<p>I’m a double traitor! It’s okay, I don’t mind. I get a lot of (playful) flack for not being into sports.
Now, let me think here.
If you are eligible for work-for-tuition student employment (that is determined by financial need), then the jobs here are fairly plentiful. I applied for a job pinning bugs to a board at the museum for a butterfly research project that paid $9/hour, but was not eligible for the work-for-tuition program that the job opportunity was set up under. I believe you have to apply for this work-for-tuition program through Criser Hall OR you will be given the opportunity to apply if you attempt to apply for a job set up under the work-for-tuition program and your eligibility will be determined from there.
Pre-med internships exist in the form of volunteering at Shands Hospital (fairly competitive, strenuous hours, must volunteer weekly) or undergrad assistant lab positions in individual labs run by professors at UF. I took a seminar class (1 credit, Science for Life) that gave me access to all of the emails of the science professors at UF and oriented me in the research environment at UF. From there, I mass emailed labs until I got a response. If you reach out, you’re bound to get one or two responses. I toured 3 labs and chose 1 based on work hours/flexibility.
Psychology is a strong major at UF, yeah. Anything in the STEM programs are well-funded, but I’m a humanities major (read: funding is not our strong suit) and my professors are still from top-notch institutions (they just hired a professor with a PhD from MIT in my dept.). UF is an overall good school; most majors are strong and the resources are there if you pursue them. 
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<p>I’m having trouble deciding between Johns Hopkins and UF. I want to major in CS and both schools have great undergraduate programs in this field. I am a little intimidated by the “nerdiness” at JHU, however, and I would like to know if you, given the opportunity, would have attended a smaller, more academically inclined school than UF. The reason I bring this up is because I’m a very social person, and I don’t know if I’ll fit in very well at JHU.</p>
<p>PS Money is not a problem since I’ve received a hefty financial aid package from JHU…</p>
<p>Hi @Pr0spect –
If you have read my previous “here is my experience” posts then you’ll see that I really considered attending a small LAC (especially because my major is in the humanities). I would consider my personality as a freshman coming in as much more reserved and quiet. If you are a social person, then UF is a great place to go (especially Panhellenic Greek life…that much socializing tired me out but it might be just right for you!).
If given the opportunity to attend my #1 LAC (Haverford), the decision would be tough, but for the money I saved in-state (I plan to attend graduate school and so any money leftover from my college fund is great…grad TA stipends aren’t generous), and the education I received here, I would pick UF. Not to mention that I met my boyfriend here, and am fairly involved in the community. </p>
<p>I have a several questions…
When do freshman find out what hall they will be staying in?
What is the average fraternity cost?
What is the cost of the 7 day open access meal plan?
How is pre-med?</p>
<p>I can answer some of your questions, gtownbound:
Freshman get to pick their hall and room during April and May. You pick the exact room you want, and reserve it.
Fraternity costs: <a href=“http://www.greeks.ufl.edu/resources/docs/2010FLGuideGreeks.pdf”>http://www.greeks.ufl.edu/resources/docs/2010FLGuideGreeks.pdf</a>
Page 31 has more about dues. Total costs would be about $1500. And here’s a document, actually from UCF, but it gives really specific information about how much you end up paying for a fraternity. <a href=“http://fsl.sdes.ucf.edu/docs/Interfraternity%20Chapter%20Costs.pdf”>http://fsl.sdes.ucf.edu/docs/Interfraternity%20Chapter%20Costs.pdf</a>
This year 7-day open access was $1896 per semester. If you get a meal plan, I would get that one, because it doesn’t cost that much more for the unlimited access.
I’m not pre-med myself, but have a ton of friends who are. It is really intense and challenging. It will be extremely difficult compared to anything you did in high school, but if being in the medical field is something you are truly passionate about, you will make it through fine. I know some people who are pre-med, and they are very intelligent, but they stay organized and do every single homework assignment assigned and put 110% effort in and make As. It is a good idea to take a class like Chem 1 during freshman year so you know right away if pre-med is right for you. If you struggle with challenging classes right away, this could help you figure what field you want to study early on. </p>
<p>@gtownbound –
(1) I don’t know…I would check the appropriate UF website.
(2) About $2500/year, but I would check to make sure…there is an IFC website with this info.
(3) I would Google that too.
(4) It’s alright; not impossible but sure as hell difficult. There are (school sponsored/free) tutors available. With time management and determination you will surely succeed. </p>
<p>Any one know how competitive the Zoology major is? Compared to Biology and Animal Sciences, is Zoology less competitive than these two?</p>
<p>Not sure about Animal Sciences, but Zoology is about as competitive as Biology (a bit more than the Biology BA program and a bit less than the Biology BS program). CLAS recommends having at least a 2.8 GPA to be competitive in Zoology. </p>
Hey I’m going to try and revive this thread. How exactly does getting internships and engaging in research work? Are there just applications I fill out online? Do I got to say, Shands, and just ask to talk to whoever would be in charge of that? Also, would you say having a family member who is working at Shands as a nurse would give me an edge in getting an internship there? Would I even have time for internships and research if I choose to join a fraternity, especially during rush? Is it normal for freshman to even do that sort of stuff, or do they usually wait a little bit? I have no idea how anything works and some general input would be greatly appreciated.
For advice on research, see the following link:
http://www.honors.ufl.edu/Research.aspx
Even though it’s posted on the honor’s college website, the advise works for any student. UF also has an student club that’s dedicated to research.
For internships, I recommend you plan on going to career fairs.
http://www.crc.ufl.edu/employers/employercareerfairs.html
Put together your resume and start talking with folks. Even if you don’t get one, going to the Career Showcase will be great experience and better prepare you for the following year.
Networking also helps with internships (or part time jobs), so family members can be of great help.
Rushing is very time consuming. You’ll need to develop good time management/study skills or it can kill your GPA. It’s not for everyone. However, joining a fraternity also helps with…Networking.
If you’ll thinking of rushing, I would recommend that you limit yourself to 12 or 13 credit hours. Even if you don’t rush, that may still be a good idea, as it gives you more time to get used to college, join a few clubs and start finding your way.
Go Gators!