student.
In the spirit of accessibility, FSU offers an information page just for parents and guardians.
Some of the suggestions they make include visiting the campus in person before making a choice, getting honest about financial limits, and staying open to the student’s dreams – not the parent/guardian’s dreams for the student.
As a First-Gen Forward Advisory Institution, FSU knows that many of its students come from families that never navigated higher education.
Consequently, they provide many resources to help bolster support, including counselors and academic bridging programs. One of the providers of these bridging programs is CARE.
CARE or Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement provides students with support that includes summer programs to prepare for Fall, tutoring and computer labs, and counselors that can walk students through the financial aid and application process.
Students who are in the position of being first-generation students should reach out to CARE before they start the application process to FSU to access the support they need to be successful.
Admission to any university can be a tricky and time-consuming process.
Students are required to request letters and paperwork from people they may be intimidated by, write heartfelt essays about their lives, navigate technology that isn’t always user-friendly, and handle financial decisions that they have never encountered before.
Students who start their process of decision-making there will find they will be confident in their decision, whether it is FSU or not.
