Colleges in Florida With High Acceptance Rates
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- Ten four-year colleges in Florida have acceptance rates of 80% or higher.
- Four Florida schools admit over 90% of all applicants.
- Florida's public community colleges accept 100% of applicants and award bachelor's degrees.
- It's still important to submit strong applications to schools with high acceptance rates.
Is applying for college stressing you out? Take some of the pressure off by applying to Florida colleges with the highest acceptance rates.
While the hardest schools to get into in Florida accept only 1 in 5 students, the easiest Florida schools to get into accept at least 4 out of 5. And some colleges even accept anyone who applies.
Learn which Florida schools top the list of colleges with the highest acceptance rates and find out how you can boost your odds of admission below.
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10 Florida Colleges With the Highest Acceptance Rates
Ten four-year Florida colleges have admission rates over 80%. And if you want a really sure bet when applying, one private college in Florida actually admits 100% of all prospective students.
- Ana G. Mendez University: 100%
- Palm Beach Atlantic University: 95%
- Stetson University: 94%
- Florida Institute of Technology-Online: 92%
- Bethune-Cookman University: 85%
- Edward Waters University: 84%
- Flagler College: 81%
- Florida Atlantic University: 81%
- Lynn University: 80%
- Saint Leo University: 80%
List of All Colleges in Florida With High Acceptance Rates
We've created a complete list of all four-year nonprofit universities in Florida with acceptance rates of 50% and higher. You can use the table below to compare data on acceptance rates, number of applicants, and median SAT/ACT scores.
The following school data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). All data is from 2022. Schools with fewer than 500 undergraduates were not included in this list.
| School | Acceptance Rate | Number of Applicants | Median SAT/ACT Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ana G. Mendez University | 100% | N/A | N/A |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University | 95% | 6,220 | SAT: 1110 ACT: 23 |
| Stetson University | 94% | 7,344 | SAT: 1190 ACT: 26 |
| Florida Institute of Technology-Online | 92% | 113 | N/A |
| Bethune-Cookman University | 85% | 12,818 | SAT: 900 ACT: 16 |
| Edward Waters University | 84% | 8,988 | N/A |
| Flagler College | 81% | 5,416 | SAT: 1140 ACT: 25 |
| Florida Atlantic University | 81% | 24,268 | SAT: 1110 ACT: 22 |
| Lynn University | 80% | 7,843 | SAT: 1100 ACT: 24 |
| Saint Leo University | 80% | 6,928 | SAT: 1080 ACT: 23 |
| Nova Southeastern University | 76% | 16,789 | SAT: 1170 ACT: 23 |
| New College of Florida | 75% | 1,830 | SAT: 1230 ACT: 26 |
| Florida Gulf Coast University | 74% | 15,657 | SAT: 1110 ACT: 22 |
| University of North Florida | 71% | 19,744 | SAT: 1110 ACT: 21 |
| Everglades University | 70% | 779 | N/A |
| Florida Memorial University | 70% | 11,931 | N/A |
| Eckerd College | 65% | 5,549 | SAT: 1230 ACT: 26 |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Daytona Beach | 65% | 9,875 | SAT: 1230 ACT: 26 |
| Ringling College of Art and Design | 65% | 2,462 | N/A |
| St. Thomas University | 65% | 7,520 | N/A |
| University of Florida Online | 65% | 1,499 | SAT: 1320 ACT: 29 |
| Florida Institute of Technology | 64% | 13,941 | SAT: 1210 ACT: 25 |
| Florida International University | 64% | 17,343 | SAT: 1150 ACT: 24 |
| Southeastern University | 61% | 2,182 | N/A |
| Barry University | 60% | 13,225 | N/A |
| Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide | 58% | 1,668 | SAT: 1220 ACT: 27 |
| Jacksonville University | 58% | 9,119 | SAT: 1150 ACT: 24 |
| Florida Southern College | 57% | 11,120 | SAT: 1180 ACT: 26 |
| Florida Polytechnic University | 56% | 2,779 | SAT: 1280 ACT: 28 |
| Warner University | 55% | 1,372 | SAT: 960 ACT: 18 |
| Beacon College | 52% | 416 | N/A |
| Rollins College | 50% | 9,022 | SAT: 1250 ACT: 27 |
How Does Open Admission Work in Florida?
Schools with open admissions policies typically admit anyone who applies, as long as they have a high school diploma or GED certificate. You don't need to meet a GPA threshold or submit standardized test scores to get in.
Like in many other states, Florida's 50 community colleges — public, two-year colleges that primarily award associate degrees — all have an open admissions policy. Hoping to get a bachelor's degree at an open admission school? You're in luck — unlike many other states, Florida allows its community colleges to offer bachelor's programs.
Some private four-year colleges in Florida also follow an open admissions policy, like Ana G. Mendez University.
Colleges With Open Admission in Florida
All 28 schools in the Florida College System have open admissions policies.
- Broward College
- Chipola College
- College of Central Florida
- Daytona State College
- Eastern Florida State College
- Florida Gateway College
- The College of the Florida Keys
- Florida SouthWestern State College
- Florida State College at Jacksonville
- Gulf Coast State College
- Hillsborough Community College
- Indian River State College
- Lake-Sumter State College
- Miami Dade College
- North Florida College
- Northwest Florida State College
- Palm Beach State College
- Pasco-Hernando State College
- Pensacola State College
- Polk State College
- St. Johns River State College
- St. Petersburg College
- Santa Fe College
- Seminole State College of Florida
- South Florida State College
- State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota
- Tallahassee Community College
- Valencia College
How to Boost Your Florida College Admission Odds
For peace of mind, you should still aim to have a strong college application even if the school has a high acceptance rate.
Here are a few ways to make sure you have the best odds of getting in:
- See if the school considers letters of recommendation and ask close teachers, coaches, or mentors to write on your behalf.
- Avoid common college application mistakes such as missing deadlines.
- Write a compelling college application essay or personal statement if the school gives you the option to include one in your application. Submitting an essay when others don't is an easy way to stand out.
Frequently Asked Questions About Acceptance Rates for Florida Colleges
What colleges in Florida have a 100% acceptance rate?
The 28 schools in the Florida College System all have a 100% acceptance rate thanks to their open admissions policies. Some popular options in this system include North Florida College, Miami Dade College, and Florida Gateway College. Florida's community colleges also have open admissions policies.
What Florida college is the easiest to get into?
Colleges in Florida that have an open admissions policy are the easiest to get into as they accept all applicants with a high school diploma or GED certificate. Community colleges in Florida all have a 100% admission rate and award bachelor's degrees as well as associate degrees.
What is the hardest college to get into in Florida?
The University of Miami is the hardest college to get into in Florida. As of 2022, the school accepted only 19% of applicants, according to NCES data. First-time students had a median SAT score of 1390 and an ACT score of 32. The school also requires a personal statement and recommendation letters.
Is the University of Florida hard to get into?
The University of Florida has a 23% acceptance rate, according to 2022 NCES data, which means it may be challenging to get into. The median SAT score of enrolled first-time students was 1390 in 2022, and the median ACT score was 31.
Is FSU hard to get into?
Florida State University (FSU) may be hard to get into depending on your high school GPA, standardized test scores, and other facets of your application.
FSU accepted 25% of all applicants in 2022, according to NCES data. Enrolled first-time students had median SAT/ACT scores of 1290 and 29, respectively.
