Imagine an undergraduate experience that goes beyond the classroom. At New College of Florida (NCF) you are prepared to make your mark on the world through practice-based learning. You may find yourself tagging sharks in the Sarasota Bay, collaborating with a global team to define the future of urban spaces, or composing music for world-class musicians.
New College of Florida is the State of Florida’s independent, public honors college, and its entire campus is dedicated to transforming your curiosity and passion for learning into personal and academic achievement. New College is home to around 800 students who live and learn together on its residential campus located along the Gulf of Mexico in Sarasota, Florida.
The College’s 90+ full-time faculty members engage their students in interdisciplinary research, lead them to discover new ideas, and support their independent goals. New College believes in empowering its students to seek out and fulfill their passions within a culture of discovery. It is a community of fearless learners preparing tomorrow’s leaders.
Chart Your Course
At NCF, you will tailor your college experience to who you are as an individual and your goals for the future. Your professors will be with you every step of the way — helping you create a course of study that’s right for you, providing you with one-on-one mentoring, supervising your research, and advising you on your senior thesis. NCF focuses on your individual strengths and abilities, which is why it goes beyond traditional letter grades. Instead, your professors provide detailed performance evaluations every semester that highlight the tangible skills you’ve acquired and help you grow and develop as a student.
Culture of Discovery
At NCF, its goal is to turn your passion into accomplishment. Instead of choosing classes that conform to a core curriculum, you’ll work with your faculty advisor and develop a contract that outlines your personal academic goals each semester. Your contract is not limited to course work. It is a comprehensive overview of the many ways you can put your passion into practice, including research projects, internships, and study abroad.
NCF’s innovative contract system gives you the flexibility and freedom to explore your interests and discover new passions alongside other students who are actively engaged with topics that genuinely excite them. The College offers 35 areas of concentrations (majors). You can combine two areas or work with your advisor to design an interdisciplinary concentration, such as Computational Biochemistry or Creative Technologies.
Cross-College Alliance
A New College education extends beyond its bayfront campus. As a member of the Cross- College Alliance, NCF offers its students the opportunity to enroll in courses at the other member institutions: Ringling College of Art + Design, University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee, The Ringling Museum (Florida State University), and State College of Florida. Are you interested in animation? Take a 3D design class at Ringling College. Do you want to supplement your degree with a programming certificate? Enroll for a course at State College of Florida. You can get the skills you need to thrive at New College and beyond without any additional application materials or tuition.
Focused on Your Future
Your career trajectory should be as tailormade as your education. The nationally certified career advisors at the Center for Career Engagement and Opportunity will help prepare you to thrive in today’s evolving job market. They host career prep workshops, assist you with applications to internships and fellowships, and can connect you with peer and alumni mentors. You’ll have access to the Handshake career management portal, and the CEO staff is there to help you find potential employers. If you are considering graduate school, the CEO has all of the information you need for the required entrance exams and applications. NCF also has pre-med, pre-law, and MBA advisors who can help you navigate the application process.
Affordable Price
Your life after college should be focused on moving forward, not on how the burden of debt is holding you back. Because NCF is a public college, its in-state tuition and fees are significantly lower than those of private schools. Florida ranks as the 8th best state for low student loan debt, and NCF graduates have the second lowest average debt compared to their peers at all of the other state universities in Florida.* The College offers a full array of scholarships and grants, and over 90 percent of its students receive some sort of financial aid.
*Calculated for the class of 2017 by The Institute for College Access & Success