The Florida College Admissions Playbook
DenardThe Florida College Admissions Playbook
Florida families often approach UF, Florida State, and the University of Miami with the same admissions strategy. That can be a costly mistake. Join former admissions officer Denard Jones as he breaks down how these three schools evaluate applicants differently and what students can do to build an application designed for the schools at the top of their list.
Speaker Info
Denard
Denard is one of Empowlery’s lead counselors. He has worked as an admissions officer at Elon University and Saint Joseph's University for over a decade. He then transitioned to college counseling directing a Duke University summer program and two independent schools. Denard earned a B.S. in Business Administration with a minor in Computer Information Systems from Elon University.
About this Webinar
Getting into a top Florida college takes more than strong grades and a long activities list—especially when UF, Florida State, and the University of Miami are looking for different things. Join Denard Jones, Empowerly Lead Counselor and former admissions officer, where he’ll break down how each school approaches academics, testing, activities, essays, timing, and application strategy. You’ll learn why rigor and the academic record carry so much weight at UF, how trajectory and program selection can shape the FSU process, and why storytelling and demonstrated interest matter more at Miami. For Florida families—and out-of-state students targeting these schools—understanding those differences can mean the difference between simply applying and building a strategy around how your student will actually be read.
In this webinar, you'll learn:
- Three Schools, Three Admissions Playbooks: UF, Florida State, and Miami can evaluate the exact same student very differently. Learn what each school prioritizes and why one application strategy should not be used across all three.
- Academics, Testing & Activities That Actually Matter: See how course rigor, senior-year trajectory, test scores, intended major, activities, and even Florida-specific requirements can change how competitive a student looks.
- Build the Right Application for Each School: Discover when the academic record needs to do the persuading, when a student’s story becomes critical, and how families can make smarter decisions about timing, essays, engagement, and college-list strategy.