Ask A Gator!

<p>Hey all! I obtained a BS/MS in CS from UF and will start another Master's program in the fall. After six long years in Gainesville and hundreds of PMs from CCers I thought, "why not open a thread?". </p>

<p>I've been involved in research, greek life, honor societies & the honors program, assisted in admissions, lived in multiple dorms/apartment complexes and essentially experienced all the town has to offer. So to anyone searching for a student's perspective: go ahead and ask anything! </p>

<p>Feel free to PM me as well.</p>

<p>Hello!</p>

<p>I’m planning on applying to Summer B because I hear it’s easier to get admitted for that semester. Is that true? I’m very nervous about applying! :)</p>

<p>After completing Summer B, I’d like to sign up to start with a regular Fall schedule. How do I apply for housing for Fall?</p>

<p>And finally, I’m a rising high school senior. I plan on applying for Bright Futures. Will I still be able to go to Summer B then use it for Fall?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Did you do CS in the College of Engineering or the other one?</p>

<p>What is the easiest walmart to get to using the buses? Which bus routes take you there and how far is the walk distance from walmart to the bus stop?</p>

<p>Are there any bus routes that you recommend to get you to certain places of interest in town?</p>

<p>Do bikes ever get vandalized on campus? If so, how often?</p>

<p>What are the differences between Gator Dining and Broward Fresh Food?</p>

<p>What is your advice when purchasing text books? I often hear that it is better to wait until the first day to see if your professor even uses a textbook?</p>

<p>Are the recreation facilities and gym free for students?</p>

<p>Sorry for the barrage of questions, just asking things that randomly came to mind.</p>

<p>1) to piggy-back on the previous post, how safe is having a bike on-campus. Would a simple chain work or should i get a u-lock type lock?</p>

<p>2) Is there a place where to print/copy for free?</p>

<p>I recently applied as a transfer student for summer B of 2012 with a 3.39 GPA with my AA majoring in Accounting, and since you worked in admissions, can you chance me?</p>

<p>Thanks</p>

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<p>After having sat on admissions decisions, I’d say there is a very slight boost for the summer applicant (although UF will tell you otherwise…). </p>

<p>For housing, you will complete two separate contracts for the Summer and Fall/Spring terms once you’re admitted. You fill out and return both at the same time. </p>

<p>Although Bright Futures isn’t applicable to summer terms, it will be validated come Fall. </p>

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<p>Joint BS/MS through CISE. </p>

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<p>The 1 or the 12 would be the most convenient routes to take if you’re going to/from the Walmart in Butler Plaza. The walk to the bus stops will depend on where you live but they’re all a short distance. If you don’t have a car, routes 1 (campus to downtown) and 20 (campus to Oaks mall) probably will be of interest. “Midtown”/University Ave. is close to all the dorms. </p>

<p>Bikes get stolen pretty often on-campus. Take every precaution necessary (I’ll have a few more suggestions below).</p>

<p>I haven’t eaten in the dining halls in years but there’s basically no difference between Broward and Gator Dining. Gator dining does (or did) have better options for food, though. </p>

<p>As far as textbooks, I’d recommend waiting until the professor officially announces, in class, that he/she will use the material. Also, try off-campus bookstores and renting books (or e-books). </p>

<p>The recreation facilities are free as long as you show your Gator 1! </p>

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<p>Again, bikes are stolen outright or for parts on the UF campus. It’s not like a war zone, mind you, but never leave your bike unattended, especially at night. I’d recommend getting the u-lock. Also, try not to park in the same spot too often.</p>

<p>You can print 300 free pages a semester at the Reitz union computer lab. All other on-campus printers will charge money per page.</p>

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<p>I only sat in on freshman admissions but I can give you my take based on what I do know from others involved in transfer decisions (which I admit is limited!). </p>

<p>The 3.39 is a little low but accounting has a reputation for being a rough major, so I think you’ll get points for that. Your AA will also put you above other applicants. I think you have a shot - it’s a mid-reach, I’d say. But the decision will also depend on your pre-professional GPA and a bit on the college you’re transferring from (Santa Fe College students get a nice bump). Did you apply for Fisher or general business in Warrington?</p>

