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How to Write the Florida State University Essays 2021-2022

Located just west of Tallahassee, Florida State University is a suburban public university that hosts over 41,000 students on its campus. FSU offers its students a wide selection of 351 programs, including 107 undergraduate majors across various disciplines.

Florida State is well known for its vibrant social scene and its top varsity athletic programs. The beloved “Seminoles” have won many Atlantic Coast conferences and national championships. The intensity of the football team’s rivalry with the University of Florida’s Gators spreads throughout the entire student body and reaches a climax at the annual Sunshine Showdown.

Approximately 37% of applicants gain admission. Calculate your chances of acceptance to FSU using our free chancing engine.

Florida State accepts its own FSU Application, the Common Application, or the Coalition Application. For the FSU and Coalition Applications, there are 5 essay topics you can choose from. You only need to choose one and write a 650-word essay. We’ve broken those 5 down below. For the Common Application, you can choose from the Common App prompts .  

FSU Application Essay Prompts

Essay prompt instructions.

Candidates are to compose one 650-word essay after deciding on one of the five prompts published on the school’s website.

The purpose of the essay is to help the admissions committee learn more about you as a person. Although the essay is described as only “highly recommended,” in reality admissions officers are expecting serious applicants to submit an essay (unless under extenuating circumstances). Your writing will paint a personal picture for the admission officers and demonstrate serious interest in the school.

Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.

The first prompt asks for you to discuss a memory or story of a situation that either showcased or affected you personally. FSU’s goal here is to assess your storytelling ability and better understand your values and character through a specific example.

It is crucial for you to connect your story and its effect on your character to who you are as a person. It would be an easy mistake to use all 550 words to discuss this important narrative and ignore the crux of the question: its “demonstration of your character.”

Impactful essays do not have to be based on extreme physical or mental experiences. In fact, it is the accumulation of small experiences that defines how we react during turbulent times. An act of any scale that was especially memorable to you can work; it’s about how you analyze the incident, not what the incident was.

For instance, you might choose to write about being friends with someone who faced mental health issues and how that changed your feelings toward such illnesses and led you to participate in a campaign for raising mental health awareness. You could take it a step further, explaining how the experience shaped your behavior not only around that particular friend, but also around everybody else you know.

Keep in mind that the scope of the question also includes experiences that helped shape your character, so you can even choose to write about something you’ve witnessed others do. Remember to use concise but vivid imagery to describe the situation in the first 150-250 words and then devote the rest of the words to analyzing its impact on character.

It may be wise to write longer drafts at first (in the 700-word range). This allows the editing process to filter for the essence of the writing, instead of trying to add more content, thereby ensuring the fluency of the writing.

Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.

This question appears to be more challenging than the previous one, as you have to detail a selfless act of sacrifice while explaining your motivations and avoiding corny wording.

Note that this “greater good” contribution does not limit you to instances in which you interacted with groups of “great” numbers. No matter the scale of your impact, if there existed a beneficiary to your actions, then you can write about it. Remember that “greater good” excludes class assignments or other activities that were required of you.

The key to this essay is making sure your motivations for the contribution are portrayed as personal and unique to you.

Many students will choose to write about a volunteer experience they participated in. If you choose to discuss a community service activity, make sure you differentiate your experience by highlighting your motivations and your emotions during the experience (rather than describing simply the activity you participated in).  

For example, you might choose to write about a mission trip to another country that you took in your sophomore year of high school. However, rather than discussing the trip as a whole, it would be more effective to focus on a particular moment or problem that you encountered during the trip.

For instance, you could elaborate on the experience of visiting one of the children’s homes and the feeling of speaking to his parents directly. Describing a particular moment, as well as the specific emotions you felt and how your perspectives changed because of it, would help the essay stand out in a pile of volunteering essays.

In addition, focus on the process of the contribution and how you felt emotionally throughout the act.

Try to answer the following questions:

• What would have happened if you did not make that sacrifice/contribution? How would you have felt then?
• How did the contribution make you feel? How did it make others around you feel? How did it make the beneficiaries feel?
• What did you learn?

Emphasizing the internal development that occurred during your experience is key to making this essay shine.

Has there been a time when you’ve had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?

This third prompt asks to hear about a philosophical difference you have had with a family member, teacher, peer, society at large, or even yourself. In a sense, this prompt is similar to the previous one about the “meaningful contribution.” In both cases, FSU wants to learn about a process occurring in your mind. The previous prompt emphasizes actions and their effects, while this focuses more on an ideological struggle.

