@last 3 my daughter started summer b last year and lived at Lakeside. She stayed there for fall and spring in the same room. Works out well. The drive to santa takes about 15 minutes. You can get their by bus but it is a pain. Most drive or carpool. We really wanted our daughter on the UF campus so we didn’t research off campus options in depth. A bunch of kids in the engineering and design programs at Santa Fe live at lakeside. For example, 16 kids who go to Santa Fe live in four apartments right next to one another. Lakeside is a bit remote from the center of campus but has plenty of parking. Even though they are Santa Fe students, they get an ID and can talk their way into some UF events. They go to Gator Nights, for example.
My daughter cooks so she likes the apartment style dorm and is signed up to live there next year.
Also, last year they had plenty of space at lakeside. I would get your deposit in, though. A lot of kids in GE@SF live off campus in apartments on the bus line. We wanted the peace of mind of having our daughter on UF campus. We had prepaid for a year of dorm.
You should definitely go to an information session and they will have a way to see lakeside.
My son was also offered the GESF program. He’d be coming out of state so we have been asking a lot of questions about dorms and the program etc. and trying to get informed. My good friend’s son entered the costruction management SF program last fall and put in for dorm lottery. The dorm confirmation was up in the air for a while but during the summer orientation he met 3 boys in the same program and they ended up getting an apt together off campus. He eventually “won” the dorm lottery but they declined because the apartment situation was coming together so well. My friend says he loves his apartment …not sure where it’s located…he also has his car there. And his roommates are great! The apartment complex apparently has a lot of UFSF students living there.
@Last 3 My daughter lived at Lakeside during Summer B and actually stayed in the same room for Fall and Spring. It was nice as we only had one move-in.
@taber1234 The kids in GE@SF and I believe the design/construction UFSF program are only offered Lakeside. They don’t get a chance to live in other residence halls – mainly because they aren’t UF students.
Last year, we put down the housing deposit fee ($30 or whatever is was) in November. GE@SF said at the info session that they would open up a certain number of beds at Lakeside (i think it was 48) and then offer them to the SF program kids based on their housing deposit date. It took a while to come together and we were nervous that our daughter might not get housing, but in the end, they had plenty of capacity. I don’t think they filled the 48 beds, but a good number of kids in the SF programs live at Lakeside.
From what we learned at the information session, a lot of kids in the program live off campus at one of the apartment complexes on the bus route between UF/SF. The bus is free for all UF and SF students.
I think it comes down to personal preference. For us, it would have been very hard to have our daughter living off campus as a freshman, so it worked out very well.
The good thing about Lakeside is that it is “kinda new” as in built in 2000. Some residence halls are more than 100 years old. A lot were built in the 1960s. The kids get their own room. Plenty of parking right outside their doors. Kitchen in the apartment style dorm. You only share a bathroom with one other person. Near SW Rec.
Downside is that it is a bit removed from the center of campus. It is not as “social” as the Broward area, for example. It’s a long walk to the Union, for example. Having a dining plan doesnt make much sense.
@GatorDad305:
I am so glad I stumbled upon this website and your post. My son and I are here this weekend touring FSU and UF. We are still waiting on decision from UCF but I think he is down to doing his first 2 years at FSU, and taking his chances to get into UF (halfway through his college life) OR going for this GE @ SF program.
I love that you explained that this is an exclusive program probably offered to about 400 students this year. And it is more like Gator Engineering THROUGH SF then “@ SF” in my research.
My son, if he accepts this challenge, simply needs to get good grades in Chem 1, Calc 1/2, and Physics 1 in the Fall Term. He does that and he is in - no worries, no applications, no further drama. That is the part that I think he is seeing now over the FSU option.
Tomorrow is our tour and I will post as much information as I can from it.
Right now here is what we are looking to 100% verify:
Housing can now be on campus (lakeside) or off campus
They can choose a meal plan or not
They hit grades Fall Semester, and they get their UF ID — and probably appreciate it way more than others
Spring 2019 and Fall 2019 he will still be taking SF core classes, but will have plenty of classes at UF
He can change right now to CS from CE if he wants to do that.
He can do a semester abroad. Maybe Fall 2019?
