What is TOPS?
The University of Florida has developed a special program to advise and to
guide African-American students through community college and into a UF degree program. The program is referred to
as a 2 + 2 program because you are in community college the first two years and after you transfer to UF, it will
take two more years to complete your undergraduate degree. The program is unique because UF advisers are
working with you all four years even though you will not transfer to UF until
the junior year.
How Can I Learn More About TOPS?
The Office of Admissions sponsors a special one-day TOPS Recruitment
Program in March.
- Friday, March 24, 2006, and
Friday, March 23, 2007 - If you are interested in attending the program, please contact TOPS coordinator Dacia Bowra at dbowra@ufl.edu or call 352-392-9960 or 352-392-1365, ext. 7337.
Who is Eligible?
TOPS is available to current community college students who graduated from one of
UF's Alliance high schools:
Jacksonville's William M. Raines High School, Jean Ribault High School; Orlando's Maynard Evans High School, Jones
High School; Miami's Miami Senior High School, Miami Carol City Senior High School.
How do I qualify for TOPS? You must qualify for UF admission by completing an Associate of Arts degree from a Florida public community college, satisfying all requirements for transfer admission and completing all prerequisites for your intended major. You also need to maintain contact with a TOPS college adviser.
How Can TOPS Help Me Before I Get to UF?
Once you establish a relationship with a TOPS adviser in
community college, you will have access to academic counseling, admissions counseling, financial aid counseling,
peer/student counseling, career exploration and planning, and UF student services.
What does TOPS Require of me While I'm in Community College?
You've got to stay 'on track' for your AA
degree and transfer admission to your UF major. This means that you'll have to follow all the requirements of your
UF college.
Year 1 --
Semester 1: Take 12 - 15 credits
Semester 2: Take 12 - 15 credits
Year 2 --
Semester 3: Take 12 - 15 credits (UF generally requires 15 hours/term)
Semester 4: Take 12 - 15 credits
Semester extra --
Take up to 12 credits of your choice
= AA Degree and the 60 hours required for transfer to UF
Year 3 --
Semester 5: Take 12 - 15 credits
Semester 6: Take 12 - 15 credits
Year 4 --
Semester 7: Take 12 - 15 credits
Semester 8: Take 12 - 15 credits (apply for graduation)
= Bachelor's degree (most UF degrees require 120 hours)
What's in it for Me? MONEY!
Through TOPS, five students admitted annually to UF from each
Alliance school will receive a scholarship worth $6,250: The award pays $3,125 junior year and is renewable your
senior year at UF. You are automatically eligible for the TOPS scholarship when you enroll at UF.
TOPS wants you to learn now about undergraduate and graduate education opportunities at UF:
- Choose from 100 undergraduate degree programs
- UF has 21 colleges and schools and more than 150 research, service and education centers
- Interdisciplinary studies programs allow you to design your own major
- Undergraduate research opportunities
- Leadership opportunities - UF has more than 650 student organizations
- Overseas study programs in more than 25 countries
- Extensive internships and cooperative education programs
- Choose from more than 200 graduate degree programs
- Consider a professional degree in dentistry, law, medicine, pharmacy or veterinary medicine
There are Many Scholarship Programs for Transfer Students
- Minority Mentor Program
- Seventy annual $1,000 scholarships each fall to the top in-state minority community college transfer students
- The Graduate School's many diversity programs
TOPS Staff and College Advisers
- Dacia Bowra, TOPS Coordinator, dbowra@ufl.edu
- Benita Bannis, bbannis@ufl.edu
- Elizabeth Sanchez, esanchez@ufl.edu
- Mike Powell, associate director of admissions, mtpowell@ufl.edu
-
Community College Relations
352-392-2849 -
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences
Emily Sperling, 352-392-2251 -
Warrington College of Business Administration
Jaime Little, 352-392-0165 -
College of Education
Dr. Michael Bowie, 352-392-5582 -
College of Engineering
Earl Wade, 352-392-2177 -
College of Journalism and Communications
Charles Harris, 352-392-0289
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