<p>My son is one of the “intrepid” students there, in his freshman year as a computer engineering major. He also applied to UCF and Florida Tech. Chose Florida Poly because of its STEM curriculum, small class sizes and the general energy/attitude of the other students, faculty and administration (not to mention a generous scholarship). The school met its first year enrollment goal of over 550 students, and has since received over 12,000 inquiries from students thinking of coming there in the next few years. Accreditation is on track and will happen. </p>
<p>My son loves it there, as do his new-found friends and roommates. There is an air of excitement - not just about being among the first there, but also about the curriculum and faculty. He says his professors are “young and fun.” (As a parent, I also noticed that their credentials make them very well qualified.) The university has also gone out of their way to create a sense of community among everyone there – with tons of socials and activities. Faculty are expected to interact with the students throughout the campus, not just in the classrooms. They even were there to help check students in and lug stuff into the dorm on move-in day.</p>
<p>It is too soon to tell about the internships since school just started, but there are already several engineering and research projects in process and industry partnerships in place with some big name companies (Cisco, Microsoft, etc.). So far, they have delivered everything they’ve promised, even under some very challenging deadlines.</p>
<p>The no federal aid until accredited “situation” can be a bit of a hurdle for some people. That means there are NO federal grants or student loans available, not even private - until Florida Poly is accredited and “in the system” for the various lenders. However, they can accept Florida Prepaid and Florida Bright Futures (which is from the state, not federal) and are awarding a minimum of $1,000 scholarship (up to full ride) to incoming students for the 2015-2016 year, depending on qualifications. </p>
<p>I would highly encourage a visit if you have the chance. Whether you choose to go there or not, you should definitely see it for yourself. Happy to answer any other questions from our experience there so far, and going forward.</p>