Stories

Inspired Tales from Prepaid Beneficiaries.

More than 300,000 students have attended college using their Prepaid Plan benefits. Family members have shared their personal stories of how a Florida Prepaid College Plan enabled them to afford a college education and make a difference in their lives. Browse the stories below and see what other families are saying.

If you are a parent who purchased a plan or a former student who received a plan, please click below to share your story.

• Joanna M.Graduated from Florida Gulf Coast Universty, 2012
  
  I am debt free. Thanks to my parents foresightedness -- 2 years of Dorm and 4 years of college were paid for at prices set when I was 3 years old.
  My little sister Carly is in the program. My parents paid for her when she was little and she will start
  College in 2017 with the prepaid plan paying her way. It is great to start out my career with no existing debt. Thank You Mom and Dad and The Florida Prepaid Plan.
• Audrey M.Graduated from Florida State University, 2009
  
  I purchased prepaid plans for my two sons when they were small. The oldest graduated from Florida State in 2009 and is currently a teacher. He has no student loans to pay off like most of his friends do. It was so nice not to have a tuition bill when he
  
  was in school. My youngest is at the University of Florida now and he also will be debt-free when he graduates. It makes the college experience so much less stressful knowing your tuition is paid for. I know that both of my sons are grateful for the education
  
  that we were able to provide for them.
• Carl G.Graduated from Palm Bch State, 2011
  
  Bought it for my son, Jason who got his double bachelor degree and now wants to go back for his masters.
  We would have had much more financial struggles without Florida prepaid program.We are now purchasing a plan for our 3 yr old Grandson.
• ELIZABETH B.Graduated from FAU, 2012
  
  My grandparents enrolled me before I even went to the first grade. By the time I went to college, my family, like many others, was having financial difficulties. If the Florida PrePaid plan wasn't there, I might not have been able to go to college or would
  have been slammed with all sorts of student debt.
  
  I now have my degree which enabled me to find a great job.
  
  Thank you, Florida PrePaid!! (and Grandpa too!!!)
• Rudy L.Graduated from Two of my daughters attended Florida Statue University, 1991
  
  I bought prepaid for my three daughters when the were under 11 years old and while I was still active duty. I was a Florida resident from 1986 until 2011 when I retired from the Air Force. Getting the prepaid plan was one of the best decisions my wife
  
  and I could have made to help our children with their education. It ensured all three of my daughters were able to attend college in the state of Florida and made a big difference in our finances. We would not have been able to help them graduate debt free
  
  without having the prepaid plan. We opted just for the tuition plan, this provided a good down payment, they also qualified for Florida Bright futures and received other academic scholarships. At the time I purchased the plans they averaged about $10K per
  
  child. Planning ahead enabled us to ensure we could afford their education without relying on loans and having them graduate with $30K to $80K of debt. I have always promoted prepaid plans wherever they were available to my friends and co-workers as a good
  
  option to help them secure a higher education for their children. My philosophy has been sacrifice now so your children can succeed and have a brighter future.
• Susan C.Graduated from University of Florida, 2012
  
  This is a story about a regular family, achieving a dream. My husband and I own a small business and have 3 daughters. My one regret in life, is that I did not finish my college education, due to finances. If there was ONE thing of which I was sure, it
  
  was that my 3 girls would get their diplomas.
  When we first began the Prepaid funding, the stock market was phenomenal. We weighed whether or not we should just invest the monthly amount into a mutual fund and draw on it in the future. After careful consideration,
  
  
  we knew that the increase in tuition was guaranteed, but not any fund can guarantee the same rate of increase. So, we went with the Florida Prepaid. WOW, was that smart. As we all know, the market, including mutual funds tanked many times since 1996 when we
  
  first started. Our 3 girls all attended different colleges in FLorida and the one constant was the Prepaid fund. It was the easiest part of college planning. Our daughter, Jessica graduated from UF in 2007, Kaley from FSU in 2011 and Savanna will graduate
  
  
  this Saturday, August 4, 2012 from USF.
  We couldn't be happier or more proud. They did their part by getting further scholarships through Bright Futures and keeping their grades up. FLorida Prepaid made it happen for us, at an affordable rate.
  I urge all
  
  new parents to start right away. I have seen for myself how much tuition has increased. Unless you have extraordinary financial means, you must sign up for this plan. Otherwise, your kids will be saddled with student debt. That's no way to springboard them
  
  into adulthood.
  Thank you for looking ahead for our family. I'm forever grateful we had this tool.
• Russell S.Graduated from Florida State University, 2007
  
