What a friend would tell you
What Eckerd is looking for
Eckerd cares about curiosity and fit over credentials. Show why the waterfront location, marine science access, or the Autumn Term first-year program specifically appeals to you. Students who mention the mentor system, the pet-friendly dorms, or specific field research opportunities signal that they understand what makes Eckerd different from a generic Florida school.
What students wish they'd known
The 65% four-year graduation rate is a red flag; students transfer out at notable rates. St. Petersburg is growing but still not a major cultural hub. The small size (1,300 students) means limited course variety and thin social options. Facilities feel dated compared to better-funded peers. Career services and alumni networking are weak outside marine science and environmental fields.
Eckerd might be a fit if...
- You want to study marine biology with direct bay and Gulf access from your campus
- You learn best through field research, not lectures, and want that from freshman year
- You'd rather live on a waterfront peninsula than a traditional quad-and-brick campus
Eckerd Admissions Strategy
1.1x
Early Action Advantage
Early Action admits at 1.1x the RD rate. Non-binding, so the upside is free: apply early and keep every option open.
Early Action: the numbers
Eckerd's Early Action acceptance rate is 77.7% vs 76% overall. EA is non-binding. You can apply early and keep your options open.
Deadlines: EA November 15 · RD February 15
Deadlines: EA November 15 · RD February 15
Test Policy
Test-optional
You choose whether to send scores. A strong score helps your case; a weak one is better left off.
Demonstrated Interest
Not Tracked
Not tracked. Skip the info-session circuit and put those hours into the application itself.
Interview
Recommended
Yield Rate
32%
Only 32% of admits choose to enroll. The waitlist moves more than you'd think; if you land on it, make your interest loud.
Want the strongest possible application to Eckerd, plus better odds and merit offers everywhere else you apply?
Join the free one-hour workshop from two Harvard grads who have helped 3,000+ students get in. Parents welcome.
Cost & Financial Aid at Eckerd
$57,000
Sticker Price
$18,000
Avg Merit Aid
Need-aware admissions. Meets need: Partial. 85% receive financial aid.
For context: Eckerd spends about $14,000 per student per year on instruction and student resources, right around the $15K national average.
What Eckerd Graduates Get
$41,000
Avg Starting Salary
91%
Employed or in Grad School
59%
Graduate in 4 Years
The 4-year number is the on-time rate; the 6-year rate (66%) is the one schools usually advertise. A wide gap means many students pay for extra semesters.
Eckerd Campus & Culture
The Campus
Eckerd's 188-acre campus sits on a waterfront peninsula jutting into Boca Ciega Bay on Florida's Gulf Coast. Palm trees, sand trails, and the campus beach define the landscape. Buildings are low-slung concrete and stucco, functional rather than beautiful. The Galbraith Marine Science Laboratory sits at the water's edge, with direct bay access for research vessels and kayaks.
The Social Scene
Tampa Bay area, St. Petersburg's emerging arts scene, beach access
Eckerd Traditions & Trivia
Ceremony of Lights
Every entering student is welcomed outdoors at night and presented with a medallion bearing the Triton shell, a ritual generations of Eckerd students have received as their formal induction.
B.S. Ballet
Since the 1970s, students have written, directed, and performed an annual parody of campus life and current events, a tradition whose name alone tells you everything about a college where the waterfront is 100 yards from the library.
Academics at Eckerd
What Eckerd is known for
Marine science, internship opportunities, waterfront location
Most popular majors at Eckerd
Standout programs
Marine science, environmental science, biology, business
How the curriculum works
Liberal arts core with major specialization
Recommended high school courses
4 English, 3 Math, 3 Science, 3 Social Studies, 2 Foreign Language
Notable Eckerd Alumni
Dennis Lehane
Bestselling novelist of 'Mystic River' and 'Shutter Island,' Eckerd class of 1988
Jack Hanna
America's most famous zookeeper, attended Eckerd
David Brunell
Marine conservationist who founded Loggerhead Marinelife Center
Eugenie Clark
'Shark Lady' marine biologist, taught and researched at Eckerd
If you like Eckerd, also consider
Rollins College
Stronger Florida liberal arts option with better resources and Winter Park charm
College of Charleston
Similar coastal setting with more academic breadth and a livelier city
Lewis & Clark College
Comparable outdoors-integrated liberal arts in the Pacific Northwest
University of Miami (FL)
Bigger marine science program with more resources and brand recognition
University of Puget Sound
Similar small-college, water-adjacent feel in the Pacific Northwest