Sarasota, FL · Public · 843 undergraduates · urban
New College of Florida
Moderately selective
The semester-by-semester academic contract makes individualized planning a formal requirement rather than an informal advising option.
Institutional profile
Highly regarded Exceptional in affordability, and strong in career outcomes.- Admission
- 74% admitted
- Price by income
- Resident and nonresident prices differ
- Completion
- 67.3%
2,119 applicants in the reported year
Compare recent average annual costs by household income
$48,082 median earnings 10 years after enrollment
What sets New College of Florida apart
Academic design
Each semester, students develop a written academic contract with a faculty adviser covering courses, tutorials, internships, projects, and goals. Faculty provide narrative evaluations alongside satisfactory-performance designations, and January ISP projects give students additional space for research, internships, travel, or creative work.
Campus pattern
The small Sarasota setting reinforces a highly self-directed academic culture in which faculty advising and self-originated projects carry unusual weight. January ISPs temporarily replace the normal course rhythm with concentrated individual or collaborative work.
Defining feature
The semester-by-semester academic contract makes individualized planning a formal requirement rather than an informal advising option.
Can I get in?
74% admitted
Start with academic preparation, then show why this particular academic and campus environment fits you.
Recent applicant pool
2,119About 74 in every 100 applicants were admitted.
Academic range
Of admitted students, 74% submitted an SAT, and 38% submitted an ACT. Use your score when it adds strength to the application; withhold it when it does not.
In the season card
Where your GPA sits in the entering class
The full entering-class GPA distribution for New College of Florida, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.
See where I landIn the season card
What New College of Florida weighs when it reads a file
See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.
- Course rigor
- GPA
- Test scores
- Essay
- Recommendations
- Extracurriculars
- Demonstrated interest
What moves the application
The evidence that separates a strong file
Show preparation for this curriculum
Each semester, students develop a written academic contract with a faculty adviser covering courses, tutorials, internships, projects, and goals. Faculty provide narrative evaluations alongside satisfactory-performance designations, and January ISP projects give students additional space for research, internships, travel, or creative work.
Make the fit specific
Self-directed students who want close faculty advising and would rather design an academic path around questions and projects than follow a rigid sequence of requirements.
Account for the tradeoff
The freedom of individualized contracts places more responsibility on students to plan, document, and complete a coherent education.
How to apply
Rounds, route, and required materials
Build the calendar around the earliest realistic application round and make the school-specific case concrete.
Check eligibility for a fee waiver
Can I afford it?
Compare annual cost by household income.
Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.
In the season card
Average annual cost by household income at New College of Florida
Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.
- $0–30k
- $30–48k
- $48–75k
- $75–110k
- $110k+
Is it worth it?
Completion, debt, and earnings
The semester-by-semester academic contract makes individualized planning a formal requirement rather than an informal advising option.
Degree completion across the reported entering cohort
First-year students who return for year two
And what that comes to against what they earn.
Reported 10 years after enrollment
Academic portfolio
Largest bachelor’s fields
How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Biological and Physical Sciences
Natural Resources Conservation and Research
International/Globalization Studies
Linguistic, Comparative, and Related Language Studies and Services
What is campus life like?
New College of Florida beyond the classroom
The small Sarasota setting reinforces a highly self-directed academic culture in which faculty advising and self-originated projects carry unusual weight. January ISPs temporarily replace the normal course rhythm with concentrated individual or collaborative work.
A defining academic feature
Each semester, students develop a written academic contract with a faculty adviser covering courses, tutorials, internships, projects, and goals. Faculty provide narrative evaluations alongside satisfactory-performance designations, and January ISP projects give students additional space for research, internships, travel, or creative work.
What shapes an ordinary week
The small Sarasota setting reinforces a highly self-directed academic culture in which faculty advising and self-originated projects carry unusual weight. January ISPs temporarily replace the normal course rhythm with concentrated individual or collaborative work.
What changes the experience
The semester-by-semester academic contract makes individualized planning a formal requirement rather than an informal advising option.