7 Reasons Rollins is Within Your Reach

Kim Clayton ’23 used to think Rollins was beyond her reach. Growing up in College Park, the Orlando native was familiar with the College’s top-ranked reputation as the No. 1 regional university in the South, and despite her close proximity to campus, Rollins always seemed beyond her grasp.

“Rollins always seemed like this exciting, cool, prestigious school,” says Clayton. “Attending Rollins was kind of an unspoken dream of mine, but I never really pursued it because I thought I’d never be able to go anywhere like that.”

So Clayton started her college journey at another school. After leaving that first college to support her family, Clayton pursued her bachelor’s degree in fits and starts, taking classes here and there at a few different online schools over the years. She soon realized that the online-only approach just wasn’t working for her.

“I didn’t feel like I was learning anything,” says Clayton. “Just doing online classes felt like I was just checking off boxes.”

Clayton wanted more. So she revisited her longtime dream school and discovered that Rollins’ flexible and affordable Professional Advancement programs were the perfect fit for her busy life. Fast-forward three years and Clayton is poised to finish her bachelor’s degree this fall with a double major in communication and health-care management—all while raising three children and working full-time.

“It’s been a dream come true,” Clayton says of her experience at Rollins. “I see the look in people’s eyes when I tell them that I go to Rollins—they’re impressed and that feels good.”

Think Rollins is beyond your reach? Think again. Here are seven of the many ways we’re making it easier than ever to finish your bachelor’s and advance your career at the No. 1 regional university in the South.

1. Guaranteed Admission

We understand that the path to a college degree sometimes isn’t a straight line. At Rollins, we don’t let a few bumps in the road hold you back from finishing your journey. Our guaranteed admission policy is a great example. You’re guaranteed admission to Rollins’ Professional Advancement programs with a minimum 2.8 cumulative GPA.

2. Ample Aid

Each year, Rollins Professional Advancement students take advantage of nearly $4 million in scholarships and financial aid to offset the cost of finishing their bachelor’s degree, and 90 percent of Professional Advancement students receive financial aid. The first step to seeing how much aid you qualify for? Submit an application.

3. Giving You Credit

You’ve worked hard to earn your credits, and we want to put them to work for you. Rollins will accept most transfer credit for courses completed at a regionally or nationally accredited college or university. In 2022, Rollins transferred credit for 92 percent of our incoming Professional Advancement students.

4. An Individualized Roadmap

After you’ve been admitted, your dedicated academic advisor will work one on one with you to create an individualized course plan based on your transfer-credits award, giving you a clear path to commencement.

5. Streamlined Admission

You can apply to Rollins Professional Advancement with no fee and no standardized tests required. All you need is an official transcript and a 50- to 100-word personal statement—and our admission counselors are always ready to lend a hand. Even better: When you apply, you’re automatically considered for an array of scholarships.

6. Flexibility to Finish

We know school is just one of the responsibilities you’re balancing. That’s why we’ve made our Professional Advancement programs more flexible than ever. Our evening classes start at 6 p.m. or later so you don’t have to rush to make it on time, and our hybrid model combines the best of in-person and online learning environments. Even more, our part- and full-time tracks let you finish your degree at your own pace.

7. Personalized Learning Environment

Our Professional Advancement classes average just 14 students, and Rollins maintains a student-faculty ratio of just 11:1. The result? You receive individualized attention from our expert faculty both in and outside the classroom. At Rollins, there’s no such thing as learning on your own.