Frequently Asked Questions

How do I handle traveling from the airport to the hotel?

FFI staff will meet you at Ft. Lauderdale airport baggage claim area and transport you to the hotel or school (depending upon arrival time), and transport you back to the airport for departure. The cost is $30. If you only need one way transportation, the cost is $20. Although the hotel may provide shuttle transportation, please note that this is unsupervised.

If I am attending for the second or third time will it be the same curriculum?

No, every event will have a "repeater curriculum." These are schedules that assume a higher level of experience so students will not experience the same lectures and will have opportunities to work on more advanced skills.

May I arrive late?

Although we highly discourage late arrivals, we do understand that there are occasional conflicts that prevent a student from arriving on the first day.  Generally, we limit late arrivals to students in at least their second year of competition. The latest possible arrival to the FFI is Wednesday of the first week, and students arriving late will not be eligible for a fee reduction. In rare instances, we may allow a returning FFI student to arrange a modified schedule with the FFI Director. Only returning FFI students may arrange for this. This year we are also offering an advanced session for returning FFI students with the permission of the lab leader in certain events. This advanced session will include the second week and the extension for the cost of the regular session.

May I depart early?

Although we discourage early departures, they are sometimes unavoidable. Students who depart early must realize that they will not be given extra time or materials before departing, and that they are not eligible for any reduction or reimbursement of tuition or fees.

Which airport should I fly into?

FFI will only coordinate transportation from Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. You should avoid flying into Miami International, as it will be very expensive to catch a cab into the Ft. Lauderdale area.

What About Students from Outside Broward County?

ARRIVAL:

Students may arrive on Friday, July 20 anytime between 8-11AM (There is an additional charge of $90 per student if you arrive on Thursday.)

DEPARTURE:

ALL STUDENTS WHO DRIVE TO THE FFI FROM THE STATE OF FLORIDA MUST DEPART THE FFI at the conclusion of the showcase ON Friday AFTERNOON!

All students who arrive at the FFI via air travel need to make plans to depart on Friday late afternoon/evening. Transportation to Ft. Lauderdale airport (you DO NOT WANT TO FLY INTO Miami) will begin by 11AM Friday. Arrangements can be made to remain at the dorm Friday night (under adult supervision) for an additional cost, and transportation can still be arranged. After Friday evening, FFI is no longer responsible for students.

Can I drive to the institute?

Commuters who drive may not transport residents at any time in their cars. If you are a resident you will need to turn in your keys at the hotel, and you will not be able to drive your vehicle while you are at the institute. You will need to advise Howard Miller prior to your arrival if you are a resident driving yourself to the institute. Resident students who arrive by car on Thursday should proceed directly to the hotel (see Directions link). FFI staff will be at the hotel to check in the students. Alternatively, students may opt to arrive on Friday, July 20 before 11:00 am. Students arriving by car on Friday should also go directly to the Hotel for Registration.

Both Nova High School and the Sheraton will be "closed campuses" and commuters will not be permitted to take their cars off campus except at the end of each day or with the specific permission of Howard Miller or Bob Marks.

 Weekend Meal Plan

The Sheraton is offering its weekend lunch and dinner buffets to FFI students. This includes five lunches and five dinners at the Sheraton's gourmet restaurant. This is available to all students at a prepaid cost of $150, including tax and gratuity. The $150 charge will be added to each student's invoice, but each student may opt out upon request. Bear in mind, however, that for safety reasons, students will not be permitted to leave the Sheraton. and that the buffet is available only directly through FFI. Subsequent to Registration, individual buffet meals may be purchased from FFI for $18 each including tax and gratuity and a student will present a paid voucher to the Sheraton restaurant. A meal purchased directly from the Sheraton would be approximately $18 plus tax and gratuity.

RESIDENTS

Important Resident Hall and Meal Plan Information

(Includes Staff and Teacher Workshop Residents)

1. You will be housed in a wing of a full-service hotel, with adult supervision on the same floor. Therefore you do not need to bring any linens or towels. You will also have a phone in your room; of course, you will have to charge all calls to a credit card or call collect. In order to use the phone or make any charges, you will be required to leave either a credit card imprint or a cash deposit at the front desk upon check-in. NOTE: Rooms are quads -- four to a room with two double beds. You can obtain additional details by checking the Hotel website.

