Edison State College

4200 54th Ave S, Saint Petersburg, FL

About
Edison State College, located in Fort Myers, Florida, began operation as Florida State College in 1962, providing service and coverage to residents of the southwestern portion of the state. The school operates several campuses, providing additional coverage and acreage for the school to continue its goal of educating  residents and out of state students. The school was originally known as Edison Junior, the Edison COmmunity College and Edison College before settling on Edison State College as it became a member of the Florida College System, which itself has undergone recent changes in promoting previously two year institutions to four year institutions with the addition of a limited number of bachelor's degrees.

Academics
Edison State College offers degrees and training in a variety of fields, allowing students to choose a program or course of study that best fulfills their needs and goals. Transfer is made possible through the completion of the general studies program which prepare students for entry into a four year institution to continue their education in their desired area of study at four year institution. This is accomplished through the completion of the first two years of the bachelor's degree at the ESC, followed by transfer of credits and the student to the desired institution assuming transfer requirements are met.Transfer to a Florida College System institution will be easier than private or out of state schools. Students may also choose to participate in a career program that takes one to two years to complete and provides quality training in a vocational or technical field and prepares the student for entry into the workforce as a professional.

Bachelor degrees are obtained over the course of four years through the completion of lower and upper division courses, general education classes and electives. The number of programs available at this level of study are limited, though students may begin their studies in a field not offered at this level through the two year general studies program then transfer to a program at a different college that offers the desired major. Individuals in these programs will have stricter enrollment requirements which will be subject to review prior to enrollment, with a committee determining acceptance.

Programs offered include:

• Accounting
• Nursing
• General Studies
• Paralegal Studies
• Criminal Justice

Admissions and Financial Aid
As a primarily open enrollment institution, any individual wishing to enroll to participate in one year, two year, continuing education, transfer, or single course studies may do so through the completion and submission of the application for enrollment. Students will be asked to provide standardized test scores and transcripts if applicable, and may be required to take a placement exam prior to registration to determine the starting level for general education courses. Bachelor degree programs each have their own admissions guidelines and requirements, and as such interested students should contact the school or visit the website to determine if they qualify.

Financial aid is available in the form of loans, grants, and scholarships. Students in need of aid must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the information from which is used to determine need, aid program eligibility, and the final awards package. Financial aid must be reapplied prior to the start of each academic year due to changing financial circumstances from year to year for a student and his or her family. Students may be randomly chosen to provide additional financial information in order to verify the FAFSA's accuracy due to new federal regulations for aid. Scholarships from sources other than the school may be applied for separately and are awarded for an extensive of reasons using varying criterion to determine winners. In addition, residents of Florida may be eligible for additional aid through state sponsored programs.