  Florida Prepaid Plan made a difference in the financial needs during my undergraduate college years. Together with the Florida Bright future college scholarship, I was able to pay for tuition and fees as well as housing etc. without taking a student loan.
• Janet N.Graduated from University of North Florida, 2012
  
  I had purchased the Florida Prepaid Plan for my son, now age 21, and daughter, age 16 when they were mere toddlers. I did not expect when I got married that I would be a single mom when my spouse filed for divorce 5 years ago. If I hadn't been wise enough
  
  back then to purchase a Florida Prepaid Plan for both my son and my daughter when they were ages 5 and 1, their college future would have been uncertain. My son has graduated from UNF this year, and my daughter has college in front of her still. I was a "homemaker"
  at
  
  the time that my ex spouse filed for divorce and would have no means to put money aside for college. Thank God I was wise enough to invest in my children's college education when they were young with The Florida Prepaid Plan!
• Tom T.Graduated from The Ohio State University, 2010
  
  I purchased the Florida Prepaid college plan for my son when he was 2 years old (1989). I bought a 1 year dorm plan and 4 yr tuition plan.
  
  I am in the Air Force so when my son was ready to go to college, we lived in Ohio and he chose to attend The Ohio
  
  State University.
  
  I was converned about using the Florida plan in Ohio but it turned out to be a good investment. The FL plan paid him the average tuition cost of FL colleges each year he was at OSU plus the 1 yr dorm cost his first year. Even though the
  
  Ohio tuition is higher than Florida, the FL plan paid a large share of his tuition each quarter.
  
  After he completed his degree in 2010, I added up the FL plan payouts and it turns out the total payout was about triple what I paid for the plan in 1989. I recommend
  
  buying the plan when your kids are young as this will give you the greatest growth (depending on increases in FL tuition). I also recommend buying just 1 or 2 years of the dorm plan.
• Joshua W.Graduated from My daughter attended Florida Atlantic University, 2012
  
  My daughter graduates from FAU next week, and her education was pre-paid using the Florida Prepaid plan. The story really involves my divorce from my daughter's mother 18 years ago, when I decided to pre-pay both of my children's college education (my
  
  son graduated FSU 3 years ago). As a divorced father, I can say that it was the only way I would have been able to afford college for our children. The fact that both of them were able to attend such fine schools and receive the excellent education they got
  was
  
  due entirely to the availability of this program. My children are both able to start their adult lives with no college debt, something I am proud of being able to make happen thanks to the Prepaid Plan. For that I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
• Steve E.Graduated from University of Central Florida (2012), 2012
  
  I'm a father of 3 college students. I purchased the Prepaid plan back when they were in elementary school. I got 1 year in dorm and 4 year tuition for my 3 kids. The dorm worked out great as the amount I paid ended being about $800-$1000 less than if I
  
  paid the dorm fee when they showed up. The tuition was tremendous as well. My daughter ended going to Valdosta State University in Ga and the prepaid plan paid most of her tuition as well. She was able to get in-state in GA and the prepaid plan covered just
  
  about 70% of her tuition as well as 100% of the tuition for my other 2 at Florida schools.
  
  What I should have purchased was the local fee plan. I had no idea how expensive local fees are at schools now and wished I had secured that when they were younger
  
  as well.
  
  Overall I can't find anything negative to say about the Prepaid plan and would highly recommend it to anyone thinking of sending their children to college in the future.
• Michelle K.Graduated from 3 children attended FSU, 2012
  
  My husband and I bought into the Florida Prepaid Program the first year it came out for our first two children. We struggled to make it month to month, as we were paying our own college loans off. But we did it and then locked in two more FPCP's when our
  next two children were born. Thank God we did, because each of the kids were able to get a 4 year education at great colleges. In addition to tuition and dormitory fees, colleges charge for so many extras. Without the FPCP, it would have been extremely difficult
  to
  manage it all, especially when at one point, we had 3 children in college at the same time!
• Joseph C., MDGraduated from University of Central Florida, 2012
  