<p>DrgOnzO</p>

<p>Okay, I will take you up on your offer and ask you a question regarding freshman admissions-
GPA of 3.65 weighed & 3.49 base
ACT 30 & SAT 2080
All other qualifications similar to those previously accepted.
Will my GPA significantly diminish my chances for admissions ?
Thanks</p>

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<p>I don’t think it will significantly diminish your chances. Just make sure your senior schedule is somewhat rigorous (though not above your ability) and perform well that first semester. There are soft factors at play here, too, such as the reputation of your high school with UF admissions, for example. </p>

<p>The SAT is weighted above GPA and your score puts you in the 75th percentile of applicants or so. Though for UF only CR + M matter… so as long as your writing section isn’t boosting your score, you’re golden. </p>

<p>You’ve probably gotten this before but I’d be floored if you didn’t get accepted.</p>

<p>They didn’t tell me to choose a school on the application. On the application for transfer students it just told me to list my intended major, and I picked accounting from the drop list. </p>

<p>I’m also applying from FIU, so I will not be getting the boost CC students receive. Does this turn my mid-reach chance of getting accepted into a full out reach now? Will it help to know that I was on the Dean’s list 1 out of the 2 times I was eligible? Also, since I applied in June, when should I get a notice from UF on their decision, and does it help my chances that I applied for summer as a transfer instead of Fall?</p>

<p>Thanks for doing this</p>

<p>Could you give me your 2 cents on the difficulty of these courses? </p>

<p>PSY 2012 Gen Psychology
PHI 2010 Intro to Philosophy
PHI 2630 Contemporary Moral Issues
PHI 2100 Logic
AST 2004 Cosmology
REL 2000 Intro to Religion (or tell me about any other religion classes that you know about)</p>

<p>I currently have 13 credits and I am thinking about adding another course depending on its difficulty.</p>

<p>Is 16 too much for a freshman, 13 seems like too few?</p>

<p>Well, how safe are bikes (with u-locks) parked near the residence halls (trusler and graham particularly)?</p>

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<p>I would still consider it a mid level reach. Santa Fe College students will get a slight bump but not really any other CC students. You have the benefit of transferring from a four year university which I think will reflect well. Admissions will take into account the difficulty of your major. Applying for summer should also help you out. I’m not sure when you’ll be given a decision since transfer admission decision dates aren’t set in stone like freshman dates. And by all means put down your dean’s list accomplishments! Put down all of your achievements. </p>

<p>Keep in mind your pre-professional GPA is important in the decision making process. Oh and remember this is all second hand info I’ve learned- I’ve never sat in on a transfer decision! </p>

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<p>Those are all considered easy courses (not “fluff”, though, you’ll still have to keep up with reading etc.) However a lot will depend on your professor- try to research him or her. Basically everything but Cosmology and Logic will have a good bit of reading and be fairly comprehensive (as all intro levels tend to be). I think it’s good to start with an intro to religion course before jumping into something more specific. If you’re trying to fulfill a particular general education requirement I can recommend a lot of those courses!</p>

<p>I think you should stick to 13 credits. You’ll need time to adjust to your first semester and the last thing you want to be is overloaded. You may find yourself over prepared but you can always remedy that in the Spring by jumping up to 15 credits. Remember, you’ll need to get used to a new town, a roommate, a different schedule, etc. and you’ll probably want to try out clubs and other social activities. </p>

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<p>With a u-lock, it should be safe. However, just be aware that bike theft does occur at UF and on any campus. </p>

<p>[Here’s</a> some tips about bike safety from UFPD](<a href=“http://www.police.ufl.edu/csd/csd_safetytips_bikesecurity.aspom]Here’s”>http://www.police.ufl.edu/csd/csd_safetytips_bikesecurity.aspom)</p>

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<p>That’s actually not true - transferring from a four year university puts you at a disadvantage, because there’s a law in Florida that says all four year schools must take a certain percentage of community college/state college transfers, and it’s a pretty large number.</p>

<p>–drgOnzO</p>

<p>Firstly, I thank you for your quick response and if I may ask another question-</p>

