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Nearly 4,000 high school seniors who met the criteria to get into Florida State next fall will be looking for another college. The students were tentatively admitted, but as Mike Vasilinda tells us, letters arriving in the mail today will tell them there is not room for them at FSU.

Hear it here: Would Be College Students Receive Dear John Letters

Valeria Obi scored just under 1,100 on her SAT before she was admitted to Florida State two years ago.

“I mean I know my SAT scores weren’t perfect, but because my GPA was so high and I did have a lot of extracurricular and recommendations, I feel that I do belong here,” said Obi.

But now 3,800 high school seniors with better SAT scores than Valeria are missing the FSU Bus. Letters in the mail Wednesday say budget cuts are forcing the school to limit who gets in.

None of the 3,800 students who are getting this letter can be considered slackers by any standards. Provost Larry Abele said that all of the students had higher GPAs and test scores than the state average.

“An 1,170, 3.2, 3.4. I mean that’s a solid student,” said Abele.

State budget writers said their hands are tied. Senator Evelyn Lynn said there is still room for students in some 4 year schools and all of the community colleges.

“This is an extremely tough year. It’s the worst we’ve had in 38 years,” Lynn said.

FSU Freshman Catherine Case was admitted to FSU in last year. She has a
GPA and SAT like the students now being turned away. Case was asked, “how would you feel if you had been turned down with scores like that?”

“I’d probably be upset. If you deserve to be here then you deserve to be
here. It shouldn’t be a matter of money, really,” Case said.

The decision of the school is final. So now, 3,800 high school seniors who were a shoe-in now need to make other plans for college next fall. FSU also wrote lawmakers Thursday, saying the budget crunch is forcing it to cancel its annual FSU Day at the Capitol this spring. It is a day when the college honors it graduates in the legislature and provides meals for lawmakers and the public.