Application Priority Deadline: November 1, 2017
Minimum Requirements and Eligibility for Admission to the 2018 Summer Bridge Program
The CARE Summer Bridge Program (SBP) provides a comprehensive program designed to ease the transition from high school to college while building a strong academic foundation. Applicants selected to participate in SBP will be first-generation college students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds who have demonstrated a strong desire to succeed. The CARE Summer Bridge Program is open to Florida residents who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
Academic Requirements
- A minimum 3.0 weighted academic GPA,
- 980 SAT total, and/or
- 19 ACT Composite
- Complete the minimum academic courses as required by the State of Florida
Financial Eligibility Guidelines
- Qualify as socioeconomically disadvantaged as determined by the FAFSA and supporting documentation
- Qualify for federal financial assistance
- Students must apply for financial aid by completing BOTH the 2017-18 FAFSA (available now) AND the 2018-19 FAFSA (opens October 1, 2017). They can be found at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.
- Both FAFSA's must be submitted by November 1, 2017 to be considered for CARE.
- All students admitted to CARE must be eligible for the Pell Grant during summer and fall/spring terms.
Additional Eligibility Requirements
- Must be a first-generation college student (neither parent can have obtained a bachelor’s degree or higher)
- Must be a Florida Resident for tuition purposes
- Must be eligible for Federal financial aid
- Must be Pell-eligible for both Summer and Fall/Spring terms
- Must complete the CARE short answer prompts
Application Process
- Apply online at admissions.fsu.edu or mycoalition.org.
- Create your Self-reported Student Academic Record (SSAR) at admissions.fsu.edu/freshman/ssar using your official high school transcript.
- Submit the following items on the Application Status Check (admissions.fsu.edu/StatusCheck):
- Self-report all ACT or SAT test scores.
- Link your Self-reported Student Academic Record (SSAR) by copying the 32-character code from your SSAR account.
- Choose one of five essay questions found at admissions.fsu.edu/freshman, and upload your essay. The essay should be no longer than 550 words.
- Upload one résumé.
- Complete the Residency Declaration for tuition purposes form.
- Complete the supplemental CARE application (the CARE application parts show up on the Status Check).
- Complete both the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) using the IRS Data-Retrieval Tool found at fafsa.gov.
Log into the Online Status Check regularly to monitor the status of your application.
A completed application requires the following items:
- FSU Admissions Application admissions.fsu.edu
- Completed Self-Reported Student Academic Record (SSAR)
- Submit application fee OR approved application fee waiver
- Remember, the CARE Summer Bridge Program (Supplemental) Application is on the Status Check! The application will only be displayed if you are eligible for CARE (based on the information in your FSU application).
- Completed CARE short answer responses:
- Resiliency shows your ability to adapt and succeed in spite of obstacles or other barriers before you. Please give an example of how you were resilient in high school. (300 words or less)
- What did you learn from that experience that will help you be successful at Florida State University? (300 words or less)
- Self-report all ACT or SAT test scores
- Complete both the 2017-2018 AND 2018-19 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.ed.gov (The 2018-19 FAFSA will open on Oct. 1, 2017).
Academic Profile of 2017 Admitted CARE Students
The academic profile of freshmen accepted to CARE in 2017 was the following:
- High School Weighted GPA: Middle 50% of applicants had between 3.5 – 4.2 GPA
- New SAT Middle 50%: 1060- 1190
- ACT Middle 50%: 21 - 25
Additional Selection Information
Florida State University and the Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement (CARE) are committed to providing access to higher education for educationally and economically disadvantaged students. The CARE Admissions Committee only reviews applications that are complete, containing all required attachments. Please note that acceptance is based on a variety of factors, which include (but are not limited to) academic performance, test scores, and short answer responses. Meeting minimum academic measures does not guarantee admission into CARE. Decisions by the CARE Committee are based on a variety of factors including academic performance, test scores, student short answer responses, educational history, family income, socioeconomic background, and family educational level.
Tips on Submitting Your Application
- Remember, the CARE Summer Bridge Program (Supplemental) Application is on the Status Check! The application will only be displayed if you are eligible for CARE (based on the information in your FSU application).
- Test early and as many times as it takes to get higher scores!
- If you are testing for the SAT or ACT at a later date, you can indicate that on the application!
- The 2017-2018 FAFSA is available now and you should do it immediately to be considered for CARE. The 2018-2019 FAFSA opens on October 1, 2017.
- Don't forget to complete the Self-Reported Student Academic Record (SSAR) and link it to the FSU application!
- Proofread your short answer responses before submitting. Your written responses weigh heavily into the decision of the CARE Admissions Committee.
- Before submitting, you will be able to review your application for accuracy.
- Meeting minimum academic requirements for CARE does not guarantee admission into CARE.
- Apply early! There is only ONE deadline for CARE this year!