  When I signed up for Florida's Prepaid college plan for my son little did I realize the importance it would play in the future. I went from being a " productive " parent to a father afflicted w/ progressive Multiple Sclerosis. I was concerned for my sons'
  
  education and well-being. Then I remembered that I had purchased Florida's prepaid tuition plan...it was truly monumental! My son received an excellent education and will be commencing graduate school....all without student loans! My wife and myself firmly
  
  believe that the best gift is the gift of education for individuals w/ God given intelligence.We educated our-selves w/ two jobs and student loans ( as many people have )! That was an era when the cost of an education was not as "dear" in America. Floridians,the
  
  Prepaid college plan in conjunction w/ wonderful facilities and faculty is unsurpassed. Yes, in these difficult economic times, it is a sacrifice but a sacrifice that will bear fruit. My daughter completed her undergraduate and masters degree from The University
  
  of Florida in Occupational Therapy last year only to have the "difficult" decision of choosing one of three excellent employment offers! The "system" for success is already in place....why not take advantage of what the great State of Florida has to offer..Prepaid
  
  Plan!! Thank you Florida.
• Peter G.Graduated from Florida State University, 2009
  
  I am the father of a Florida State graduate, and I was able to finance my son's education through the Prepaid College Plan. Had I not enrolled when he was in the seventh grade and paid religiously until his high school graduation, I could not have sent
  
  him to college. When my son entered college, I was having a personal setback and financial difficulties. But because his college tuition had already been paid, his four years of college were guaranteed. Financially, I am not very savvy, but enrolling in the
  Prepaid
  
  College Plan was the smartest move I ever made.
• Denise M., CDR, USN, RETIREDGraduated from San Jose State University, 2012
  
  This request seem geared to the students who are beneficiaries of this program. I would like to offer a testimonial as the parent who bought for two of my kids and my husband bought the third. Why I mention what I did vs my spouse. Well, this is where
  
  my prepaid story begins. I was on active duty stationed at U. S Central Command, Tampa, Florida when I overheard my Shipmates talking about the Florida Prepaid Plan. I was immediately interested because I knew retirement was in my future. I did not want to
  be
  
  forced to work in retirement or having to take loans against my home to pay for my kids college education. I went home discussed it with my husband. He was not enthused because he believed in stocks as a means of investment. He felt the monies I would put
  
  in the Florida Prepaid Plan would yield a greater return invested else where. I disagreed and bought a plan for my two kids at the time. I got pregnant as I was getting ready to retire from the Navy with our third child. I did not want the responsibility of
  
  payments so deferred to my spouse to purchase a plan for our third child. Not only had I bought the tuition portion of the plan but I bought a four year Dorm plan. At retirement I discovered my tuition plans were paid up and not the Dorm as I anticipated.Not
  
  wanting payments in retirement, I was advised that if I converted my four year dorm plan to two, I would be paid up. I am here to say it is one of the best decisions I made in my life. I never stressed my kids out to work to get athletic scholarships becausewe
  
  could not afford college tuition. I told them to enjoy high school and concentrate on learning. My daughter is starting Senior year at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara California and my son, second year San Jose State University in San Jose,California
  this
  
  fall. They both applied to Florida schools but elected to stay close to home where we live now.
  
  One of the questions I got a lot when I told people in Florida (we own our retirement home there) is what if your child doesn't want to go to school in Florida.
  
  My response always was, they can go any where they can afford to go. I have paid for an undergraduate education I can afford. I will add that my spouse who is still working and I did do additional savings but you can bet we were very secure knowing we would
  
  not have to mortgage our home or be stressed paying now.
  
  And if you are wondering what happened with the last child? Remember the stock market crash.
• Debbie P.Graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University, 2012
  
  Florida Prepaid changed the life of our entire family not just one person. After moving to Florida in 2003 with two children 17 months apart and being a one income family I could not see how we would be able to afford having two children in college at
  
  the same time. I saw a television ad for the prepaid program and called right away. I decided the best way to sign up would be through the automatic withdrawl program so I would not have to make a payment each month. Although there were many tough months and
  
  I wished I could have that extra money this month I am proud to say this year I have two children graduating from Florida Universities. There is no way my husband and I would have been able to afford this with out the prepaid program. Thank you Florida prepaid
  
  from the bottom of our hearts for granting us the opportunity to further our children's education and give them a better shot at making it in this tough economic time.
• Mark M.Graduated from University of Florida - Gainesville, 2012
  
  When our daughter was born in 1989 we decided right then and there to find some way to fund her college education when the time came. It was a struggle for us to come up with the lump sum payment in 1989 with a newborn child but we found a way to make
  
  it happen.
  