For example, though you’ve believed in religion all your life, perhaps you learned of a different viewpoint while reading a research paper and began questioning the validity of adhering to the religion in which you grew up. The research paper may have been the stimulus that led you to develop your own feelings toward particular values or even the presence of the supernatural.

An average essay would discuss an incident in which you completely disregarded the challenging viewpoint or, on the other end of the spectrum, completely threw away your previous tenet and grasped onto the new idea. Such an essay does not show any meaningful growth or internal re-evaluation. Instead, a great essay would elucidate the internal struggle stemming from confronting a new viewpoint and the difficulties associated with challenging your own beliefs.

As with the first prompt, remember to focus the essay on your response to someone/something’s questioning of your tenant. Using too much of the essay for a description of the conundrum will render it ineffective in answering the latter two parts of the question.

What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What’s the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?

This prompt is the wild card. It allows more room for creativity and “fun” writing than any of the other questions. FSU’s goal here is not only to evaluate your ability to reflect on experiences, but also to understand what you value in life.

This essay can be particularly difficult to write well because it requires additional effort to compose an engaging, intriguing, fun, but also appropriate essay. There are universal challenges to being a teenager: arguments with parents; teenage angst; finding one’s place in school, family, and life, etc. It is completely fine to write about “common” obstacles, but you need to be able to differentiate your stories from others.

Humor and style of writing will play large roles in this essay, so we recommend this prompt if you sincerely enjoy creative writing, particularly short stories, novels, and comedies. Keep in mind, however, that the majority of admissions officers reading these essays are going to be in a generation older than you. It is not a bad idea to consider what kinds of teenage experiences would be relatable to them.

Additionally, the essay is asking for the “hardest part” as well as the “best part;” answering both of those separately in 550 words can make both answers short and ineffective. We recommend that you choose one single story that can relate to both of those questions. For example, you could use stories from your part-time job at Dairy Queen to connect the difficulties of adjusting to added responsibility in conjunction with the increased respect you received from your parents.

Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

This last question is a catch-all.

Do not let your guard down because you can write about anything here. Unless you already have a great essay prepared from answering another school’s prompts, without a prompt here your creative idea may lose focus. Oftentimes, candidates are so engrossed in telling the story that they lose sight of what is really important: selling yourself.

As with the previous essays, you should decide and write down concretely what exactly you want the admissions officers to think about you upon finishing this essay. Build the rest of the essay around how you want them to perceive you, and dedicate more than half of the writing to demonstrating that main point through various anecdotes, not general statements.

We here at CollegeVine wish you the best of luck on your FSU essay!

Want help with your college essays to improve your admissions chances? Sign up for your free CollegeVine account and get access to our essay guides and courses. You can also get your essay peer-reviewed and improve your own writing skills by reviewing other students’ essays.

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FSU General Application & Honors Application for First-Year Applicants Goes Live

Monday, August 1, 2022

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About this Event

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

*FSU and University Honors applications go live on  August 1, 2022 . Read below for detailed instructions on how to apply.*

To apply to the Florida State University Honors Program, potential students must complete following steps:

1. APPLY TO FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY

To be considered for University Honors, first-year applicants must first submit an application to Florida State University by December 1, 2022 and select "Yes" to the question, “Are you interested in applying to the Honors Program?”

• When applying through the FSU Application, this question is located on the Additional Academic History page.
• When applying through the Common App, this question is located under Academics in the Questions section.
• When applying through the Coalition Application, this question is located under Honors in the Additional Information section.

Once the university application has been submitted, please allow some time for the University Honors Application to become available on the Application Status Check. For students applying through the Common App or the Coalition Application, this may take up to 48 hours.

2. COMPLETE THE HONORS APPLICATION

Students must indicate their interest in and complete their supplemental University Honors Application by 11:59 pm EST on December 12, 2022 to be considered for University Honors.

The University Honors Application consists of a series of student dispositions and short answer questions. Applicants must answer every question to be considered for the University Honors. Applicants to University Honors will be evaluated based on a holistic approach including, but not limited to, grades and strength of curriculum, honors and awards, extracurricular achievements, unique individual talents, quality of responses to the short-answer questions, and ACT/SAT test scores.

The academic profile of the middle 50% of applicants admitted to University Honors in 2021 was: 4.40-4.66 weighted GPA; 32-34 ACT composite score; 1440-1520 SAT total score.

Applicants will be notified of whether they were admitted to FSU and University Honors on  February 15, 2023.  

Visit the FSU Admissions website for more information on applying as a first-year student:  https://admissions.fsu.edu/first-year/  .

