Local Colleges in Lakeland, FL.

Florida Southern College:

Florida Southern College is the oldest 4-year private college in the state of Florida, located in Lakeland, Florida. The college has changed names and locations several times since its opening in 1883, residing in places such as Orlando, Leesburg, and Clearwater before finally settling in the city of Lakeland in 1922. Florida Southern College is located on Lake Hollingsworth right off of US 98 aka Bartow Road. The college has 70 buildings across 110 acres of previous orange groves. The college currently enrolls over 2,500 students and employs 130 staff members. FSC offers 50 undergraduate majors including studies in business, art, music, agriculture, political science, and architecture. The college was rated the Most Beautiful Campus by The Princeton Review for two years in a row. FSC is most notable for their Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture program, with many buildings on campus designed by the late Frank Lloyd Wright himself.

FSC has many options for extracurricular activities, including Greek Life organizations, professional and honor organizations, religious organizations, as well as yearbooks and newspapers. FSC is nationally recognized for their Study Abroad, Internship, and ROTC programs. For those interested, Florida Southern College tours are available through their website.

Southeastern University:

Southeastern University is a private Christian liberal arts university located essentially on the other side of US 98 across from Florida Southern College in Lakeland. The Lakeland campus was constructed in 1946 on 88 acres of land. The school enrolls over 7,000 students and employs 165 academic staff. The college offers 70 programs that are centered around Christ, including studies in business, arts and media, social and behavioral sciences, education, ministry and theology, and natural and health sciences. SEU prides itself on its “resort style” on-campus living quarters and known for their powerful weekly Chapel Services that students attend.

Polk State College:

Polk State College is a public state college with its main campus located in Winter Haven but has a campus in Lakeland. The Polk State Lakeland Campus is located off of US 98, right past the Polk Parkway. PSC was established in 1964 and enrolls around 20,000 students and employs over 1200 academic staff. Polk State was formerly Polk Community College until it began offering its first Bachelor’s degree program in 2009. 77% of Polk State students are part-time students and 73.4% of students are Polk County Residents. PSC prides itself on its FUSE program, where students who complete an associate in arts degree are guaranteed admission into the University of South Florida.

All about Lakeland, FL