<p>I would think your perception is closer to reality and the rest of the country is skewed. That’s the danger of these “rankings.” These lists are done at such a macro and superficial view, usually looking only at the input factors (e.g. test scores, high school transcript). You see the in progress (college students) and end product (college alumni). If you are happy with the results: these school producing well-educated, thoughtful, happy, productive members of the community then it really doesn’t matter what a magazine says.</p>
<p>UCF is known by out-of-state folks only because they give full rides to National Merit Finalists.
(I suspect that is why the valedictorian mentioned in post#9 went there.)</p>
<p>“I would think your perception is closer to reality and the rest of the country is skewed,”</p>
<p>I don’t think the rest of the country is skewed. I think they’re simply unaware. As most people are of any colleges outside their own state/region. Tabula rasa.</p>
<p>Yes , SlackerMomMD, I know exactly what you mean about the danger of the rankings. As much as I don’t like to get caught up in them, I did it back when I went to college and graduate school, and find myself doing it to a lesser extent again now years later as a parent (even though I know better now) as I ponder the current public vs. private options, etc. It’s like I can’t help myself…LOL I realize that they are not the be all and end all, though.</p>
<p>Who cares what someone in Washington (State) thinks of Florida schools, this is the South! Nobody ever, ever talks about colleges in Washington that I know, they are persona non grata on the entire East coast. SEC schools rock, UF clearly has the national chops but FSU is not far behind, UCF and USF are real up & comers. It actually depends on your Major…UF for business, engineering, law, medicine, journalism, etc. FSU for the arts, criminology…</p>
I realize that they are not the be all and end all, though.</p>