  Had we not done this prepaid tuition & local fees program at that time it would have really been a major undertaking when it came time for her to go to college.
  
  Fortunately her grades were outstanding and she received may offers from various
  
  colleges throughout the south. UF was her goal and she was accepted. Then reality set in for us as parents-how do we pay for this?
  
  Thanks to our decision those many years ago the financial burden was much less than we expected because of the tuition plan
  
  we purchased and the fact that our daughter received Bright Futures money too! With the combination of the prepaid tuition plan & local fees plan (4 year university plan) and Bright Futures we were able to get our daughter through 4 years at UF with a degree
  
  from the College of Journalism and Communication.
  
  And the most important item in this whole thing is that our daugther incurred NO debt from loans and as the parents we also did NOT incur any college debt.
  That in my opinion is a HUGE deal....Our daughter
  
  is starting her career with a clean financial slate.
• Nick W.Graduated from Roanoke College, 2012
  
  Both my parents are in education and both feel education is an important life experience. My mother purchased a Florida Prepaid, knowing that I may not attend university in Florida. As it happens, I did not, but the Florida Prepaid helped immensely in
  
  my
  first year at Roanoke College. It was an easy process and saved my family a good deal of money, both of which I am thankful for.
• M. E. AzcuyGraduated from MDCC Miami Florida, 2011
  
  Antes que nada quiero agradecer a las personas de esta institucion, siempre estuvieron listos para ayudar. Quiero aconsejar a los padres que estan en duda sobre este Plan, que no esperen , se los recomiendo a toda plenitud. Mi hija se acaba de graduar
  
  de FIU, sin deber ningun Loan ni deuda alguna , ya mi hija esta trabajando en una escuela de maestra Feliz estamos y agradecidas de todo el personal de este projecto.
• Kevin C.Graduated from University of Florida, 2011
  
  I would not have been able to send my daughter to Graduate School if we did not have the Prepaid Plan. True, the Plan does not cover Graduate School, but we were able to save our money since we had very little out of pocket expenses for her Undergraduate
  
  
  studies. The same will hold true for my second daughter because she also will be going to Graduate School. Thank you Prepaid College.
• Miracle A.Graduated from Florida State University, 2012
  
  My mom purchased the FL Prepaid College Plan for me the first year I entered kindergarten. I remember her telling me that she choose the 5-year payment plan and referred to it as our "Car Note" because she said it was my vehicle to a college education.
  Every month for 5 years straight, we would drive to the post office and she would place the stamped envelope in my hands. Before I could put it in the mailbox, I joyfully said that I was mailing the car note for my college education. Then I would drop the
  envelope in the box, we would both smile, and she'd drive away for a special treat!
  
  By the time I entered fifth grade, we mailed the last payment and I was excited knowing that my future for a quality education after high school was already secure. During
  my senior year, several of my friends' parents had taken the initiative to purchase pre-paid plans as well. However, there were other friends whose parents had not been proactive and they were stressing over how and if they would be able to continue their
  education with the rising costs of tuition. Thanks to my mom's initiative to purchase the pre-paid college plan early, I was able to attend a major state university and graduate within a four-year period with a Bachelor of Science Degree and without a world
  of debt. She purchased another pre-paid plan last year for my younger sister and after hearing about it, I smiled because the benefits and positive outcome of having one are priceless!
  
  In a few weeks, I will be continuing my education at another major university
  earning a doctorate degree in physical therapy. Now I wish that the state of Florida also had pre-paid plans for students entering Graduate and Doctorate programs! Perhaps, that will happen in the future. For now, I am blessed and thankful for the pre-paid
  undergraduate plan and encourage every parent to make that investment in their child's future. I also encourage every child to ask your mom and/or dad to purchase a plan for you because it is an investment in your future as well as theirs.
  
