Am I a Panther yet? FIU rolls out admissions revamp, starts new tradition to celebrate admitted students

This fall, prospective Panthers will hold their breath as they wait to learn about their future at FIU. The day they find out? Nov. 15. And when they see that one special word — admitted — typed across their screens, they will exhale, jump, scream and call their personal cheer squad.

It’s the moment these students will know that they’ve been selected to begin their journey as Panthers.

As part of a revamped admissions process, the university will inaugurate a new tradition for admitted students to flaunt their Panther Pride and start their university adventure with a splash: FIU Early Admissions Day. 

Share your special moment with us! All admitted students are encouraged to submit their reactions at go.fiu.edu/share for a chance to be featured on FIU’s social media channels. They are also invited to share their exciting news on social media using the hashtag #FIU2028.

The big day is just one aspect of FIU’s new admissions process.

Keeping up with demand

FIU is rising in popularity and has become a university of first-choice. In contrast to national trends, enrollment at FIU continues to grow. It’s a fact that led this year to the university welcoming a record number of freshmen even as more are slated to enter in the spring.

As the campus community expands, the quantity of applications likewise has gone up. Submissions for the upcoming 2024-2025 year are already outpacing last year, when the university fielded its largest total ever. The increase is due at least partly to the university’s stellar showing in recent national rankings released by U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly. Its growing reputation for high-level scientific research, particularly related to environmental resilience, and standout academic programs in areas such as business, hospitality and marine sciences have likewise contributed to heightened interest from young people.

To accommodate prospective students and give each one the best shot at success, FIU has announced a strategic change in its application timeline.

A newly instituted deadline of October 23 will replace the previous rolling admissions model. This allows for a more comprehensive review of each student, says Jody Glassman, assistant vice president of Enrollment and University Admissions.

"Over the last few years, as FIU has become more selective in admissions, we have been looking at best practices to balance academic excellence, achievement and leadership without such a heavy focus on one metric or another," Glassman explains. "Holistic admission allows us to assess an applicant’s uniqueness in the context of their academic achievements. We’ve [also] used academic indicators to help determine the best admissions pathway for a student to graduate in four years. Our methodology has helped more students graduate on-time and in less debt."

Students will have until Nov. 7 to submit transcripts and standardized test scores. And they will find out if they’ve been admitted into FIU on Nov. 15. 

This new model ramps up the university’s efforts to provide increasingly personalized attention to each and every application received, while streamlining the admissions process.

Admitted students should continue to engage with FIU, Glassman adds. The college application doesn’t end with an acceptance letter. It’s only the beginning.

Mark your calendars now for November 15, and get ready to ROAR!

Applications submitted after these deadlines will be reviewed on a rolling basis.