<p>Please convince me why UCF is still a good option.
I am in at UCF with a $5,400 scholarship, 100% BF.
I am interested in majoring in civil engineering.</p>
<p>I am still waiting to hear back from some private schools and have been accepted to FSU with a $9,600 scholarship.</p>
<p>From what I have heard, UCF is a better school for engineering than FSU. My middle son is finishing his second year at the Burnett Honors College at UCF, majoring in mechanical engineering. It's really been a great experience. If you have the stats, I highly recommend the honors college.</p>
<p>Today was the day that all the kids came back to school with their acceptances or rejections from UF. Several are still undecided between UF and UCF. I know of kids who have really struggled at UF, and my perception (YMMV) is that UCF has a more supportive environment.</p>
<p>All that said, I strongly suggest you jump in the car in the next month or so and visit both campuses again, and especially visit the engineering departments. Talk to the professors, and the TA's.</p>
<p>I think you'll know where you see yourself.</p>
<p>Also despite the disappointment (and surprise) at not being accepted at UF, I am 100% certain that UCF was, indeed, the best place for my son. Things really do work out.</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>
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Please convince me why UCF is still a good option.
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</p>
<p>No one should convince you why UCF is a good option. You need to revisit both campuses (FSU and UCF) and decide where you feel most comfortable. You have two great choices here. FSU is a terrific school with a lot to offer too. It is all about where YOU feel most at home. My daughter choose UCF mainly because FSU was an additional 3 1/2 hours drive (to the already 3+ hours at UCF) from our home. She is very happy here at UCF but she would have been happy at FSU too.</p>
<p>From what I have gathered to date UCF appears to have the second best engineering program in Fl.
My biggest concerns are:
1- Is this a big Commuter school? meaning will I be the only one left on campus friday nite thru Sunday because everyone drove home for the weekend. I know not "everyone" goes home but I hope you know what I mean.
2- What connections does UCF have for internships, summer work & ultimatelly finding a "real" engineering job when I graduate?</p>
<p>I will check into the Honors program some more, right now however the last thing I want to do is write any more essays about "why me.."</p>
<p>Thanks for any info.</p>
<p>We live 2 1/2 hours away. Son and his friends are on campus on the weekends. Son hasn't been home since Christmas.</p>
<p>It definitely used to be a commuter campus. But now I think there is almost as much on campus housing as at UF, and there are lots of apartments right next to campus.</p>
<p>I agree with Seiclan - you don't need to be sold on UCF - you need to decide for yourself that you can see yourself there.
On the other hand, last year when a good friend's son was disappointed by a rejection from UF, it was helpful for him to hear just what a great experience my son had had there. He ended up choosing UCF, and I saw him last month, and he is doing great and VERY happy.</p>
<p>As for the Honors College essay, it's really not a big horrible thing. If you apply, answer the question, be yourself, and let the chips fall where they may.</p>
<p>Whatever you decide, you will bloom where you are planted.</p>
<p>TapOut, the big key will be finding a niche to fit into. I would have to say that any given Saturday night (not a game night or a three day weekend, a normal night) about 1/4 of on campus/nearby-housing students will have gone home for the weekend. And that leaves about ten thousand people who stay in the immediate area (discounting commuters and branch campuses). There's definitely stuff to do. :)</p>
<p>UCF has incredible--I mean, incredible--internship and placement opportunities for engineers. There's tons of money pumped into the program by local businesses that want the talent UCF produces. Lockheed Martin, Nasa, etc. all are very big on UCF students. Obviously a civil engineer isn't going to go to NASA but the internship and post-college opportunities are definitely there.</p>
<p>I would DEFINITELY advise applying to the LEAD Scholars program if you're concerned about finding a niche to fit into and a group of friends who you can hang with on the weekends. If you don't think it's meant for you, then go Greek when you get on campus, or run for student government, or do SOMETHING to get involved, and the rewards will be phenomenal.</p>
<p>Best of luck with your decision.</p>
<p>TAPOUT, you might want to check out the EXCEL program that UCF has to support those studying science, math, engineering. Lots of extra help to make sure you succeed in those tough classes the first two years. Neither UF nor FSU has this program which is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.</p>
<p>"From what I have gathered to date UCF appears to have the second best engineering program in Fl."</p>
<p>UF is ranked in the Top-25, UCF is around 80th overall, and FSU was ranked 92nd I think, and University of Miami is not ranked at all.</p>
<p>Rejected UF
Just was accepted to UCF today :)
Also was accepted at Umiami :), Stetson, Tampa......First choice is Miami though, but contemplating UCF. Student is OOS and concern for UCF is that it is not very well known up north. Student is also coming from a small College Prep Boarding School.</p>
<p>TapOut- UCF is a fantastic school, and I hear the engineering program is excellent. I am a current student, and it is in no way the commuter school it once was. There is plenty to do. Honors program is definitely worth the essay writing-- it's a great experience and is regarded well within and outside UCF.</p>
<p>After visiting both schools over the last 2 weeks I have come to the conclusion that my deposit will be going to FSU.
I’m not going to badmouth UCF because in reality I was pleasantly surprised by their campus and specifically their engineering facilities & connections in the engineering field.