  Thank you Florida
  political leaders and investors for supporting and funding the state's Prepaid College Plans! By investing in us, you are reinvesting in Florida's future. You deserve a standing ovation!!!
• Gary C.Graduated from University of Florida, 1988
  
  Actually I am the father and for that matter the grandfather. Through hard work and interuptions in my educational voyage I managed to obtain a Bachelor's, Master's and a Doctorate degree. However when I got out of school we were deeply in debt, thoughmy wife worked while I was in school. One of our goals in life was to see to it that our kids were able to get started in life with college degrees while being a great deal less debt. We started Florida Pre-Paid college plans for all five of them, and they
  all pitched in with part-time jobs to pay extraneous expenses. Now they are all college educated, plus two of them have Master's degrees, and one of them is finishing her Doctorate at the University of Florida. When we signed up for Florida Prepaid severalfinancial advisors said this was foolish because we could do better in the stock market. Despite the eratic fluctuations in the market and in light of ever increasing inflation, we found this structured savings plan to be the best thing we could have ever
  done. We now have eleven grandchildren with one more on the way, and we have found that Christmas gifts come in the way of toys and contributions to their Prepaid college plans. As grandparents we are happy to be contributing to the future of our grandchildren just as we were happy to be providing a higher level of education for our children. By the way, all five "kids" graduated from the University of Florida____Go Gators!
• Robert V.Graduated from U of Wisconsin - La Crosse and Madison, 1988
  
  I did not graduate from college, although I did attend for 5 years. My college experience was fundamental to my career, my understanding of the world and my place in it. My wife and I did utilize the prepaid plan for our two sons who did get Bachelor degrees
  
  
  in Fine Art and Computer Science respectively. They both are utilizing their educations; one as a art instructor along with a successful artist career and one as a e-commerce / graphic artist for a clothing manufacturing firm. They both live and work in Florida.
  I
  
  also currently have a plan in place for my grand daughter's college.
  
  Thank you Florida for having these programs available. They have served my family well.
• Stuart D.Graduated from University of Florida, 1988
  
  I purchased the Prepay for my children when they were aged 1 and 4. My oldest son, Ian, attended the University of Florida and was able to graduate with both an MsF and Accounting degree in 4 years and find gainful employment in Investment Banking.
  
  As
  
  a parent, the college education for your children is one of the "big 4" in expenses. The cost of prepay together with the quality of the education at UF makes for an excellent value in higher education. In addition, the Prepay served as an excellent hedge
  
  against rising tuition costs and fees. I strongly endorse this program and encourage any parent to avail themselves of its benefits.
• Zaneisha C.Graduated from University of Central Florida, 2011
  
  My parents Mose and Zelbra Countryman made a sacrifice to purchase the Florida prepaid plan for my brother and I to attend college.
  My mother graduated from college but my father was not able to attend college due to the cost. My father wanted to ensure
  
  that cost would not be a factor when it was time for my brother and I to attend college.
  It was a wonderful feeling that I could attend college for 4 years knowing that my parents had already paved the way through the Florida prepaid plan. My parents also
  
  purchased a 1 year dormitory plan for me.
  It is truly a blessing that I graduated from college with a Bachelors in Business Management with "no" student loans to pay back after graduating. When conversating with associates, they can't believe that I don't
  
  have any student loans to pay back.
  My parents never received a bill from UCF for tuition. UCF sent the tuition cost directly to Florida prepaid and it was handled.
  Thank God for my parents thoughtfulness and to the State of Florida for making my transition
  
  from college to my career debt free.
  I would encourage all parents to make the same sacrifice that my parents did because it will definitely make a difference while attending college and after graduating.
• Monica G.Graduated from Miami Dade Honors College, 2008
  
  Growing up, I always knew I wanted to be a teacher. Due to family suggestions and expectations of me being something "better", I explored other fields first. I tried Pharmacy and Business, but they weren't for me. I finally changed my major to Education,
  
  
  and I enjoyed school and looked forward to my career.
  
  Florida Prepaid was a convenient, inexpensive way for my parents to save for my college education ensuring that I would most definitely earn a degree and gain the knowledge and experience needed to ultimately
  
  
  get me where I am today. I always knew I would go to college -- not only because I knew that it was financially possible, but because I knew a college degree would be necessary to succeed.
  
  Thanks to Florida Prepaid, I was able to receive a bachelor's degree
  
  
  in elementary education (with ESOL endorsement). I graduated with my bachelor's degree in 2008, and I was debt-free, unlike many of my college friends.
  
  After two years of teaching in the public school system, I graduated earlier this month with my master's
  
  
  degree in Speech-Language Pathology. I am eager to take on this new route, regardless of my school loans. I wish FL Prepaid would have taken me all the way through my master's! It's so important to have a master's degree nowadays.