Quick Stats
Location: Lakeland, FL
Closest Big City/Airport: Tampa Bay, FL
School Size: 2,579
Athletic Division: NCAA DII
Athletic Conference: Sunshine State Conference (SSC)
Tuition & Fees : $38,980
Total Cost of Attendance: $54,450
Average Cost After Aid: $27,091
Percent of Financial Aid Need Met: 79%
Average High School GPA: 3.76
Average SAT/ACT Combined: SAT - 1200 // ACT - 27
Acceptance Rate: 50.4%
Popular Degrees: Business, Marketing, Biology, Nursing, Exercise Science
Personal Tour Blog
Roughly an hour east of Tampa Bay, Florida Southern sits just above one of the many circular lakes in Lakeland, Florida. Located in a suburban area of the city, the south side of the school looks out towards the lake while the north side sits about five minutes away from downtown Lakeland. The campus itself is easily walkable but does sit on a fairly constant slope down towards the river. The architecture of the campus is unique, with many of the designs stemming directly from Frank Lloyd Wright, including the Water Dome Fountain outside of the main library. It’s a must-see for any visit! Florida Southern academics are known for their hands-on approach. Recognized nationally, every major makes a consistent effort to apply experiential learning opportunities at every level which tends to create a much more involved student body. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 14 to 1, classes are frequently small enough that professors will know your name rather than just a numbered seat. Florida Southern does have an affiliation with the Methodist church, so they are considered a dry campus. Additionally, the student population is considered one of the more conservative campuses in the state. Known as the Mocs, short for Moccasins, Florida Southern competes at the DII level within the Sunshine State Conference. Their athletic facilities sit primarily on the north side of campus, and I even got to slip into a lacrosse game briefly during my visit. The stands were roughly half full before the game even started, and it was a hot day! I really enjoyed my visit to Florida Southern and was able to head over to downtown Lakeland for a bite after my visit upon recommendation from a current student. It was a short trip there, and there was a weekend festival going on in the main strip of restaurants. All in all, a great visit to a great school!
Fun Facts
- Florida Southern’s campus has the largest collection of buildings designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright
- The majority of students participate in “Junior Journey”, a study abroad program that guarantees the opportunity to all undergraduate students
Athlete Fun Fact
Florida Southern has a competitive club E-Sports Team currently competing in both Rocket League and League of Legends
Sports Offered
Men- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track & Field
- Water Ski
Women- Basketball
- Beach Volleyball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Track
- Volleyball
- Water Ski
About #TourTuesdays
Throughout the next few months, we are going to highlight various colleges and universities across the globe, some of which you may not have even heard of. Although we have no affiliation with any of these programs, we hope these tour notes will help you discover a new option, learn something new about a school you already know, or encourage you to explore a different type of institution that you otherwise wouldn't have explored.