For Honors Program related questions, please visit our website at  https://honors.fsu.edu/university-honors/admission-university-honors  or contact our office at [email protected]  (850-644-1841) for more information.

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FSU | Presidential Scholars Program

Presidential Scholars Program

Division of Undergraduate Studies

Application Process

The Presidential Scholars Program offers the premier undergraduate merit scholarship at Florida State University and invests in undergraduate students with extraordinary potential to be the transformational leaders of their generation. The program provides four years of support, and the application is open to high school seniors who are admitted into the Florida State University Honors Program . 

To be considered for the Presidential Scholars Program, incoming first-year prospective students must: 

1. Apply to Florida State University

To be considered for the Presidential Scholars Program, first-year applicants must first submit an application to Florida State University by December 1, 2024, and select "Yes" to the question “Are you interested in applying to the Honors Program?”

• When applying through the FSU Application, this question is located on the Additional Academic History page.
• When applying through the Common App, this question is located under Academics in the Questions section.

Once the university application has been submitted, please allow some time for the University Honors Application to become available on the Application Status Check. For students applying through the Common App, this may take up to 48 hours.

Note: The application essay for the  Presidential Scholars Program  is the same as the University Honors Program application essay.

2. Complete the University Honors Program/Presidential Scholars Program application essay. 

Students must indicate their interest in and complete their supplemental University Honors Program application essay by  11:59 p.m. EST on December 1, 2024 , to be considered for the University Honors Program and the Presidential Scholars Program.

Incoming prospective first-year students will be notified of their admission status to FSU and to University Honors on Feb. 13, 2025.

Applicants will also be notified on this date if they are selected to be semi-finalists for the Presidential Scholars Program.

3. Semi-finalists complete the supplemental video responses.

Semi-finalists will be required to submit video responses to two prompts to be considered finalists for Presidential Scholars. These are due Feb. 23, 2025, by 11:59 p.m. EST.

The following informational video addresses frequently asked questions about how to create your applicant videos:

4. Finalists attend interview and recruitment weekend in Tallahassee. 

Finalists for the Presidential Scholars Program will receive notification and an invitation in early March to a required on-campus interview March 28 – 29, 2025.  

All finalists for Presidential Scholars are also admitted into the University Honors Program.

The following informational video addresses frequently asked questions about Recruitment and Interview Weekend:

Questions about Presidential Scholars?

Email FSU Presidential Scholars

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5 Tips for Writing an Incredible FSU Essay

College Essays

Florida State University, or FSU, is a top-100 school and ranked number three in Florida Colleges . With a 25 percent acceptance rating , they’re considered to be a competitive school. That means you’ll need to impress them in your application, and a well-written FSU essay is one great way to go about it!

This guide will walk you through the FSU essay, including whether or not writing one is the right choice for you.

Feature image: Ayzmo /Wikimedia Commons

What Should You Know About the FSU Application Essay?

Unlike many schools, FSU’s essay is optional. You can apply using the Coalition or Common Application, or even FSU’s own app—the Coalition and FSU apps have the same prompts, whereas the Common app has its own set.

Whether you should use the Coalition, Common, or FSU-specific application depends on a few different variables. What application system do the other schools that you’re applying to use? Because these applications can be sent to multiple schools, you can use whatever one is most convenient.

If you’re not sure, read up on the pros and cons of each to help you make a decision. If you’re still not sure, you can always use FSU’s unique application.

FSU only requires one essay. You have five prompts to choose from if you’re using the FSU or Coalition Application, and seven to choose from if you’re using the Common Application. Regardless of what prompt you choose, your essay should be under 600 words.

If you're thinking about writing an FSU essay, you probably should.

Should You Write an FSU Essay?

Because FSU’s essays are optional, it’s natural to ask whether you should write one at all. You’re likely writing tons of essays for other applications, and maybe you just want a bit of a break from the whole process.

However, if you’re given the opportunity to expand on your application in an essay, it’s usually in your best interest to take it. Before you start, do some brainstorming about what aspects of yourself could use some fleshing out in your application. If you have an interest that hasn’t been covered elsewhere or an experience you want to share that will help make you a more appealing candidate for FSU, definitely write the essay—it’s your best opportunity to showcase that side of you, and those personal details are exactly what FSU wants to see.

I f you’re struggling to think of something to cover in the supplemental essay, spend some time brainstorming and looking through all of the available prompts . If you’re offered a place to write an essay, it’s best to take it, unless you truly feel that you have nothing to expand upon. If that’s the case, consider why that is—you may find that there’s an essay topic there, too!