2. There is a full size pool, tennis courts. and other recreation facilities at your disposal. Be sure to bring swimming and sports gear.

3. There are very limited laundry services available. We suggest that you pack extra so you do not have to do laundry.

4. Do not plan on unlimited free time. The FFI staff will be working at the Resident Hall in the evening and you will want to work on your own as well. There will certainly be some time for swimming, and other recreational activities.

5. Residents will receive the Weekend Meal Plan described above at a cost of $150.

What additional costs should I be aware of?

Consider bringing money for late night snacks, pizza, personal items, souvenirs, published materials (e.g. NY Times), fun day trips, and airport/hotel transportation.

What is the institute attire?

Students dress casually (shorts/t-shirts). ALL students need to bring one competition outfit. Southern Florida in late June is usually hot and humid, but the rooms at the high school are air conditioned, so pack accordingly.

Do I have to participate in fun day trips?

No, there will be supervision at the hotel for those who wish to stay and work or rest. However, students will not be allowed to venture out on their own without FFI faculty supervision.

Can I make a special request to work with a faculty member?

While we will certainly entertain requests, in many cases, students are placed in appropriate lab groups, which are often done by level of expertise and experience. In some cases, we will not be able to match every student with his or her top request, but we will work with you to find instructors who will meet your needs.

Is financial aid available?

LEGITIMATE VERSUS PERCEIVED FINANCIAL AID

The FFI has a limited pool of financial aid available for deserving students. Unlike some institutes, we do not inflate the price and then offer discounts to everybody. a scholarship to create the illusion of reduced prices. Instead, we ask potential aid recipients to fill out a form send or email it to us, and we will respond as quickly as possible.

AID AWARDS ARE GENERALLY LIMITED TO $150-$250 EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF VERY EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES. Apply early as most of our aid is awarded by April 15th.  The application deadline and request for any scholarship awarded as result of performance at a tournment such as Blue Key is March 1.

Is my deposit refundable?

The deposit is non-refundable.

What about cancellations prior to May 30th?

Cancellations prior to May 30 will receive a refund, less the $450 deposit

To whom are checks payable?

Make out checks to Florida Forensic Institute

MAIL CHECKS TO:

Florida Forensic Institute

10000 Stirling Road, Suite 1

Cooper City, Fl. 33024

Will I get to work with all faculty members?

The institute will be divided into groups by category (Oratory, Interp, Extemp, Congress, and Public Forum) and within these groups you will have the opportunity to work with several faculty members, either in a lab, lectures, or in small seminars.

ATTENTION PARENTS!  

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT  

SAFETY & SECURITY

The Florida Forensic Institute has been in operation for seventeen years; the staff has traveled with high school students across the country for many years beyond that. We want you to know just how concerned we are about the safety and security of your children. Simply put, it is our primary concern. Forget about the "liability" issues, which are clearly very important; much more important to us is the fact that the students at the FFI are basically just like our own students and family members, and at the risk of sounding a bit "cheesy," we treasure our own students and families just as much as we know you treasure yours.

For that reason, you have our assurance that the students at the FFI will be carefully supervised in an already safe environment. The Resident Hall and the Nova High School campus are located in a small community 10 miles west of Ft. Lauderdale. Of course, that in itself does not assure safety, but it might be nice for you to know that the students do not have the opportunity to "check out the city."

We stay in a primarily residential area of Ft. Lauderdale. In addition to security on campus, we have a full time Resident Director, Assistant Resident Director, and over 20 staff members who will reside at the Resident Hall.

We are not overly paranoid; nor are we overly confident to the point where we do not worry, but yes, we do chaperone the students as if they were our own. This short message is not intended to rid you of your worries, but we simply want you to know that the FFI is very sincere in its effort to keep our record of ZERO INCIDENTS intact.

If you have any questions or concerns about our safety policies, feel free to e-mail us.