Anonymous wrote:People here VASTLY overestimate the effect local politics has on a college’s applicants. Have Texas and Rice suffered? Most DCUMers would donate a kidney to get into Rice. They’ve been conservative forever. When Michigan and Pennsylvania went for Trump, did that negatively impact apps to UMichigan or Penn or CMU or Swarthmore? People flood Duke and UNCCH and Davidson. Why do you think Florida is somehow the one place people would avoid going because of its politic?

+1.

The peer group one year behind DD is applying for college now. Between DD’s year and this year, there are several kids I know from moderately liberal families who are attending or are applying to SEC/Southern ACC schools for sun and fun, sports and Greek, good academics, reasonable cost. Alabama and UGA seem very popular, plus GT, NC State and Clemson engineering and CS. (UNC also, but it’s an almost impossible admit). App State in NC is fun without the sun and also popular. Red states (or purple for NC) per se aren’t scaring them away.

But, these families are steering clear of FL state colleges (and would normally have considered U of FL/ Miami a few years ago) because of concerns over what DeSantis did at New College and because he is acively directing policy, eliminating tenure, limiting what can be taught Etc. And faculty are starting to leave U of FL over DeSantis’s policies.

But, the big concern is not only what things look like in 2024, but where U if FL will be 3-5 years from now if DeSantis keeps interfering with the FL State college system or if Matt Gaetz runs for governor. And what the ROI will look like in 5-10 years if he continues to make social and academic policy at U FL and Miami.

These are parents who are pretty savvy about college admissions.

My kids looked at smaller schools. But FL state schools would concern me. My personal opinion is that governors should be more hands off with state colleges and let the Board of Governors do their jobs. State colleges should have stability and make decisions are free from politics and the culture wars as possible. It isn’t good for a college to have big policy changes every 4 years as administrations come and go. Not a Youngkin fan, but I’m very glad he hasn’t pulled a DeSantis with VA state colleges. VA has excellent state colleges and I will begrudgingly give him credit for not fixing what isn’t broken. DeSantis is actively breaking things. Maybe you like the direction he’s going. But if DeSantis can make huge changes on things like majors and classes feared and tenure, so can the next Governor.

Please. These are the same libs that avoid their own school district like the plague.

Do as I say, not as I do.

The people who say they will boycott colleges in Florida, Texas, NC, whatever,
are the same who threatened to leave the country if Trump (or fill in the name of whichever Republican was running in various years) won the election. Well, surprise, surprise, surprise—they are all still here.

And our less people applying to the Elite schools with all the backlash of anti-semitism, reverse racism and ultra-wokeness?

Christ no. People are flooding into Florida, including college students. Acceptance rates have plummeted at UF, FSU and Miami and are below 25% at all three schools now. Florida has become so attractive to young people that even formerly backyard commuter schools with open enrollment line UCF and USF have become highly selective. Last I checked both had acceptance rates in the 35-40% range. I expect to see FAU and FGCU become more competitive in the next few years, as well. And then there's New College in Sarasota, the erstwhile woke cesspool that was near bankruptcy with a dwindling enrollment. SJWs went nuts when Captain Ron decided to reform it into a respectable institute of higher learning. Well, New College just enrolled its largest freshman class ever this fall. Ignore the haters. Florida higher education is thriving.

People here VASTLY overestimate the effect local politics has on a college’s applicants. Have Texas and Rice suffered? Most DCUMers would donate a kidney to get into Rice. They’ve been conservative forever. When Michigan and Pennsylvania went for Trump, did that negatively impact apps to UMichigan or Penn or CMU or Swarthmore? People flood Duke and UNCCH and Davidson. Why do you think Florida is somehow the one place people would avoid going because of its politic?

Clearly a troll post, but this is not happening.

The reason northerners "avoid" Florida colleges is that with the exceptions of UF and maybe Florida State for NMS they always have better and cheaper choices in their home state.

It's not a political, religious, or ethically based choice. No matter how much you trolls wish it were.

The number one reason kids from the north DO choose a Florida college is the same reason everyone who moves to Florida does: the weather.

Anonymous wrote:Never a hard admit. Now easier. Most intelligent kids prefer to go to schools in states where alternative facts are shunned and true science and reason reign.

Cool story.

Never a hard admit. Now easier. Most intelligent kids prefer to go to schools in states where alternative facts are shunned and true science and reason reign.

The most liberal family on our block just sent a kid to Florida this year. They are thrilled with the school and community culture.

A small minority of liberals are avoiding FL, probably not in numbers that would move the needle much.

Anonymous wrote:The most wacky libs, the ones who would be most affected by this, have always looked upon the South with fear and loathing. So, no, this will not significantly affect Fl applications.

+1

The most wacky libs, the ones who would be most affected by this, have always looked upon the South with fear and loathing. So, no, this will not significantly affect Fl applications.

This is what I’m hearing, but I’m not sure if it’s wishful thinking or a real thing.

Any insight?

From what I’m seeing, plenty of northerners are flocking to southern schools—including SEC universities.

What are you seeing in the latest round of applications and admissions?