UNF Orientation

Drove to Jacksonville last night so we could be at UNF bright and early this morning for an all-day orientation.  I have to say, having orientation for the Honors College a week and a half before AP exams seems contradictory to me.  Registration is scheduled for tomorrow.  As the Imp has States Regatta tomorrow in Sarasota, she can't make it.  Originally they said she'd have to go to register on May 1.  That really makes no sense.  Asking an Honors student to miss 2 days of school right before finals and AP exams?  She got an 'exception' and was suppose to register today.  Alas, the computer system had not been reset to allow that action (the original date was tomorrow).  Bureaucracy at its best.  Overall, it was a good day for the Imp.  Hubby and I found it too long with the speakers allowing too many personal questions.  The Honors College freshmen Colloquium sounds fabulous.  Hubby and I want to take it.  The professor talk to both groups (parents and students) and we were all impressed.  The Honors college also offers many opportunities for Study Abroad, from 5-day long weekend trips, to 10-day over Spring Break trips, to a 6-week course in Greece (led and taught by the Colloquium professor), to a whole semester abroad.
The hard news to take was how much college tuition has gone up in just 3 years.  Tuition for Fall 2012 is 40% higher than is was in Fall 2009.  Florida started an awesome program in the 80s when they began the lottery.  Students who earned a 3.5 unweighted GPA and a 1270 on SAT got 100% of tuition paid at a state university.  The idea was to keep the best and brightest in FL (many were going out of state for college).  The Bright Future's no longer pays 100% tuition (although through a semantics game, they say they do).  They pay a flat fee per credit hour that has remained the same the last 3 years.  So, whereas, the Singer and the Imp are receiving the same 'scholarship', the Singer paid no tuition, but the Imp will be required to pay about 50% of her tuition.  Ouch.  Can't complain too much.  She won't need to take out student loans (barring unreasonable rate increases in the next 3 years).  Still it was not fun to see the real numbers today.
Tomorrow we head to Sarasota for States Regatta.  Gotta be there by 7 am for the coxswain meeting.  A good show by the Women's Varsity 8 and we'll stay overnight and race in the finals Sunday.  I'll need next week to recover from these 4 days.