Credit: Google Street View
For FAMU students searching for answers to questions about classes and graduation, they may
not have to look much further.
Students, though maybe not aware, can benefit from Florida Shines. Their website offers a
plethora of resources to assist college students throughout their journey.
Florida Shines is a program provided by the Florida Virtual Campus. It is a free service for any
student enrolled in one of the 40 state colleges within Florida’s state university system. Florida
Shines is also funded by the Florida Department of Education, which provides free resources for
students.
The program can assist students looking to earn an associates or bachelor’s degree through one
of Florida’s two and four-year colleges. By visiting their website, students can identify gen-ED
requirements and compare them to courses they’ve already taken or possibly exempt courses
through CLEP and the DANTES State Standardized Test Program.
Students can also check their academic progress through the website as well.
For FAMU students looking to change their major, before proceeding, they can determine the
impact that the change will have on their timeline for graduation.
An appealing feature of the Florida Shines website is the option to apply to become a transient
student at another state college or university. There may be a time during registration where
classes are full. By utilizing this feature, students can access the online catalog of all public
universities in Florida to find equivalent courses at other universities.
Once an application is filled out and is approved by the host university (the one the student
attends), they can be simultaneously enrolled in two universities at once. This is especially
beneficial for FAMU students who live out of town and who might want to attend class over the
summer through a college within their hometown. A maximum of four courses are allowed on
one application.
Florida Shines also offers resources for interviews and resumes. Upon graduation, FAMU
students can use links on Florida Shines directing them to job banks through the State of Florida
and nationally through sites like Indeed. There, students can embark on their careers.
These resources and many more can be found at www.floridashines.org.