Essentially, you should be writing an essay for this section, even if it’s optional. Taking this opportunity to expand on your application both demonstrates your commitment and shows your multiple facets. It won’t be the sole determining factor in your application, but if you have the opportunity to up your chances, do it!

A fresh notebook is one great way to get your brain in gear to write.

What Are the FSU Essay Prompts?

FSU’s essay prompts are determined by which application you choose to use— Coalition, Common, or FSU’s own application . If you choose the Coalition or FSU application, you have five prompts to choose from, and if you choose the Common Application you’ll have seven. You only need to write one essay, so choose whichever prompt resonates with you most strongly.

Because these are the same prompts used in the standard application formats, follow the guidelines for either the Coalition Application or the Common Application depending on which prompt you choose. Do feel free to get more specific than you would if the essay was going to every school, however—if you’re only sending it to FSU, tying your essay to something specific about the college can demonstrate that you’re more serious about attending!

Coalition Application/FSU Essay Prompts

• Tell a story from your life, describing an experience that either demonstrates your character or helped to shape it.
• Describe a time when you made a meaningful contribution to others in which the greater good was your focus. Discuss the challenges and rewards of making your contribution.
• Has there been a time when you've had a long-cherished or accepted belief challenged? How did you respond? How did the challenge affect your beliefs?
• What is the hardest part of being a teenager now? What's the best part? What advice would you give a younger sibling or friend (assuming they would listen to you)?
• Submit an essay on a topic of your choice.

Common Application Essay Prompts

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma - anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Having a plan from the start will help you write a better FSU essay.

5 Key FSU Essay Tips

As with all college essays, having a plan before you start is the best way to ace FSU’s supplemental essay. Don’t just jump in and hope for the best—start early, give yourself plenty of time to revise, and polish your essay as best you can to impress the admissions office with your achievements and individuality.

Remember everything you learned in school about brainstorming and outlining? Now’s the time to put it into action. If you brainstorm and outline a few different options to find the one that works best for you and that makes you feel the proudest of it, you’ll save yourself some time. A strong outline is the first step to a strong essay, and you won’t be losing hours and hours of work if you decide midway through that a prompt isn’t working for you.

Once you’ve settled on a topic and you have a firm idea of how you want to write it, it’s time to draft. Don’t worry about making your first draft perfect—nobody has to see it but you! Get your ideas out first, set them aside, and return to them after a few days to polish them into a state where you’re comfortable letting others see them.

#3: Seek Feedback

Now comes the hard part—letting other people give you feedback. Choose a few people you trust to give you honest and helpful advice on your essay, not just those who are going to tell you it looks great. When you receive feedback, don’t feel like it’s a personal attack or that you need to make every change people suggest—often, you can find a middle ground between readers not understanding what you meant and maintaining your own voice and writing style.

Revising is one of the most important steps in crafting a great essay. All that feedback you got in the previous step will help guide your next draft, giving you a roadmap to work from. Make notes on your draft, add and delete things, and read the whole thing aloud to make sure it flows well. Once you’re satisfied, put it away!

#5: Let It Rest

Letting your draft rest for a bit gives you some time to forget what you’ve written and come back to it with fresh eyes. When you read your essay for the first time in a while, you can start to see any errors that have crept in or any inconsistencies in your logic. Now that you’ve already gotten feedback and revised your essay, you can clean these last bits up and have an essay you’re really proud of!

What's Next?

If you're applying to FSU, you want to be sure that your standardized test scores are up to snuff. Whether you're taking the ACT or SAT , our guides will help you figure out where you are and where you need to be.

Part of college searching is figuring out what colleges you can afford and how much financial aid you'll need to cover. With our guide to FSU's tuition and financial aid , all your bases are covered!

Not sure if FSU is for you? Check out this list of other schools in Florida to find the college that suits you best.

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Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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FSU | Office of Admissions

Office of Admissions

Welcome counselors.

• Counselors Information

Contact List

Publications, meet our team, college fair, counselor portal (slate.org).

Slate.org is a free tool that allows high school and independent counselors to view their students' application status. Counselors are also able to upload official transcripts, add a school profile, and other documents through this portal.

To register, visit Slate.org and click the registration link in the center of the page. The first counselor to register from a school will be the designated person to manage permissions for that specific school. Click the following link for a video overview of how to register and manage your school's Slate.org profile .

Counselor Resources

Major information.

Major Comparisons

General Education Requirements

Programs of Study

Florida Counseling Handbook

The Florida Counseling for Future Education Handbook is a comprehensive academic advising resource made available annually by the Florida Department of Education to school counselors and advisors.

