As previously discussed in our last blog, “Is The Bloom Off the Rose?”, the prices of tuition are still rising. Because of this, college tuition-paying parents are in need of any kind of shortcut to help reduce this financial burden. In past blogs, we have discussed regional compacts, opting for a 3-year plan versus 4-years, and highlighting the many merit scholarships that exist. Luckily, The College Sage is at the rescue with another great idea for all those strong students who may have Granny or Gramps living in the Sunshine State!
That’s right - we said grandparents! If you are unfamiliar with the “grandparent waiver” granted by Florida Statutes, it enables out-of-state applicants to 12 Florida universities including the University of Florida and Florida State University to apply for in-state tuition. If your student is interested in applying to UF, FSU or another of the Florida universities covered by this statute and also has a grandparent who is a legal resident of the state of Florida (qualifications outlined here http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=1000-1099/1009/Sections/1009.21.html ) then you may qualify for in-state tuition! In addition, students must also first submit an application via the Common App and have an SAT (or ACT equivalent) score in the 89th percentile or higher.
How do I know if my score is in the 89th percentile? Well, we used our handy friend, “The College Board” to locate the lowest possible SAT score you can receive to still qualify for in-state tuition. (link: https://research.collegeboard.org/reports/sat-suite/understanding-scores/sat)
One piece of information that may be confusing is the difference between the National and the User groups. For the purpose of this article, we will be using the data from the User group, as it draws SAT scores from the past three years taken by students who preferred the SAT over the ACT. According to the data, the SAT lowest score that would still qualify for the 89th percentile would be about a 1340. Now we want to see what the ACT conversion score would be. Using the Princeton Review’s Score Conversion Table, a 1340 on the SAT would convert to a 29 on the ACT. (link: https://www.princetonreview.com/college-advice/act-to-sat-conversion)
If you have a grandparent living in Florida and have scored in the 89th percentile on either the SAT or the ACT, then you qualify to apply for in-state tuition at 12 Florida universities! Shortcuts like this can be extremely helpful for families unable to afford the rising prices of college tuition and are a great way to help your child attend the school of their dreams. We estimate that there are about 60 waivers given out annually at each UF and FSU, but you better apply strong and apply early. These waivers are extended on a first-come, first-serve basis. That’s why you need to contact thecollegesage.com! Our fees are often offset by students securing scholarships or funding they otherwise wouldn’t even know about. So pull out those sunglasses and call us now … because it’s cool to go to your dream school!