I see my son hungry now, a little chip on his shoulder, and I LIKE IT. Already talking about BS/MS combo program
I think the “real world” has started for him early with this rejection/acceptance option.
I actually emailed the Gator Engineering program coordinator about the selection process and the program is indeed much exclusive- they hand pick you. The way you’re selected is that when UF is done reviewing applications, they have a pile of applications that didn’t make it into the Summer or Fall term, but were nevertheless qualified UF applicants. Those applicants also happen to have selected one of the majors offered through GE @ SF on their application. They send this pile of applicants to the UF College of Engineering where the officers there further narrow this pile down to select only those who are the most qualified of the pile and would make good engineers, (judging from academic records and scores). So for those of you who were selected for it, UF wanted you and didn’t reject you. They still offered you a direct path in as a freshman admit. Do keep in mind you’re still getting admitted as a freshman (second semester of freshman year exactly). I’m not sure how many they admitted for it this year- my guess is around the 100-200 mark not much more.
Right now here is what we are looking to 100% verify:
Housing can now be on campus (lakeside) or off campus.
Yes. He has to go through the housing “process” to live on campus. If he wants to, then get that deposit in…
They can choose a meal plan or not
Yes. However, there's no gator dining facility close by. The union is the closest. We put some money on a gator dining card for my daughter and she barely used it. She likes to cook so she does well at Lakeside, doesn't mind going shopping and making her own meals.
They hit grades Fall Semester, and they get their UF ID --- and probably appreciate it way more than others
Yes. (If they live on UF campus, they will get an ID immediately but it has limitations. If you have to swipe it, it won't get you in.) They have to take at least one critical track class during the Fall '19 semester. If they get a 2.5 avg. of critical tracking in the Fall, they become Full UF students with all the rights and privileges.
Spring 2019 and Fall 2019 he will still be taking SF core classes, but will have plenty of classes at UF
Not quite right. He will start in Fall of 2019 and all his classes will be at SF. Spring of 20 will probably be the same but all kids in GE@SF take a UF engineering and design course (taught by a UF prof) at Santa Fe. By Fall of sophomore year, they will take some classes at UF but still be working critical tracking at SF. Spring of Sophomore year should be entirely UF or close to it.
He can change right now to CS from CE if he wants to do that.
Yes, because CS is a GE@SF major.
He can do a semester abroad. Maybe Fall 2019?
Can't answer this one. Do you mean Fall of 2020?
This decision comes down to a couple factors, in my opinion. Does you son want to be a Gator? The kids in this program are Gators. When you go on SF campus, you don’t see SF (I can’t even remember the name of the mascot) gear. You see Gator gear everywhere. If your son is an F$U fan, then he might prefer to go there. If he likes the idea of being a traditional freshman at UCF, then he might prefer to go there. The kids in this program are Gators. Many live on UF campus, they go to UF parties and go to UF football games (though they aren’t eligible for student tickets until they get their admit.)
Does he really want to study engineering? The pathway to a major at UF outside of engineering is not as clean. If after a semester or two, he decides engineering is not what he wants, then he will have to go through the traditional transfer process to get into UF.
My daughter chose GE@SF over F$U and UCF. But she wanted to be a Gator and study engineering.
I also think that UF Engineering is a better choice than F$U and UCF. @Gator88NE is the true expert on that one. Perhaps he will chime in.
If you have other questions about GE@SF, ask away and I will try to help.
One other thing, I think the “chip on the shoulder” is a good thing. The kids in the program have to earn their admit. They are highly motivated.
@WarEagleGatorDad
I’m not sure if a GE@SF can do study abroad, but it’s worth looking into. UF really, really, wants more students to do it.
UF did recently start up a one semester (Spring) program for freshmen engineers, If interested, you should start planning for it when you go to Preview. The application deadline will likely be around October 15th (as it was last year). Check with UF, but I do think they let students out of the Spring housing (and meal) contracts, if they do select study abroad that semester.
@Gator88NE
Guessing from the UF gator engineering website, it appears that they do allow study abroads for GE @ SF students.
“ To learn about even more opportunities available to Gator Engineering at Santa Fe students, visit our links on Undergraduate Research, Study Abroad, Internships, and Student Organization Activities. “
I copy and pasted above directly from their website so it appears they do allow it once those students are admitted in their first year.