The handbook provides information regarding:

• Middle and high school progression and promotion requirements
• Career planning
• Florida college readiness initiatives
• Acceleration mechanisms
• Diploma designations
• Credit-by-examinations
• Financial aid
• Postsecondary degree programs and requirements

FAFSA Resources

Axs toolbox for counselors.

The AXS Toolbox is a free resource designed to empower counselors in assisting students through the Common App using AXS Companion , a 501(c)3, NACAC-approved platform.

The goals of AXS Companion and AXS Toolbox:

• Increase student success in completing Common App
• Streamline applications for students, counselors, and families
• Simplify the seemingly overwhelming application process with clear, easy-to-follow instructions
• Support high school counselors to save valuable time and onramp new staff

AXS Toolbox was created for counselors by counselors and contains customizable lesson plans & slides, video tutorials, interactive student worksheets, and a wealth of resources.

U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges 2023-2024

Among the Top 10 public universities in the nation

Including Medicine and Law

Deadlines and Decisions

While the application does not include Early Action as a deadline option, students who qualify as a Florida resident and who submit their application by October 15th and required materials by October 22nd will be added to the Early Action plan and receive an admissions decision on December 12, 2024 .

• At least one test score must be submitted before the application deadline, but additional tests may be considered if provided by these dates. Please note: FSU does not accept self-reported test scores from the Common App. Students should self-report their test scores on the Application Status Check using the Self-reported Test Scores form.
• February test scores are the last exam date that can be used for admissions purposes.
• Admissions decisions are made available through the Application Status Check .

Honors Application

To apply for the University Honors Program, on the admissions application students should select Yes to the question "Are you interested in applying to the University Honors Program?" By selecting Yes , the supplemental application will appear on the Application Status Check . For detailed instructions on how to complete your supplemental Honors Application, visit the Honors website . To be considered for the University Honors Program, you must complete the Honors Application by December 1, 2024 .

CARE Application

The Center for Academic Retention and Enhancement (CARE) at Florida State University is committed to the successful retention and graduation of undergraduate students who have been traditionally underrepresented in higher education.

CARE offers three programs to assist students in the transition from high school to college.

Summer Bridge Program

The CARE Summer Bridge Program (SBP) provides comprehensive orientation and academic support designed to ease the transition from high school to college while building a strong academic foundation for the student's start at FSU. After the first summer semester, students are supported in accomplishing academic and personal goals through graduation. Summer Bridge is designed for students in the State of Florida who are first-generation and have the support of the Federal Pell grant. The Summer Bridge Program comes with a $10,000 grant distributed throughout eight semesters in $1,250 increments at the beginning of each fall and spring semester.

Quest Scholars Program

Designed to invest in students for their success at FSU and beyond. QUEST Scholars can expect to have access to transition, academic and developmental services to thrive at Florida State and set the stage for a positive post-graduation experience. QUEST Scholars supports students who are first-generation or from select schools or communities. The QUEST Program comes with a $6,000 scholarship distributed throughout eight semesters in $750 increments at the beginning of each fall and spring semester. In addition, there is the opportunity to earn up to $2,000 (one-time award) in funding assistance for an experiential learning experience to support internships.

Illuminate Scholars

Illuminate Scholars exists to promote high levels of engagement in experiential learning, leadership development and personal growth. With the support of staff, students engage in workshops, receive individualized support and are assisted in gaining valuable skills for a thriving college life. The program focuses on students pursuing their bachelor's degree with support of the Federal Pell Grant. The Illuminate Scholars Program comes with a $6,000 scholarship distributed throughout eight semesters in $750 increments at the beginning of each fall and spring semester. In addition, there is the opportunity to earn up to $2,000 (one-time award) in funding assistance for an experiential learning experience to support internships.

Both Quest and Illuminate, are invitation only post-acceptance in to the university, however, the SBP does require a supplmental application as part of the application process. To apply for the CARE Summer Bridge Program, on the admissions application students should select Yes to the question "Are you interested in in the CARE Summer Bridge Program?" By selecting Yes , the supplemental application will appear on the Application Status Check . For detailed instructions on how to complete your supplemental CARE Application, visit the CARE website .

Application Fee & Waivers

Florida State University's first-year application fee is $30.

Students who qualify for an ACT, CollegeBoard, or NACAC application fee waiver or who meet other indicators of economic need may have the application fee waived by selecting the qualifying application fee waiver category on the admissions application.

