Please encourage your student to use the following steps as a guide to the most important steps from initially applying to FGCU to the start of classes here at the University.

Step 1 Gather information and take a tour of the campus.
Step 2 Apply for admission to the university.
Step 3 Ask yourself the $12,000 question.
Step 4 Apply Early for Financial Aid.
Step 5 Register for Orientation.
Step 6 Apply for University Housing.
Step 7 Understand the FERPA laws.
Step 8 Understand how to pay for classes.
Step 9 Get final transcripts to the admissions office.

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Step 1
Gather information and take a tour of the campus.

http://www.fgcu.edu/info/campustour.asp

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Step 2
Apply for admission to the university.

This includes:
- Sending in your application or filling out our online application.
- Paying the $30 application fee.
- Sending in your High School transcripts
- Sending in your standardized test scores, ACT or SAT.
- Sending in any Dual-Enrollment transcripts from the college you completed the classes at (this only applies to students who participated in a Dual-Enrollment or Early Admission program while in High School).
- Sending in any transcripts from colleges you have completed, or will complete course work at.

Only after the university has received all of the documents it requires will your application be processed for admission.

Please visit the admissions website for more information - http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/admissions/

You may apply to the school one of three ways - http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/admissions/applyonline.htm

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Step 3
Ask yourself the $12,000 question.

Am I a Florida resident for tuition purposes? $12,000 is the difference between paying In-State and Out-of-State tuition. This can be a confusing question to answer because you may be considered a resident by the state of Florida, but you may not qualify for In-State tuition.

http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/admissions/residency.htm

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Step 4
Apply Early for Financial Aid.

One of the biggest worries for many parents is how they are going to pay for their student’s education. Many students qualify for Financial Aid but never apply for it. Please apply as early as possible to ensure consideration for as much aid as possible.

- You will need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available after January 1, 2005 - http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

- To be considered for FGCU scholarships, you will need to complete a separate application in the year in which you plan to start your studies. The online scholarship application is available between November 15, 2004 - March 15, 2005 https://itech.fgcu.edu/es-secured/financialaid/scholarships.asp

Visit the Financial Aid Website for more information.
http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/financialaid/

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Step 5
Register for Orientation.

Orientation is a very important step in the admissions process. At orientation students will be acclimated to the university for the first time. They will learn about the academic requirements of the university and pick out their classes for their first semester. This is their chance to make connections with other students that are starting at the university with them.

Parents we haven’t left you out. We have a great parent program to inform you about the many resources the university has to offer your student. We also inform you about what you can do to help your student, and answer any questions you may have.

Only after your student has been admitted to the university can they sign up for orientation.

To sign up for orientation please visit the orientation website.
http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/Orientation/

Housing for the overnight stay will be provided for students. Accommodations can be made for parents off campus. Please see the following web site for more information.
http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/Orientation/FreshmenTravelLodging.asp

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Step 6
Apply for University Housing

Living on campus truly adds to the college experience by putting your student at the heart of the University community.  On-campus living is enhanced by our Residence Life programs designed to help your student meet interesting people, form lasting friendships, become involved in campus activities, and make the most of their college experience.

Office of Housing & Residence Life
12101 FGCU Lake Parkway East
Fort Myers, FL  33965

Please visit the Office of Housing & Residence Life web site for information on our contemporary apartment-style residence halls, amenities, costs, application deadlines and cancellation policies.
http://studentservices.fgcu.edu/Housing/

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Step 7
Understand the FERPA laws.

The Office of the Registrar is responsible for ensuring the confidentiality of all student records. The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 guarantees students the right to protect information that is not classified as directory information by the federal law and University policy. For more information concerning FERPA and student records or parent rights, refer to the FERPA section:

http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/registration/ferpa.html

http://www.collegeparents.org/cpa/resource-current-campus-ferpa.html

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Step 8
Understand how to pay for classes.

After your student signs up for classes each semester, the fees are applied to their account. Your student can view their account balance in their Gulfline account. You should talk with your student about how they are going to let you know what the account balance is.

Classes must be paid for by the end of the first week of classes.

Important: The university does not send out a paper bill. Your student must obtain their account balance in their Gulfline account, or by visiting the Cashiers Office.

Cashiers Office - www.fgcu.edu/cashiers
Gulfline – http://gulfline.fgcu.edu
Academic Calendar - http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/registration/AcademicCalendar.htm

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Step 9
Get final transcripts to the admissions office.

After your student has been through orientation they should be ready to start classes. Your student was most likely admitted to the university on their preliminary high school transcripts. These transcripts were most likely sent to the university before your student graduated high school. This would mean that the transcript would not have their final grades or their graduation date on it.

The admission office needs a final transcript from the high school after your student graduates. Without this transcript your student will not be able to sign up for classes in the following term.

Also your students standardized test scores, ACT or SAT, must be turned into the admission office. Many times if your student had their test scores send to their high school when they took them, the high school will put the scores on their high school transcript. Test scores can be sent to us from the testing center directly if your student listed FGCU as one of the institutions where they wanted their scores sent. Additionally, test scores are sometimes listed on high school transcripts. If neither of these occur, we need official test scores sent to us from the testing center. 

This is also true of any college course work your student may have done in high school. The admissions office needs a final transcript from any college your student may have attended.

All of these transcripts must be official transcripts. This means that the transcript has not been opened; it must be turned in sealed.

http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/admissions/
http://enrollment.fgcu.edu/advising/AdmissionsOfficers.pdf

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