<p>During the freshman admission process, does UF maintain a live updated web page indicating all scores and grades received, the actual weighed GPA UF will use to determine eligibility and the actual SAT/ACT superscore number so that we can verified that the information that UF received is accurate ?
Can you post an actual screen shot of anyone’s admissions page indicating how this may look ?</p>

<p>Thanks again-</p>

<p>Do you know if UF admissions take resume type of forms to better my chances of getting accepted as a transfer? I don’t mind sending one to the admissions office since I already have one made out for internships, but instead of business material, I’ll just put my academic achievements.</p>

<p>What kind of activities do gators engage in on the weekends? Many of my friends who chose to go to urban or suburban universities say there is nothing to do in Gainesville. I’m an outdoorsy guy who wants to work hard and play hard. </p>

<p>I like the idea of being involved in a fraternity but worried about their negative stereotypes. Do the stereotypes tend to be true (rich, snobby, only socialize within the frat)? If so, what are some of the friendlier frats on campus?</p>

<p>I hate to ask a “chance me” type question but right now I have a 1310/1600 (690 cr, 620 m). Problem is, I have a learning disability and I didn’t get approved for extended time until after I took the test. Is it worth taking the SAT again to raise my chances? Would an addendum explaining my situation be helpful or even looked at?</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>does having prepaid tuition and dorm impact your admissions chances?
chance me in-state, ib student, 29 act, student government/senior class officer, nhs, baseball umpire for city league, estimated uf gpa 4.3
also what exactly is admissions looking for in the essay?</p>

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<p>Sorry for spreading misinformation. You’re correct. I’ve never been affiliated with transfer admissions/don’t know the policies of the individual colleges so from here on out I won’t even conjecture. </p>

<p>So on a transfer app. related note: </p>

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<p>As I noted above, I shouldn’t really guess about the transfer admissions process. The individual colleges handle transfer apps and I’ve never actually seen one. In general, though, admissions material like a resume should be contained to the online app. I don’t think typing out a resume would help or hurt you but, if you do write out a CV, you can paste it in one of the boxes on the online form or upload and attach the form to the app. </p>

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<p>No, unfortunately due to the sheer volume of applications received, UF is not able to post your GPA and SAT/ACT scores. You can always call or e-mail an admissions officers to determine whether your application and other materials have been processed. That’s how many errors are caught. </p>

<p>I can’t give a screen shot of anything unless it’s my own record, by the way…</p>

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<p>The Gator population is so diverse, I couldn’t name any one activity that students engage in. There’s something for everyone. Gator Nights is free at the Reitz union every Friday, where a movie is shown and various activities are held. Amenities any suburb would have to offer are around the corner: movies, Oaks mall, bars (for under and over 21s) and clubs. If you like music/art, many venues offer live music down town every weekend. The Hippodrome State Theatre is a great place to see plays and indie movies. If you’re a partier, there’s plenty of house parties. For the outdoorsy type, there’s the Ichetucknee river, Ginnie Springs and the Rainbow river for tubing (no drinking at the Ichetucknee, Ginnie tends to be for those who like booze). You can also check out camping at the Ocala National Forest or enjoy the picnics and trails at Paynes Prairie. Some people won’t like the area, but I’ve personally never bored in Gainesville. </p>

<p>Some of the negative stereotypes about frats are true… for some people. But there are great guys and girls in the Greek system. I was in Lamba Chi Alpha which was very laid back. I can think of a list of other “friendly” frats for you, if you’d like.</p>

<p>Depending on the rest of your stats, your SAT should be fine as is. But take advantage of the extended time if you’re sure it will improve your score. If you do re-take, it will be important to write an addendum. It will be read and your situation will most certainly be taken into account. </p>

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<p>GPA and ACT near the 75th percentile, in-state status, good ECs and a presumed rigorous education through IB…you’re sitting pretty. I’d say UF is a great match and you’re in. </p>

<p>I can’t reveal the essay rubric but can speak generally. Make sure your essay has no grammatical errors and is clear, concise and organized well. Originality is important. More than anything, though, admissions wants to get a feel for who you are. Use it is an opportunity to reveal something admissions might not otherwise know. </p>

<p>Prepaid tuition has no impact on decisions.</p>