<p>Hello all! I have been accepted into the University of Florida and the University of Miami and I was hoping to get some opinions or advice to where I should go. I have received a $13,000 merit scholarship from Miami as well as money provided to me as a dependent of someone who is eligible for the Post 9/11 GI Bill. In other words, I get money for being the child of someone who has been in the military for many years. Saying this, money is not the deciding factor for my decision. My parents WILL be paying for my entire undergraduate degree, so at the same time I feel guilty for making them pay so much even if they say that it is no big deal.</p>
<p>I want to major in biology and go to graduate school (not sure whether I want to take the medicine path or just do research). Even with the scholarships, UFLorida would still be cheaper. The only problem is that I have grown up in a city almost my entire life and I am scared that there will be little for me to do in Gainesville. Both of the campuses are gorgeous, but I could see myself in Miami more than in Gainesville. My only concern with Miami is the safety of outside the campus. I will probably not be provided with a car during my undergraduate studies and as a result I will have to use public transportation. Our tour guide at Miami told us explicitly to not go on the metro alone at night. Is it safe to walk around outside of campus at any time at night by myself?</p>
<p>Go to UF. Save all the money, including the GI Bill, for graduate school. Spend your parents’ money like your own I can’t believe that there will be a little to do for a school the size of UF.</p>
<p>There is no shortage of activities in Gainesville; it is a very vibrant and lovely town. It will be very different from a large city (you don’t say which one you live in) but it is an interesting place and between the many university-related events and the local restaurants and bars, you will not be bored unless you want to be.</p>
<p>If that’s your only concern about UF, please don’t worry. You’ll be fine there.</p>
<p>I’ll only comment on Miami and safety. My d is a sophomore there, and she would agree that it is best not to use public transportation by yourself at night. That being said, Miami has the Hurricane shuttles that provide service to many key areas, plus many kids have cars, so your friends will most likely drive by sophomore year. You should not have an issue getting around much. She is not from a big city, and she is very comfortable with security on campus. At night, she is generally with friends. As long as you use good judgement, you should be fine. Coral Gables is a suburb of Miami. Sure, there are instances of crime, but overall, I think the area is safe as long as you are aware and make good decisions.</p>
<p>As a student in South Florida, I would go to UF if I were in your situation. While Miami is not incredibly unsafe with a little common sense, it is still much more expensive and in my opinion, not worth the money if you get into UF as well.</p>
I can’t believe that there will be a little to do for a school the size of UF.</p>