<p>I am an out of state student and am looking into UCF. What is the school like for out of state students that won't be going home on the weekends? Do most residential students stay on campus during the weekends? Is UCF considered a party school? Are the academics in the honors college challenging? I am a National Merit Scholar Semi Finalist and UCF has basically free tuition for four years if I become a Finalist so I am seriously considering UCF. My parents do not have much money and it would be a hardship to fund an expensive college. </p>
<p>Thank you for any information you may have.</p>
<p>My son lives on campus. He has grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins with cool stuff and free food living in the Orlando area. So far he has been too busy on campus to visit them.</p>
<p>If you are NM, you would be invited to the Honors College. My son lives in the Honors housing, and LOVES it. Loves the facility, location, atmosphere, kids, etc.</p>
<p>We are really happy with UCF, and the Honors College there. If you are talking full-ride, I would definitely take a look. Go visit, and hang around on a Saturday so you know what it's like.</p>
<p>My son is also local. We see him every other Thursday when he comes for dinner and brings his laundry to wash. <g> The rest of the time he lives on campus in the honors housing with 3 roommates from different areas of Florida. None of the them go home on weekend, at least very much. He's always busy, and he's enjoying The Towers a lot, a lot. He has 3 honors classes this semester plus the freshman honors symposium. Out of those he dislikes one ... lousy teacher who doesn't want to be teaching a basic speech class even if it's honors. (Great when he tells the class that on the first day.) The other two honors classes (Economics and stats) he loves. Symposium ... hit and miss on the speakers, but I think he's enjoying teaching Junior Achievement to the 4th graders at a local elementary school. He's found the honors advising helpful and accessible. They seem to want you to succeed, and he enjoys the perk of priority registration for classes. My S is not a partyer ... so he's not into that scene, so I can't really comment on it. I mean he even avoids the memorial mall area on game day because he's not into that atmosphere. He hopes to live on campus again next year if he can keep his housing. We'll see how it goes ...</g></p>
<p>Thank you for answering my questions. I am not a partyer either but don't want to be one of very few left on campus for weekends. Glad to hear there are plenty of people who stay on campus. I like being involved in clubs and things like that.</p>
<p>I plan to visit over Presidents' Weekend. My family and I will fly down to take a look at the campus.</p>
<p>I am very interested in physics and as of now want to major in that. Does anyone out there take physics at UCF and how do you like the department?</p>
<p>He passed AP Physics, and is majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I'm not sure which physics he's taking, but I'll give you an update next semester.</p>