What We're Looking For

Our application review process is a holistic and selective process, where no single criterion guarantees admission. Our holistic review process is centered on three of our institutional core values - Vires, Artes, Mores.

The first torch, Vires , is strength . Our focus in this area is rigor, grades, and courses taken while in high school. Each applicant is evaluated based upon the performance within the context of the student's academic environment.

Transcripts - GPA - Course Rigor - Test Scores - High School Profile

The second torch, Artes , is skill . We want to see how students use their out-of-classroom time, whether through sports, clubs, organizations, family responsibilities, employment, or other achievements.

Resume - Academic and Non-academic Involvement

The third torch, Mores , is character . We are taking the information students have shared with us to learn who they are, any formative experiences they may have had, and what their life goals may be.

Essay - Resume - High School and Neighborhood Context

Additional consideration will also be given to applicants applying to the CARE Summer Bridge Program, as well as exceptionally talented visual and performing artists and athletes.

Fall 2024 Admitted Student Profile

Academic Core GPA

Summer 2024 Admitted Student Profile

These ranges reflect the Middle 50% of students admitted to Florida State University in 2024. These are NOT minimum criteria, nor does falling within these ranges guarantee that a student will be admitted.

Test Score Information

The Florida Board of Governors sets the minimum eligibility requirements in the State University System (SUS). Satisfying these minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to Florida State University. Admission is selective, and admitted students typically exceed the minimum requirements.

Minimum Courses Required

English (4), Math (4), Natural Science (3), Social Science (3), World Language (2 sequential)

Average Courses Completed

by 2024 Accepted Students

The SSAR (Self-reported Student Academic Record)

All first-year applicants must complete a SSAR except :

• Applicants who have not followed an academic curriculum patterned after the U.S. system - must submit official or certified copies of all secondary school records and/or examination results. This includes students who have attended an institution not patterned after the U.S. system for any length of time. All academic records not in English must be accompanied by a certified English translation. In addition, these credentials must be evaluated by a credential evaluation agency. We recommend a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or International Education Credential Services provided by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
• GED graduates - students must submit their official GED transcript, along with official partial high school transcript(s).

The SSAR lists all courses and associated grades that have been attempted, or will be attempted, for high school and/or college credit. When creating their SSAR, students must have a copy of their high school transcript available to use as a reference to ensure their self-reported academic information is accurate. Students can link their Self-Reported Student Academic Record through their Application Status Check . Please allow one to two business days after linking for the checklist item to be satisfied.

For more information on the SSAR, please refer to our SSAR FAQ .

FSU, along with Florida's 11 other public universities, is subject to Florida Board of Governors admissions regulation 6.002 which requires first-year students seeking admission to submit an ACT, CLT, or SAT test score.

FSU does not accept self-reported test scores from the Common App. Students should self-report their test scores on the Application Status Page using the Self-reported Test Scores form.

At least one test score must be submitted before the application deadline, but additional tests may be considered if provided by the test score deadline. Since accuracy is critical, students must have a copy of their score report(s) available to reference when self-reporting their scores. We strongly recommend using your complete score report when completing the Self-reported Test Scores form. To complete this form, you must list at least one set of test scores. If admitted, student will be required to submit official test score reports prior to enrollment at FSU.

In May 2023, the Classic Learning Initiatives, Inc. published The Concordance Relationship Between the Classic Learning Test (CLT) and the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) , establishing a concordance table between the CLT and the SAT.

Essay & Resume

The essay and resume provide another opportunity to learn more about you.

The essay, a required component of the application, should be no longer than 650 words, and may be uploaded after the application has been submitted. Please choose a topic from the list below:

Application Essay Prompts

• Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
• The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?
• Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?
• Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?
• Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.
• Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?
• Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

The resume should be no longer than two pages, and may be uploaded after the application has been submitted. It should include a list of activities such as (but not limited to) service work, employment, family contributions such as caring for siblings or sick relatives, and extracurricular and summer activities.

Please allow 3-4 business days for us to pull your essay and resume/activities if you submitted your application through the Common App.

Earning both a High School Diploma and an Associate in Arts (AA) degree

A high school student earning both the standard high school diploma and an Associate in Arts (AA) degree through dual enrollment from the Florida College System or the State University System of Florida must apply to FSU as a first-year student. Applicants must adhere to the first-year admission deadlines. In addition, applicants may be subject to additional major deadlines/requirements. Carefully review all major requirements at Academic Program Guide .

