Five minutes before UF released its freshman admission decisions on its website Friday, Yulie Choi did what thousands of other hopeful high school seniors did: said a quick prayer and checked Facebook.
Some of her friends had already posted statuses with their decisions, so Choi started to refresh the admissions page. And kept refreshing.
Around 5:10 p.m., the site finally loaded. The page read, "Congratulations!"
She was in.
Choi, a 17-year-old from Tampa, was one of a record-high 29,300 applicants, according to information provided by UF spokesman Steve Orlando. He said the number of applications has been on the rise during the last few years.
About 11,700 students were accepted for UF's Summer B and Fall 2012 semesters, he said.
Innovation Academy, a new program in which students enroll during the summer and spring semesters and have fall semesters free, admitted 1,366 students, he said.
Applicants were able to indicate their interest in the program, which offers 22 majors and focuses on innovation and leadership.
The numbers are similar to last year's, but about 250 more students were admitted for the Summer B session. About 3,300 students were accepted for Summer B 2012.
Orlando said he expects about 6,400 of those accepted for summer and fall to enroll. Innovation Academy has an enrollment goal of 500.
"I think it shows that lots and lots of students in Florida are still very interested in coming to UF," he said. "We continue to get the best and the brightest."
UF uses a holistic approach to admissions that evaluates students on more than just their test scores.
Still, the process remains competitive and rigorous, he said.
Newly accepted Gator Travis Lefke, an 18-year-old from Citrus County, said he only applied to UF.
When he learned that he was accepted, Lefke jumped around and ran outside to call his friends and family.
"I'm beyond excited," he said. "Overwhelmed. Overjoyed."
