First-Time-In-College Students (FTIC), are defined as students who have earned a high school
diploma or its equivalent and who have earned no more than eleven (11) semester hours of
transferrable credit after high school graduation.
A FTIC student must be a graduate of an accredited high school and have completed 18 Carnegie
units which are year-long courses and not remedial in nature. FGCU recalculates the student's
high school grade point average using grades in the following: 4 units of English (at least three
with substantial writing); 3 units of mathematics at the level of algebra I or higher (algebra A, B
is equivalent to one unit of algebra I); 3 units of natural science (at least two with a laboratory);
3 units of social science (includes history, political science, economics, psychology, and sociology);
2 units of one foreign language (American Sign Language can substitute for a foreign language);
and 3 academic electives. One point will be added for credits earned in Advanced Placement (AP),
International Baccalaureate (IB), Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) courses
and Dual Enrollment courses for grades of D or higher. One half unit will be added for honors
courses, Pre-AICE and Pre-IB for grades of D or higher.
Academic and elective courses are listed in the Counseling for Future Education Handbook
published by the Florida Department of Education. Initial application review is based on high
school grade point average in the academic units and performance on one standardized
admission test. Acceptable tests include the SAT, SAT-I, ACT, or the E-ACT. Students who
graduate from high school in 2006 or later must submit the new SAT with the writing test
or an ACT with the writing test.
First-time-in-college students are considered for admission to FGCU based on the following:
- A 3.0 (recalculated) grade point average on a 4.0 scale paired with one of the
standardized admission tests. Subsections of each test must be above minimum/remedial
levels, as determined by the Florida Board of Governors and the State Board of Education.
(Currently the remedial levels are: SAT Reasoning revised Critical Reading score of 440,
Math score of 440 or enhanced ACT minimum score of 17 for English, 19 for Math,
and 18 for Reading.) In addition, students who submit SAT scores must achieve a minimum
of 440 on the SAT Writing sub section.
- A combination of high school GPA and admission test score as indicated in the scale below
based on the State University System Minimum Freshman Eligibility Index for Admission
Consideration (subsections of each test must be above minimum/remedial levels as
described above):
| High School GPA |
ACT Composite |
*SAT Reasoning (Total of Critical Reading, Writing, and Math) |
| 2.0 |
25 |
1680 |
| 2.1 |
24 |
1620 |
| 2.2 |
24 |
1620 |
| 2.3 |
23 |
1560 |
| 2.4 |
22 |
1510 |
| 2.5 |
21 |
1450 |
| 2.6 |
21 |
1450 |
| 2.7 |
21 |
1450 |
| 2.8 |
21 |
1450 |
| 2.9 |
20 |
1390 |
* SAT taken after incorporation of the SAT Writing section
A freshman applicant who meets the State University System Minimum Freshman Eligibility
Index for Admission Consideration is not guaranteed admission to the University, even
though everything possible will be done to admit all qualified applicants who apply by
specified application deadlines. However, if the number of qualified freshman applicants
exceeds the number the University can enroll; admission will be on a selective basis.
Talented Twenty
Any student ranked in the top 20% of their Florida public high school and has passed all academic
units required, may be admissible to FGCU and admitted on a space available basis
Non-traditional program of study
Any applicant who completed a non-traditional high school program of study which is not
measured in Carnegie Units such as home schooling or a student who presents a General
Equivalency Diploma (GED) instead of a standard high school diploma may not qualify for
admission based on the criteria listed above. Instead, the applicant must present a score
of at least 1450 on the re-centered SAT I (Critical Reading + Math+ Writing) or a 21
composite on the E-ACT. Sub-sections of each test must be above the minimum/remedial
levels as described above.
Profile Assessment
A student applying for admission who does not meet these requirements may be eligible for admission through a student profile assessment, which considers additional factors, including, but not limited to, the following: family educational background, socioeconomic status, graduation from a low-performing high school, graduation from an international baccalaureate program, the length of time since high school graduation, geographic location, and special talents. These additional factors shall not include preferences in the admissions process for applicants on the basis of race, national origin or sex. These students may be admitted if, in the judgment of the Admissions Appeal Committee, there is sufficient evidence that the student can be expected to succeed at the institution.
The number of FTIC students admitted each year through profile assessment shall not exceed 10% of the total number of admitted FTIC students. Students admitted though profile assessment shall be monitored and provided a learning plan to help ensure that their retention and graduation rates remain at or near the institution's average. Each year a report will be provided to the Board of Trustees reviewing the success of these students.