However:
1- You have 2 full years of general ed classes & pre-major classes that I need to get thru first. I believe in those 2 years there are only about 2 minor pre- engineering classes that I am required to take.
2- At this point I am not 100% sure that I will actually want to pursue engineering once I start, I have always liked business also.
3- If that is the case and I switch majors, I would rather be at a University that has more choices. I believe FSU (other than engineering) is that school.
4- Worst case I could always transfer to UCF for my junior year if I still want to pursue engineering and don’t like what I see at the FSU/FAMU program.</p>
<p>The only negative thing that I will say about UCF is that it still felt like a commuter school. I was there most of the day on a Saturday and other than groups of people at the gym, the rec pool & around the track there was hardly anyone around. And no it was not Spring break.</p>
<p>If you need to be convinced to go to UCF, you lack analytical skills and I hope you don’t go there; I don’t want us to have equivalent degrees.</p>
<p>OneMoreTime - I transferred from a well-known university in New England and yes, UCF was known and respected there. In fact, we had a couple tenured professors who received their degrees from UCF.</p>
<p>TimeZone;</p>
<p>You said;
“If you need to be convinced to go to UCF, you lack analytical skills and I hope you don’t go there; I don’t want us to have equivalent degrees.” </p>
<p>I said I made my decision after VISITING BOTH SCHOOLS!.
People convincing me on a blog had NOTHING to do with my decision.
Perhaps it is your analytical skills that need some work.</p>
<p>Oh wait…
You also said;
“I’m a senior at UCF with a 3.9 GPA, took Honors Calculus I in the Burnett Honors College, and I had to withdrawal from physics last month because the professor was so close-minded. Got a 52 a test for being one-one hundreth of a place off.” </p>
<p>You have made up my mind, I certainly don’t want a degree from an institution where a senior taking a freshman level class has to drop it.
Perhaps you should work on your math skills.</p>
<p>Perhaps then you may have been able to stay at your prestigious school who shall remain un named up north.</p>
<p>PS Still was impressed with UCF
TimeZone; not so much.</p>
<p>Whats up with acceptances of late apps?? </p>
<p>can someone explain why when I applied back in mid-Sep with a 4.0 GPA, 1290 SAT, 30 ACT, sports, activities, volunteer hours, etc and was not accepted. now there are people who applied AFTER Nov 1 deadline and they are getting accepted.</p>
<p>I was told there were too many qualified applicants and all could not be accepted. so if that’s the case, why would UF now turn to folks who submitted their apps AFTER the deadline and be accepting them???</p>
<p>While UF was my 1st choice, I’m over their superior attitude! UCF has given me $10K scholarship and I’m ready to ROCK in Orlando!!</p>
<p>I completely understand u Devafla. I got into UF but a friend of mine with a 1300 SAT and 33 ACT did not. There’s a whole thread of ppl with similar stats who did not get in. It was REALLY comepetative this year. And as for them still accepting ppl, its simple. Not everyone who was accepted from the first batch is going to go to UF. I’m a perfect example of this because I chose UCF over UF. So theyre going to fill those remaining spots with the most qualified ppl from the second batch or extremely qualified ppl who were either deffered or appealed their original rejection.</p>
<p>marlins97, I can’t wait to see posts saying how people got in post-Nov 1st with stats less than mine & your friends. then we’ll know FER SURE how screwed up the UF admissions process is. Am sure there’s NO reason why they need to look post-Nov 1st if there were SO many qualified applicants before then. </p>
<p>Would luv to hear from someone who know folks in the UF Admissions dept that would post an anonymous update & let us know what the REAL reason / rationale is!!</p>
<p>to be honest with u Devafla I’d just give up on UF. The reason I chose not to go there is becuz i prefer a city like orlando, as well as the fact that UCF gave me a scholarship while UF gave me jack squat. To add to my anger against them, they admitted this guy from my school who everyone thinks didn’t deserve to get in. He scored an 890 on his first SAT and then I think JUST BARELY broke 1000. The reason they let him in would be becuz he’s in the IB program and they love those kids even tho his SAT and GPA arent that great. Not only did they accept him, but theyre giving him a full ride. By the way, he’s African American; so combine UF’s love for IB kids with affirmitive action and that’s why he got in unfairly. I gave up on UF becuz all of that just disgusts me. I do believe some races might need more opportunity but it isn’t fair to pick him over more qualified candidates just becuz of that.</p>
<p>Marlins - Good for you for seeing through the hype-machine…</p>
<p>TapOut - you’re an idiot and you need to look up proper semi-colon use. And I chose to leave my former university (to which I received a full honors scholarship) because UCF has a superior undergraduate program in my major.</p>
<p>TimeZone - What is your major?</p>
<p>I turned down UF because I will be majoring in Computer Science, and they are not ABET accredited, while UCF is. Oddly enough, those that go to UF still think I am making a poor choice, but they do not realize that almost all Computer Science scholarships require an ABET accredited program. Just because UF is ranked in graduate CS does not mean their Undergraduate department is any better than UCF.
Also, I have yet to receive financial aid information from UF, and I don’t like how they deal with housing either.</p>