Those students who are receiving an AA degree but do not meet the admissions requirements under the Florida Board of Governors Admission Regulation 6.002 , may be considered for admission under Florida Board of Governors Admission Regulation 6.005 . Students admitted under this regulation are first-time-in-college (FTIC) students although they are not required to submit ACT, CLT, or SAT scores. However, they should meet the requirements for their selected major as listed in FSU's Academic Program Guide . If admitted, they must submit a $200 enrollment deposit, attend a first-year orientation session, and are eligible to apply for on-campus housing. Admitted students without a test score are not eligible to be considered for first-year merit scholarships from the Office of Admissions. Students considered for admission under FL BOG 6.005 will be required to submit all official college transcript(s) for evaluation prior to an admission offer being made; they must also provide a final official college transcript displaying the A.A. before enrolling at FSU. Any FTIC student admitted under this regulation must immediately notify the Office of Admissions if they will not receive their degree. All first-year students admitted under this regulation who do not receive the Associate in Arts degree will have their offer of admission revoked.

University Housing

Students who have been admitted for the Summer or Fall term are eligible to complete a housing contract. The university housing contract opens in late February each year. Florida State has 18 residence halls in total; 14 of the residence halls are reserved for first-year students. Students may also want to consider applying to live in a Living-Learning Community (LLC). An LLC is a small group of students who live together, share an interest, and take one or two of their classes together - usually in a small classroom inside their residence hall. On campus housing is not required, but strongly encourage for first-year students. On-campus housing is limited, so we encourage admitted students to complete a contract as soon as possible if they are interested in living on campus. Students do not need to pay their admissions deposit to submit a university housing contract. The housing contract and pre-payment should be submitted as soon as possible, but no later than May 1st. To learn more, visit housing.fsu.edu .

FSU Online Educational Leadership / Administration Certificate

In our Educational Leadership/Administration certificate program , you will master a core of professional and theoretical knowledge and demonstrate skills in applied research and the practice of leadership. The program is approved by the Florida Department of Education, incorporates a core of professional knowledge, includes an experiential component, and facilitates mastery of the Florida Principal Leadership Standards in educational leadership. For more information, visit the College of Education certificate program website .

Please note: To be admitted to the program, you must be a Florida teacher with a current Florida professional teaching certificate and have at least two years of full-time PK-12 classroom teaching experience.

The Office of Admissions maintains a social media presence on X formally known as Twitter , Instagram , Facebook , and YouTube where we share information, engage with the community, and offer customer support.

Admissions resources, academic resources, student resources, fsu & tallahassee,   mailing address.

A2500 University Center 282 Champions Way Tallahassee, FL 32306-2400

  Email

Undergraduate - -->[email protected] --> Graduate - -->[email protected] -->

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Admissions - (850) 644-6200 Directory Assistance - (850) 644-2525

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Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Eastern Time

Florida State University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate, baccalaureate, master's, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees. Florida State University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels.

Questions about the accreditation of Florida State University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC's website ( www.sacscoc.org ).

Does FSU invite high stat students to accept honors college? Or does everyone that gets the freshmen scholarship have to apply? Is anyone automatically admitted?

I believe the only auto admits to the honors college are those who receive the Benacquisto scholarship, which is for National Merit Finalists. Everyone else must apply, and you are only allowed to apply if you receive the University Freshman Scholarship, the 100% Out of State Tuition Waiver or are a National Merit Semifinalist.

The FSU honors college webpage says admission to the honors college is by application only. I don’t believe there are auto admits.

@funfit , my daughter just received her admissions decision, and Searching2020 is correct - Benacquisto does include auto-admit into honors.

Congrats!!! That’s awesome. We got the freshmen scholarship so will fill out the application. Fingers crossed

@TrendaLeigh

I may have spoken too soon. I don’t believe honors is an auto admit. I believe our NMSF kids still need to do the honors application. Admittance is “guaranteed” but not automatic. I will be calling the honors office on Monday morning to double check this but just wanted to put it on your radar, just in case we might all be mistaken about this. I will come back and post her once I hear from FSU.

@amsunshine , thank you so much for the heads up! The phrasing is definitely open to interpretation, but I think you may be correct. She was looking for info on the Presidential Scholarship, and it seemed like it was tied into the Honors app somehow as well.

@TrendaLeigh Yes, you are correct. The Presidential is tied in with the Honors App anyway. I believe there may be an additional requirement for the Presidential, but in any event, I’ve already sent an email to the honors administrator and will post what I find out asap.

