Prestigious Colleges in Florida?

<p>I've heard that Eckerd, Stetson and Flagler are all good schools, but if I were going to pay private tuition, I'd try and step up to colleges with more clout and reputation. Rollins used to be partyland but I've heard they're trying to get away from that reputation. The Floridians I know say, "FSU is great for partying!" No thanks. I'm not paying for party time whether it be public or private.</p>

<p>If drinking alcohol to excess (not to mention being underage) interests you then you'll fit in with a certain select group at any major, non-religious oriented school. </p>

<p>To say that one school has a lock on this is simply false. It's the same as saying 'they drink the most in Chicago'. Yeah, sure - some people in Chicago drink too much, but that statement is a serious misrepresentation of thousands of peoples' behavior. Unless, of course, you have data on the per capita intake of alcohol of residents of Tallahassee, adjusted for the intake of kids who'll lie because they're underage and would promptly be arrested for drinking? Then let's compare that stat to the same group in Gainesville, for example - another reputed party town. Ooh - wait, what about Miami? A large city built on tourism. I guess they'd drink there, too, right? Where are the numbers? Wow - a survey of ten drunken UF students who say 40,000 FSU students drink? That's credible. </p>

<p>Let's do a test - let's assume you're under 21. Take a couple of beers and walk into the FSU PD and ask where the good parties are. It's a party school right? The cops are sure to be there, too. (Be sure to have 35 cents, because your next call home will be from the Leon County Jail.) The FSU Police Department is easy to find - it's right on campus at Jefferson Street and Woodward Avenue. Can't find a cop at the station? - don't worry, they have full arrest powers off campus, too. They're a full service bunch of cops. </p>

<p>I'll front you the 35 cents.</p>

<p>I think my post was misunderstood. Miami is a very good school, and it may very well pass over UF on the national rankings. I'm actually looking into entering their reputable Masters of International Administration program, in the near future. What I meant to say is that UM is not the first choice for most in-state students. Most UM students are from out of state (northeast), and have the financial backing to attend the university. Most in Florida in-state students simply don't want to pay the high price of attending UM when they could receive a comparable education at UF or FSU. Finances aside, UM is great choice for anybody who's considering attending college in Florida.
In another topic, FSU is a "party school", just like UF, UM, UCF, USF, Rollings, FIU, FAU. I think you get my point. Just about every college in the nation is a "party school". Actually, in my personal experience, UF is a much bigger "party school" than FSU. UF has more students, more bars and clubs, and a somewhat tolerant police department. The one thing that FSU has, is better looking coeds, but that's just my biased opinion.</p>

<p>Umiami is about 1/2 oos and 1/2 in state. Doesn't umiami accept the bright futures scholarship for in-staters?</p>

<p>Yes, UM accepts Bright futures as does all private in-state schools. But it is just a nit in terms of private tuition costs. For example, UM offered my son 3/4 tuition, and even with Bright Futures thrown in, it was still far more expensive than UF…and UF has the better programs in engineering and math that my son is studying. That, in a nutshell, is the challenge that UM faces in recruiting good in-state students.</p>

<p>UF and UM are the only two that I would consider prestigious</p>

<p>Since Florida State has far more nationally ranked programs than any school in Florida except UF, it's silly to suggest it's not 'prestigious'.</p>

<p>Being from florida, UF has the best reputation. I would have to disagree with fluffy, Rolins does not have a good reputation. U Miami is good</p>

<p>I think University of Florida has the best reputation for in-state (Florida) students.</p>

<p>I think University of Miami has the bestreputation for out-of-state students.</p>

<p>I think overall UM wins over UF by a hair because it has a great school spirit atmosphere along with being next to Miami, which is a great city.</p>

<p>The best of both worlds</p>

<p>UF had 58,000 people show up to watch it's Spring scrimage last year, whereas Miami only had 8,000. The school spirit at UF is 100(x) stronger than UM.</p>

<p>Also UF is ranked higher and is only 1/5th the cost.</p>

<p>What about UCf?</p>

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<p>It’s not just that Florida schools are not as good as schools farther North. If you are from out of state, and you aren’t majoring in marine biology, you may be fighting a perception that you chose your college for fun and sun, not academics.</p>

<p>Tk nails it. There may be better and worse schools within the state, but none of them rise to any level of prestige outside it.</p>

<p>The top five colleges in Florida today, with the most impact in education and research, are: FSU, UCF, UF, UM, USF.</p>

<p>Florida’s public system is more than respectable with UF, New College, and FSU…followed by the regional system. What lets the state down are the privates…a state this size should have at least one or two elite privates…and we don’t.</p>

<p>Rog,</p>

<p>C’mon, UM is still 15 years from being a 100 years old. Rollins’ Winter Park location sure didn’t help it its first 75 years. I think for the time they have been around and Florida’s recent development (Spanish Colony) they have done well </p>

<p>No mention of the fact that the State of Florida’s Big Government schools wage war on their privates by double subsidization: Tuition and bright futures</p>