<p>"UF's alumni network is strong but still Florida based, which makes it a regional school"</p>
<p>That is changing faster than you may think.</p>
<p>Employers in the New York metropolitan area know about UF so I can't agree that it only has a regional reputation. It's not considered a powerhouse or anything, but it's known as a quality school. </p>
<p>You have to remember, alot of Floridians are from the Northeast. The idea of vacationing/relocating/sending your kids to college in Florida is like the 'it' thing to do. We still have many connections and family up there and word spreads fast. Alot of us, including myself, will go back when we're finished with school.</p>
<p>Bright futures doesn't even cover tuition. Alabama would cover tuition, room, study abroad and a lap top computer. I'm not sure but I think we could also collect 75% of bright futures money. Thats free.</p>
<p>Most will say UF is better than Alabama and I'm not going to argue that point. Alabama is ranked ahead of every other Florida school according to US News.</p>
<p>I honestly could care less if UF has a strong presence in Alabama. I have been hearing alot of interesting info about where our engineering alumni are being placed. Not uncommon to get Chicago, the Midwest, and even California.</p>
<p>The Warrington Graduates also are having great success with placement outside of Florida as well.</p>
<p>
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Employers in the New York metropolitan area know about UF so I can't agree that it only has a regional reputation. It's not considered a powerhouse or anything, but it's known as a quality school.
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[quote]
I honestly could care less if UF has a strong presence in Alabama. I have been hearing alot of interesting info about where our engineering alumni are being placed. Not uncommon to get Chicago, the Midwest, and even California.
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<p>UF has a VERY strong reputation in engineering. The majority of engineering companies across the US have UF on their top 15 for recruiting.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Bright futures doesn't even cover tuition. Alabama would cover tuition, room, study abroad and a lap top computer. I'm not sure but I think we could also collect 75% of bright futures money. Thats free.
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</p>
<p>I also forgot that differential tuition isn't covered by Bright Futures.</p>
<p>"Machen has done a great job marketing UF."</p>
<p>I agree 100%! He is easily one of the best University Presidents out-there. I mean honestly he has done a tremendous job of raising awareness of this institution.</p>
<p>UF is in no way shape or form seriously comparable with ivy league schools. I wouldnt say it is a public ivy, either. It really is not as strong, and is stretched far too thin to provide as a public ivy like unc- chapel hill or UC berkely</p>
<p>Uh, Florida does not give freshmen the right to live on campus, much less require or even recommend it. Upperclassmen take priority over frosh for on-campus housing, the institutional priorities here are bass-ackwards. And, freshman class is 97% Florida residents, and pretty much forget about international. That’s diversity, huh?</p>
<p>It’s a public institution, funded mostly by Floridian taxpayers. It should cater to Floridians, IMO and with that 97% figure it sounds like it does. Good for UF. I’m currently in community college and if what’s important to you is diversity, I recommend you go there.</p>
<p>I’ve never heard of UF being a public Ivy. The public Ivies are places like UNC, UCLA, UVA, Berkley, William and Mary, U Mich. and U Wisconsin. UF isn’t ranked as high as those schools are.</p>
<p>Regarding UF diversity: it is not really UF’s mission, as a state school, to provide geographical diversity by increasing enrollment of OOS students. On the other hand, if you look at ethic diversity, you will find UF is one of the most…if not the most…diverse public institution in the top 20.</p>
<p>I am a Gator alumni and am very proud of attending UF, but my daughter will be going to Auburn because she prefers the size and general atmosphere of the school compared to UF and she has been given a full-ride. Lastly, many of her classmates are going to attend UF and she wants to be “forced” to meet new people, as she put it.</p>
<p>I do think UF is not for everyone and I question the current quality of undergraduate education at UF. Too many of my former students who currently attend UF complain about the extremely large class sizes and that too many courses are only available online. Many have told me that they are learning a lot by utilizing private tutoring organizations in the area, not from the professors. Others tell me that the school is easy, but these are very bright and well disciplined students and I honestly believe they would find any school “easy.”</p>
<p>As for being a public Ivy. Maybe in Florida, but not necessarily throughout the country. I know of very successful adults from most of the public Florida schools and personally I will always support the position that long-term future success depends more on the person rather than the school.</p>
<p>What I’ve seen is in line with what proud_mom says. In Florida, being a UF alum means something. But in other parts of the country, a University of Florida degree is about as meaningful as a degree from the University of Nebraska or University of New Mexico or University of South Carolina. It’s a degree from the state’s flagship public university.</p>
<p>The conventional wisdom says that UCLA, UC-Berkeley, UVa, UNC-CH, and UMich are the big 5 among public universities. Beyond that, they’re all pretty much the same.</p>
<p>What about William & Mary, University of Wisconsin, and Georgia Tech?</p>
<p>Then right underneath is UIUC, UCSD, UF, Texas, and Penn State.</p>
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<li>Also 99% of In-State students would choose UF > Auburn. I am also of the opinion that the University of Alabama is the top university in that state.</li>
</ul>