I hope someone will correct me if I’m wrong, but I was under the assumption that the Honors College application was used to choose the students that are brought in to interview for the Presidential Scholars program. In that case, so that you’d be under consideration for Presidential Scholars I can see why they’d want you to fill out the Honors College application even if you were already guaranteed admission to the Honors College. I’ve heard wonderful things about the Presidential Scholars program, it’s quite prestigious.

I finally was able to speak to someone in the honors office. It was a student, mind you, but she seemed to speak to someone who knew what they were talking about. She said the Benacquisto students are “auto” admitted to honors, but to be considered for the Presidential award, all students, including Benacquisto students, need to complete the honors application. So I suppose if your student is not interested in competing for the Presidential award, he/she would not need to do the application.

Daughter printed out the FSU Honors application so I could see it - wow, it’s fairly involved! Hoping she is selected to the Honors College. Fatigue has definitely set it for completing essays and applications lol.

Does anyone know what percent of freshmen scholarship winners, that fill out the honors application, get accepted?

The application is horrible, SEVEN ESSAYS. And no BS on any of them, they require you to link them all together, etc. It will take more work than most college applications; I know plenty of adults who would struggle with it. Also, it seems like they really don’t want you just because you are smart, they want you to be one of those kids who started a nonprofit at age 16, so if not, you’re SOL.

It’s bit frustrating.

S just submitted the Honors app and yes, it’s a doozy. It really requires students to reflect on who they are and what’s important to them.

I agree- very in depth. And students are only given just over two weeks to complete it! It’s almost cruel, especially since so many high school seniors are just completely fatigued from applications like this by now. I wish it was more like UF’s process- you apply to the Honors program concurrent to your regular application. I’m determined to get through it, but boy, I am feel the second-semester-senior-year drain.

I wonder if FSU Honors does this intentionally, so they get a truer response that does not have time to be over-edited.

S20 submitted his honors app yesterday. I do think FSU runs the honors program admission this way to narrow the candidates down to kids that have a strong possibility of committing. Why do all that work if FSU really isn’t a top contender for next year? And yes, those questions required some effort - certainly not the shoe-in honors apps at other schools. Happy to have this last push done as S20 is definitely burnt out at this point.

I wonder how many students are accepted to the honors program?

@funfit Seems like I saw somewhere that there were 400 or so in Honors but I can’t find that info now.

Florida State University | FSU

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Want to see your chances of admission at Florida State University | FSU?

We take every aspect of your personal profile into consideration when calculating your admissions chances.

Florida State University | FSU’s 2023-24 Essay Prompts

Common app personal essay.

The essay demonstrates your ability to write clearly and concisely on a selected topic and helps you distinguish yourself in your own voice. What do you want the readers of your application to know about you apart from courses, grades, and test scores? Choose the option that best helps you answer that question and write an essay of no more than 650 words, using the prompt to inspire and structure your response. Remember: 650 words is your limit, not your goal. Use the full range if you need it, but don‘t feel obligated to do so.

Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure. How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea. What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

Reflect on something that someone has done for you that has made you happy or thankful in a surprising way. How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time. Why does it captivate you? What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

Share an essay on any topic of your choice. It can be one you‘ve already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

What will first-time readers think of your college essay?

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The Honors Medical Scholars (HMS) program recruits students interested in medicine who demonstrate a high level of academic ability, a heart for service, and a sincere concern for vulnerable populations through volunteering . The program develops resilient and adaptable scholars, equipped with the knowledge, skills, and compassion to become medical students who reflect the values and mission of the College of Medicine with goals of becoming personally fulfilled interdependent, socially responsible individuals.

To qualify for consideration, you must have been accepted to Florida State University  and the Florida State University Honors Program. Your Honors Medical Scholars Program application will not be evaluated until you have have completed and submitted all necessary materials for the HMS application including letters of recommendation.

The application cycle for 2024 Admission will open in August 2023.  

The overall admission process and timeline is outlined below. 

TO BE ADMITTED TO THE HONORS MEDICAL SCHOLARS (HMS) PROGRAM, you must: 1)  Be admitted to FSU as a freshman for the following fall. 2)  Apply to and be accepted by the FSU Honors Program.  3)  Apply to the Honors Medical Scholars Program by January 15. 

• If you are interested in the program, we encourage you to apply to HMS before the deadline to avoid a late application. You may apply to HMS when you apply to the Honors Program. 
• Formal review of your HMS Program application occurs after you have been accepted to the FSU Honors Program.

4)  Complete an interview with the HMS program. 

• Interviews are by invitation only.
• Candidates will be notified of their interview in late February. 
• Interviews are conducted in late March. 

For additional information, go to: www.honors.fsu.edu Questions? Email us at [email protected]