<p>Which school would be better for Econ & Math? Thanks.</p>
<p>Are you for real? :)</p>
<p>Florida State.</p>
<p>A little biased? :)</p>
<p>Hardly. FSU is ranked substantially higher as an undergraduate university and has a nationally ranked graduate mathematics program as well.</p>
<p>Here is a link to their recent rankings: <a href="http://www.fsu.edu/highlights/rankings.html%5B/url%5D">http://www.fsu.edu/highlights/rankings.html</a></p>
<p>and past rankings:
<a href="http://president.fsu.edu/98state/speech4.html%5B/url%5D">http://president.fsu.edu/98state/speech4.html</a></p>
<p>Anyone else?</p>
<p>Neither is particularly strong. Florida State is ranked 110th by US News. USF is designated a "third tier" school, or in the bottom half of all universities in the country. University of Florida would be a far better choice, stronger not only in economics and math, but across the board.</p>
<p>Not quite true. Florida State and UFlorida are not duplicates and thus to say one is stronger across the board is incorrect. UF has it's strengths, but FSU does as well. Both are the 'flagship' schools is Florida. For example, the ug business programs are very close in rankings, as with the law schools, while some programs are unique such as meteorology at FSU or journalism at UF. UF's recent strength in rankings is great for them, but again is a fairly recent development.</p>
<p>Besides, the poster wanted a comparison between FSU and USF, which by the way has a nice med school. USF historically been a 'commuter' school while FSU is a traditional, residential university.</p>
<p>"Neither is particularly strong. Florida State is ranked 110th by US News. USF is designated a "third tier" school, or in the bottom half of all universities in the country. University of Florida would be a far better choice, stronger not only in economics and math, but across the board."</p>
<p>I didn't really like UF when I visited (twice). I guess I'll just have to decide where I feel more comfortable since there isn't much of a difference in overall academic quality.</p>
<p>I would strongly suggest you personally visit each and speak with faculty in the departments you're interested in. Plus, FSU (I know it best as an alumnus and with two daughters there now) will allow potential students to have personal appointments with Admissions Officers and others, like the Honors Program staff. </p>
<p>As a parent, I found the staff helpful, approachable and responsive with follow-up email and phone calls. They also offered very nice scholarships, especially if your SAT/ACT score(s) is/are above 1300/30. Even high ranking officials are responsive, such as the President and the Provost. I've emailed both from time to time on different issues as an alumnus (no, I don't send millions in contributions, though I wish I could).</p>
<p>My daughter applied to both UF and FSU and like you, did not like UF for various reasons, even though she was accepted. The second daughter didn't bother with UF, in large part due to the experience with the first.</p>
<p>While you may think me biased, I have family that have attended all three schools (FSU, UF and USF) and graduated from FSU and UF. They are all decent state schools.</p>
<p>Good luck, and if you need more detail check out the FSU section of the CC or feel free to PM.</p>
<p>Florida State >>>> University of South Florida</p>
<p>USF = Regional School</p>
<p>A state cannot, by definition, have two "flag ship" universities. U of F continues to move up to the mid-range of such state universities, while FSU is not particularly selective and, according to USNWR, languishes below such schools as NC State, Howard, Tulsa, Dayton, Tennessee and Alabama. Over a third of the students who enter FSU don't graduate. Still, definitely, the Southern, Central and Northern Floridas are another notch below.</p>
<p>By history and tradition Florida State is one of two 'flagship' universities in Florida. While this designation is essentially meaningless, except to inflame the passions of the various groups - given the error and dispute of the various ranking services, UF and FSU are in fact thus situated.</p>
<p>Not to put too fine a point on it, and I really don't have a dog in this fight, bu there can only be one "flagship," not two. </p>
<p>As the American Heritage dictionary states:</p>
<p>flagship<br>
n.<br>
1. A ship that carries a fleet or squadron commander and bears the commander's flag.
2. The chief one of a related group: the flagship of a newspaper chain; the flagship of a line of reference books. </p>
<p>U of F is the flagship. FSU is one of the fleet of others among Florida's public schools.</p>
<p>So, does this definition mean that the 'flagship' position changes from time to time? It has, in the State of Florida's past. FSU has the Alpha Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. UF has the Beta, awarded some time later. Or, are we to believe that the Florida Legislature has so designated UF as such? If so, show it to me in the Florida Statutes. Otherwise, this designation is for media types looking for some kind of handle, and other such types looking to stimulate sales, therefore rendering it meaningless. </p>
<p>My previous comments still applies. It may work in Texas, but not in Florida.</p>
<p>I actually think Texas touts both UT-Austin and A & M as "flagships." As you indicate, this has more to do with not wanting to step on toes than reality, linguistic or otherwise.</p>
<p>back to the topic, my mom went to USF, and while that was a long time ago, it still seems like a commuter school. plus the part of tampa we visited, where she lived as a student, was really terrible. </p>
<p>FSU- my best friend's older sister is there, she's quite intellectual and wants to be a lawyer. she really seems to like it there. oh and they have AWESOME study abroad programs.</p>
<p>Really populous states, like Texas and Florida, can have two flagship Us. California and New York take it even further. How many flagships does California have? If only one, which is it?</p>
<p>Florida has two "flagship" universities, UF and FSU. Giving UF a higher USNews ranking, does not change this fact. The new Florida governor is actually making a point to label both universities as such.</p>
<p>U Cal Berkeley is clearly California's flagship. There is similar clarity in all states except New York, which has no "flagship" but has a string of state universities and state colleges.</p>
<p>In every other state, there is one and one only and, as discussed philogically above, can only be one. </p>
<p>It is just mollycoddling to those who went to another state U in the same state, including FSU, to pretend there are two flagships. It's PC pandering to the graduates, faculty and students of the non-flagship school. By way of example that may make more sense to Floridians, it's like giving two state football titles in the same size classification, just so two high schools can claim they were "state champions." There is only one champion, and only one flagship.</p>
<p>One would have thought this was clear, and it's really not that important, except for the obviously bruised egos involved.</p>
<p>The reality is that FSU is every bit as much a 'flagship' as UF, egos notwithstanding, but in recognition of history. Current rankings give UF a lead in some areas, but like I wrote that changes over time with the population, and the focus of the day.</p>
<p>If in history The Florida Legislature had established ONE university for the state and so forth in subsequent law, then I would agree that school is the 'flagship'. The Legislature here established two in one law in 1851.</p>
<p>There's much more to the history which illustrates this reality.</p>