FL Bright Futures questions--

[distancia]

Help! I am hearing two conflicting answers and I don't know which is correct.

 

My daughter is a high-school senior. She has been taking dual-enrollment courses. She is almost at 30 credits (and will be at 37 by July!!).

 

With the two colleges she has applied to and the four colleges she has toured, all in-state, the admissions reps AND transcript/registrar personnel said that she is to be considered a FTIC student--that is, First-Time-in-College Freshman. Even if she were to come in with 45 credit hours; if they were earned while she was in high school, she is still considered a FTIC Freshman and she will have to live in the Freshman dorms and take The Freshman Experience courses, etc. though her credit count can put into Sophomore level. The criteria for a NON-FTIC student is to have completed >12 credit hours after high school graduation. Here is the Fl.State Statute: http://www.flbog.edu/documents_regulations/regulations/6%20002%20Admission%20of%20Undergraduate%20FTIC%20Frehsmen%20(mv%20edits).pdf

 

HOWEVER, when I go to the Bright Futures application https://www.floridastudentfinancialaidsg.org/ua/SAWSTUA_Application_Essentials.asp#Classification, it says that a rising Freshman who has taken any college classes is NOT considered a FTIC, but a Freshman with Previous College experience and is to provide a college GPA.

 

When I called Bright Futures about this conflicting info, I was told that DE students are considered enrolled college students and must supply college GPAs (?) but AP students, even those with the equivalent of 30 or 40 transferrable college credit hours are considered FTIC students and do not need to supply a college GPA (obviously). They are evaluated solely on high-school transcripts.

 

1) Does anyone know for a fact what is what?

 

2) Does that mean that my child's BF award will be evaluated based upon college GPA instead of Home Educated criteria (which is basically SAT scores and volunteer hour fulfillment). If this were the case, it would seem like my child should be classified as a Transfer student or Sophomore. This seems more like a Transfer student requirement. Also, if I do it this way, it will DISqualify my daughter from receiving other FTIC scholarships in college.

 

Thanks for helping me out with this headache!

Edited January 31, 2011 by distancia

[FloridaLisa]

Is your dd registered as a homeschooler under the county or is she under an umbrella school? If the former, she can qualify for Bright Futures based only on her SAT/ACT scores (and volunteer hours). Grades and classes do not matter. If she is under an umbrella school, then she would apply for BF pursuant to the private school/public school rules: GPA, plus (lower) SAT/ACT score, plus volunteer hours.

 

Does that help?

Lisa

[distancia]

Yes, it helps--inasmuch as she is registered with the county (and the FL DOE) as a home-educated student, no umbrella school. I am her Principal and I sign her dual-enrollment papers as such.

 

But the other, bigger question is: why are the BF reps insisting that my daughter be considered a Freshman with Previous College? I have told them over and over again that she is a high school student, not yet graduated, and she is taking dual-enrollment classes. They answer by telling me that this makes her a College Freshman and she is NOT an FTIC student. Clearly they have not read the Fl Statute.

 

Here is the quote from the BF criteria--

 

Freshman (first time in college) – An undergraduate student who is currently graduating from high school, an applicant who has taken the GED, or a home schooled graduate, all of whom will be attending college for the first time.

 

Freshman (with previous college) – An undergraduate student who will be attending the first year of college and has completed college coursework (dual enrollment classes while in high school or other college credits earned). Please note: if "Freshman (with previous college)" is selected, you are required to provide the name of the previous college attended and your college grade point average (GPA).

 

So, do I have her college transcripts (from 3 different colleges) sent to the BF office? Her grades and GPA are fine; but what is worrying me is that they well classify her as a Freshman with Previous College (meaning, a NON-FTIC) which invalidates her opportunity at state college scholarships, which she qualifies for according to Fl Statutes.

Edited January 31, 2011 by distancia
Is there a lawyer in the house? Ooops, I've got one as a spouse and he says to ask others how they did it!

[FloridaLisa]

Hmmm. I pulled the BF application I completed for my ds and I did mark him as freshman with previous college. BUT, he only had to meet the requirements for a homeschooler. I think BF requires the college grades to make sure that private and public school students have met the GPA requirement. Since GPA is entirely irrelevant to a home educated student (whether the grades were given by FLVS or through dual enrollment), grades are not required. I didn't send in any grades, just a copy of the volunteer hours and my ds' app was approved by the next day. (I completed it in the wee hours one night.)

 

Beverly is the home school BF coordinator at the FLDOE. Have you spoken to her? She should be able to answer you.

 

Also, was your dd registered with the county as a home educated student for her 11th and 12th grade years? If she wasn't registered during her 11th grade year, you may have to comply with the public/private school requirements.

 

HTH,

Lisa

[distancia]

Hi, Lisa (and any other FL parents following this thread)--

 

Yep, that helps a lot. I have a call in to Beverly.

 

About the homeschooling in 11th grade, I think we qualify. DD began 11th grade in public school; she became so severely ill that fall so we eventually withdrew her on December 2, 2009. This was towards the end of the first semester. Since she never completed the entire semester (Aug 2009-Jan 15 2010) the county considered it as as if she had never attended the public high school at all! Last year I went down to the School Board to retrieve her transcripts and there was nothing from 11th grade, they had been deleted from the county computer; all she has is grades from 9th and 10th grade. So I guess the bottom line is: she was home-schooled for 11th grade, because there are no records to indicate anything else.

 

Thanks for looking over your BF app for your son. I appreciate you taking the time to do so.

Edited February 1, 2011 by distancia

[FloridaLisa]

If you don't mind, I'd love to know the answer that Beverly gives you. I have a few other kids coming up the pike (though I wonder whether Bright Futures will be around for them!).

 

Thanks,

Lisa