Time to Start the Real Work

        So you are interested in going to Gulf Coast State College? That’s Awesome! There are benefits to going to Gulf Coast as opposed to other big Universities such as cheaper tuition, smaller class settings, and bigger opportunities. However, you won’t have access to any of that until you apply (which is arguably one of the hardest parts of Gulf Coast). There are multiple aspects of the application process that new students don’t think about.

Pick Your Major

Luckily, Gulf Coast has multiple majors to choose from. You can major anywhere from digital media to the medical field. Don’t know what you want to major in yet? That isn’t a problem! Just apply under the “General Education” major when you complete your paperwork. This major allows you to take classes of all interests in order for you to figure out what career field may be interesting. Once you find out what major you want to apply under, then you’re ready for the next step!

APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID

This is the easy part! Once you have picked your major and filed your paperwork, you can work on ways to save your money! Luckily, Gulf Coast State College has one of the cheapest tuition costs in the state of Florida. However, costs add up so this is how you can save money. Firstly, apply for FAFSA as soon as possible. FAFSA offers grants and loans to students and can be a great help. Secondly, submit the general application for the Gulf Coast Foundation Scholarship opportunities. There are multiple different options for scholarships there. Lastly, there is the Gulf Coast Guarantee which you do not need to apply for! As long as you graduated in Bay County, Gulf Coast grants you $1400 per year! So, there are many different options to save money while going to Gulf Coast.

File Your Paperwork

One of the hardest parts of my application process was the paperwork. Make sure that before you apply that you have any legal documents you may need by your side. One problem I had was the verification of Florida residency in order to solidify my In-State tuition. So, as a tip, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE ALL DOCUMENTS that you need to apply BEFOREHAND. Don’t know what documents you need? Email your advisor that is in charge of your major. Through email, you should be able to schedule an appointment with your advisor. However, advising has had some negative opinions from students. Digital media student, Keesley Walker, said that, “When I came for advising the upstairs of the Student Union East looked completely abandoned. There were no signs of where to go and I was almost late for my appointment which was frustrating.” Safe to say that the earlier you reach out to an advisor, the easier it will be to navigate the advising process.

You Should Be Good to Go!

After completing these steps, you should be on the right track to becoming a certified Gulf Coast Student! If there’s one piece of advice I would leave you with, it would be to not be afraid to reach out to faculty. There is a lovely staff here on campus that are willing to help you with all of your application needs! One of these members is Assistant Coordinator of Television and Production and Gulf Coast alumni, Danie Oestreich. When asked about any application tips she said this:

“You want to make sure that you’re on track for your course to be in your degree. You want to be efficient with how your courses apply to your credits. So, the earlier you try and reach out to an advisor, the earlier you can get the course you need to succeed.”

All in all, preparation and organization are crucial in this process. Make sure you are prepared with your questions and your paperwork early on before your semester starts and you should be well prepared.