Florida’s newest public university wants to admit its first class by August 2014. The school made its case before the Florida Board of Governors Wednesday.
Florida Polytechnic University is not eligible for federal financial aid until it’s accredited. That’s not set to happen until 2016. Board of Governors members like Chairman Dean Colson question whether the school can recruit the 500 students it wants for its inaugural class, and retain them.
"You’re first year class is not going to pay tuition. They’re going to get Bright Futures...but other than that, they’ll be subsidized by the university. Is that for the entire four years, or just the first year?” He said.
The school’s Chief Operating Officer Ava Parker says Polytech is still looking into the issue and trying to raise money for scholarships. The school wants students with a 3.9 GPA and 1790 on their SAT’s. But it will have to compete with other, more established institutions for those students.
