A Closer Look at Florida Colleges in Today’s Economy

Article by Kelli Smith

Students at Florida colleges can select from a robust network of colleges, universities, and technical schools and enjoy a wide range of program offerings. Numerous schools also provide established classroom-to-career transitional asistance. And that’s not all. Here’s why you need to give serious consideration to Florida universities. An Overview of Florida CollegeThe Florida College System reports that the state’s 28 colleges operate 183 sites around the state offering educational opportunities inside commuting distance to nearly all of Florida’s residents. The state awarded 76,445 degree and certificates in 2008-2009. The Florida College System also gives you a comprehensive view of the Florida university student. As of 2010, the state serves 867,308 students– 40 percent full-time and 60 percent component-time. The average student age is 25 and 60 percent of students are female whilst 43 percent are minorities. If you are planning on earning a bachelor’s degree, Florida’s State Pathways to Success report provides you some eye-opening statistics. According to the report, Florida’s 2 + 2 System–the state’s mixture of community college to four-year degree–guarantees you the chance to earn your bachelor’s degree right after completing your associate’s degree. Average Expenses and Financial Aid at Florida UniversitiesCentral Florida News 13 cites a report by The College Board that reveals the cost of attending Florida colleges and universities ranks third lowest in the nation, at an average tuition expense of ,886. One mitigating factor could be the annual monetary commitment of the Florida Lottery. The Lottery transferred much more than .24 billion to the Educational Enhancement Trust Funds in 2009-2010, adding to the billion in donations considering that its inception. With respect to monetary aid, The Florida Department of Education lists the following federal and state resources for students looking for assist funding their college education:

Pell GrantFederal Supplemental Education Chance GrantAcademic Competitiveness GrantNational SMART GrantTeacher Education Help for College and Higher EducationFlorida Student Help GrantFlorida Work Experience ProgramBright Futures ProgramHomeless students and monetary aidState Report Card for Colleges in FloridaHigher education in Florida makes the grade. In reality, the state report card is all the evidence you will need to know you’re in the correct atmosphere. A 2009 Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) State Data Exchange report showed that colleges in The Florida College System perform at the highest levels when compared to the other SREB member states in topics such as degree productivity and persistence, headcounts, funding, and faculty. The 411 on the State of FloridaAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the state’s 2009 population estimate is 18,537,969–fourth in the nation. Its main cities consist of Tallahassee, Jacksonville and the South Florida metropolitan area. Florida’s primary industries contain real estate, tourism, agriculture and fishing. Per capita income was ,780 in 2009.

About the Author

Kelli Smith writes about colleges and universities, community colleges, and online schools. Locate Florida Colleges at CollegesandUniversities.org.