Florida Poly reviews applications for admission holistically, meaning we align admissions or selection processes to take into consideration applicants' experiences, attributes, and academic metrics as well as the value an applicant would contribute to learning, practice, and teaching. Of course, students must meet the FL BOG state minimum requirements.
Students who are determined to be a good fit for Florida Poly should seek to demonstrate their true self through the application process. Certainly, the courses you have enrolled in and the grades you've received in high school are important. However, there are other important attributes we'll consider. This is what we want to see from a student who is admitted:
There will be math. Lots of it. We like to say the mathematics is the foundation of STEM and we love it, but it doesn’t always like us back. Higher-level mathematics demands abstract thinking and problem solving, skills we hold dear. Preparing yourself for academic success means accumulating skills in high school that will help you be successful in college: strong performances in algebra, geometry, algebra 2, and even pre-calculus or calculus.
The core curriculum for first-year students is more than math. In fact, your first year involves core STEM course that will help you dive into the various academic opportunities at Florida Poly and provide you with valuable insight into career paths. That exploration is key to your success and will help you to be confident in your critical thinking, to hone your problem-solving skills, write well, and express yourself in these courses and in your future endeavors.
Thomas Edison said, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.” We want students who are not afraid to be wrong, but most importantly, are courageous enough to correct their mistakes and keep going.
You can be an introvert. You can be an extrovert. You can be an introverted extrovert, an extroverted introvert, or any combination with which you identify, but you won't thrive here if you expect to be able to go it alone all the time. From engineering, to programming, to logistic, to analytics, the majors here are team sports. In fact, your first-year experience is built around students collaborating: The places you live (on-campus residences where most students stay), the problem sets you solve, and the interdisciplinary coursework and projects you complete will benefit from blending multiple perspectives.
Florida Poly works to prepare students for careers of today but also the careers of tomorrow; STEM and innovation sits at the intersection of curiosity and creativity. We are looking for students who take advantage of their education and available resources to grow, create and follow their own unique path to invention and discovery.
The world is ever-changing. Being at the forefront of technology and engineering means you not only change with it, but you impact the changes on the horizon. Being ready to learn, grow and evolve is essential to success at Florida Poly.
No one is as “you” as you. Show us your passions, insecurities, everything that makes you, you. The goal isn’t to present yourself as "well-rounded"—yawn-- we know you love STEM first and foremost, but what else motivates you? Self-care, and having someplace to turn when it all gets to be a little much, is really important. Whether that involves athletics, theater, music, art, or something else, we like to learn about the other pursuits you're passionate about, and why.
