Kasey Metzler sat in her kitchen with a strained voice and a nervous look in her eye. A moment 45 minutes in the future would determine the next four years of her life.
“To go [to UF], I’d give up a lot,” Metzler said.
At 6:08 p.m., Metzler got her answer. She got in.
Metzler, 17, of Alachua, was one of about 28,000 high school seniors who sat at their computers Friday evening awaiting UF’s decision on their admission, which appeared on ISIS at 5 p.m. — one hour earlier than usual.
“We’ve adjusted to accommodate an increase in online traffic,” UF spokeswoman Janine Sikes said.
Of those 28,000, UF accepted 10,985. UF is expecting a freshman class of about 6,400, Sikes said.
In 2009, 25,798 people applied and 10,794 were admitted for summer and fall semesters.
Sikes said UF accepts students on an anticipated yield rate, meaning it accepts more freshmen than it can take for the upcoming school year to account for those who will attend other schools instead.
The accepted students had a 4.2 average weighted GPA.
“We wouldn’t have been able to get in here,” Sikes said to a co-worker. Both attended UF.
However, those scores aren’t the only thing admissions officers look for in applicants, Sikes said.
“We’re looking to have a diverse Student Body with all kinds of interests and talents,” she said.