<p>I am interested to hear from other students who are making decisions between UCF and FSU. Especially if you are doing more thinking about the academic programs, and less about the campus optics. Also, would you think that there's a difference in the student body between the 2 schools? What about Honors College at both?</p>
<p>I am a graduate of Florida</a> State with two children there now, one an undergrad and the other an entering grad student (who recently graduated from FSU). Both selected FSU over UF and other schools. UCF was never even considered by them to my knowledge. I suggest you consider the national academic rankings of the two schools (for FSU look here[/url</a>] and [url=<a href="http://president.fsu.edu/98state/speech4.html%5Dhere%5B/url%5D">http://president.fsu.edu/98state/speech4.html]here</a>) and the value per a 2009</a> USA Today assessment and 15th nationally by Kiplinger.</p>
<p>If that does not convince you FSU is preferable, then consider the average FSU Fall freshman comes in with a 1265 SAT and 28 ACT vs a 1219 SAT/26 ACT for UCF.</p>
<p>Still not convinced? Then look at the faculty-student ratios: FSU-20.5 to 1; UCF-29.9 to 1.</p>
<p>My older daughter just graduated from FSU with a degree in biochemistry. She was in the Honors</a> Program, graduated Phi</a> Beta Kappa and had some simply outstanding opportunities (for example, doing some of her research at the National</a> High Magnetic Field Laboratory) to perform individual research that I think are clearly the best in Florida. She is now enrolled in FSU's</a> College of Medicine. </p>
<p>Since, for example, UCF</a> does not have a chapter of PBK, what she did would not have been possible at UCF.</p>
<p>So, what you get at FSU is a better education, much higher national academic profile, smaller classes, more resources and the opportunity to be mentored and guided in undergraduate research at very low cost.</p>
<p>It works for us. ;)</p>
<p>Parent2Noles:</p>
<p>Thanks for the prompt and persuasive reply. You are very thorough! Which probably explains the relative brilliance of your daughter! ;)</p>
<p>I will check out the links; we are planning an accepted student's preview, and will know better once the visit is made, and once we know whether he's in the honors program or not.</p>
<p>Many thanks!</p>
<p>You're welcome. </p>
<p>I should also point out FSU is a traditional residential university and UCF much more a commuter school.</p>
<p>FSU - In the ACC
UCF - ...Conference USA, EWWWW</p>
<p>I was going to attend UCF starting summer session, but I just got accepted to FSU for the fall semester. I'm really confused about what to do. Both schools have the program I'm interested in now but I know I may want to explore some other areas. </p>
<p>Does anyone know how class sizes compare for undergrad especially for freshmen and sophomores who are not in honors? I've already visited both campuses so I really need to make a decision soon. And now I'm afraid I'm too late for on-campus housing at FSU anyway. ANy help would be great</p>
<p>I don't have first hand experience with UCF except for what my friends have said. Their kids often find classes full when they try to enroll.<br>
Thus the nickname...U(you)-C(can't)-F(finish). My s was accepted to the school of music at UCF. Even though he wasn't accepted to the school of music at FSU, he decided to attend anyway liking the atmosphere on campus in Tallahassee more than Orlando.</p>
<p>The faculty-student ratios I cited in post # 2 apply for all undergraduates, not just honors.</p>
<p>I grew up outside of Orlando. My dad went back to school nights when I was in elementary school. Working days and schooling nights, he got his BS at Rollins, and his Masters, and EdD (computer science and education)at what was then FTU (It was not renamed UCF until the late 1970's). He worked in civil service for the military for his entire career, in Orlando.</p>
<p>To this day, when he mentions UCF as his alma mater, he does not get the respect he deserves from people in Orlando. I am not certain why. But the residents of Orlando and the surrounding areas still don't get it. They still think of UCF as that communter school outside of town. USF and UCF were founded at about the same time. Funny, but in Tampa, USF gets ALOT of respect. I think that because USF Health became such a strong part of the university, USF's reputation in Tampa is held in high regards, maybe more so in Tamps than in the rest of the state. The reverse seems true for UCF. In Orlando, UCF does not get the respect in town that it gets out of town or out of state. My own sister and family live in Oveido a mere 2-3 miles from campus. When we were chatting recently about our daughters both being HS juniors, and the competitive nature of getting into a state U, she had no idea. Her D is the oldest (I have one at FSU). She is not a CC type of parent. And she had no idea that UCF was the fifth largest U in the US, nor did she have any idea that you needed almost the same scores and grades to get into UCF as you did FSU. "UCF, are you sure?" she replied. "Doesn't eveyone still go home on the weekends?" </p>
<p>UCF has great opportunies, and I hear wonderful things about their honors college. My D has several friends who chose UCF honors over UF (non honors). I think that you will get a GREAT education at UCF. But it does not get the academic respect it deserves.</p>
<p>I suspect at least part of the reason is that UCF is configured like a commuter school. It has 12 regional campuses. USF is similar. People do go home at night and on the weekends. It's my perception that UCF is better thought of than USF, but both are rivals.</p>
<p>We just returned from Tallahassee where we spent the night with D2 in her single at McCollum Hall on FSU's campus. The campus and the parking lots were nearly at capacity the entire weekend. (McCollum is a nice, fairly quiet dorm.)</p>
<p>On Sunday AM even at 10:00AM the FSU campus was like a graveyard. It was a land of the dead (to the world). ;)</p>
<p>Two of my cousins attend UCF, and due to the school having around 50,000 students, they are unable to enroll in many of their essential classes, and are stuck taking blow off classes.</p>
<p>However, I have many friends that attend FSU, and they have no trouble getting all their classes in their schedule.</p>
<p>A small detail, but an important one.</p>
<p>I agree with MadelineJane. My son was able to finish his FSU finance degree in 3 years and he has not had any problem getting the required courses each semester even though he did not have the honors registration advantage. He also was able to get good schedules with highly rated professors without morning or Friday classes. They don’t joke about UCF meaning U Can’t Finish for nothing.</p>
<p>The Honors registration advantage is significant. Not only are you able to get all your classes with relative ease, Honors classes usually have 20 or fewer students.</p>
<p>Then the individual undergraduate research advantage of FSU, (Honors especially)…outstanding!</p>
<p>i was accepted into UCF, i visited and did not like it.
it is a lot like the school i attend now as far as layout (i go to UNF), but a lot uglier.
it is 15miles from orlando, bunch of traffic. not a lot of trees. i know it’s a good school though.</p>