UF is currently a wonderful school. Stating that look at some of the new laws both in the pipeline or that have passed and how those might or currently are impacting all state schools in FL. To see the extreme changes here also read recent articles at Florida New College. For some these changes are a benefit, to others not so much and do make sure your child takes that information in any decision. We live in Florida and based on reports 1 in 8 students (and major decrease) of students are electing not to attend a state school here because the changes or potential changes are not within what they want for education. Stating that there are other now electing to come to schools here for the exact opposite reason. It simply depends on if you like/dislike the policies.
I know students at UF right now. They have no required online classes. None. Since you seem to be better informed than me, can you list the online classes UF requires students to take?
Also, the summer classes requirement can be waived if you have an internship.
I know you werenât asking me but re: required online course at UF some students at UF are accepted into a program that causes them to take a certain number of semesters through an online pathway program. We know lots of students that were admitted through that program. Donât know about students that have a more traditional acceptance. Covid changed things - I know that too.
What you are talking about is the UF PACE (pathway to campus enrollment) program. That is an alternate pathway to campus, like Texas A&Mâs Blinn program. That is not what we are talking about here. Many people on CC paint the false picture that most UF undergrads, not in the PACE program, are forced to take a significant number of online classes.
The only UF students we know that had to take online classes that werenât part of that program were ones that had to during the pandemic or elected to take online courses. I know I was talking about a specific program. I was trying to make the point that at least from the pool of people we know here in miami that being forced to take online courses without being in the program that worked that way is not something we have heard about students having to do.
daughter just got accepted to UGA Honors College so in my mind this moves UGA way up, since she already got a decent merit award from them. Letâs see if she agreesâŠ
Iâm glad for your friends/friendsâkids, @zrt42.
To be clear for @billythegoldfish I am NOT saying that most UF classes are online or that UF students hardly attend class!
Students have class in person of course or in some cases choose to take online classes.
What Iâm bringing up is different: (freshman) (intro) classes that must be taken online.
I donât remember what the students I was working with wanted to major in. I do remember we looked up Precalculus and Principles of Economics: it wasnât a matter of choosing between the online and the face to face version (as is typical at all flagships), a student who wanted or needed these classes HAD TO take them online. After the covid experience, it shocked me.
Another class involved statistics and could only be taken as a mix of in-person and online.
For up-to-date information you can look at the schedule of classes to check whether this has changed for Spring or Fall 2023 or whether it applies to other classes required for the studentâs major.
If it matters to @billythegoldfishâs daughter (and it may not!) they can also look at the freshman year classes at UGA and UT, see if any are online.
I know the students in question were not PACE although another one (not who I was talking about but for a reference point) was in âInnovation Academyâ and also had to take classes online in the Fall â so itâs not unheard of for that whole cohort (they could also stay home and work, or add $$ to study abroad for half a semester, but if they wanted to take classes they had to be online for their Fall freshman year, which is kind of the basic principle anyway since they attend Spring and Summer and do whatever they want or attend online in the Fall.) It may be major-dependent or college-dependent.
Itâs a way to optimize space and faculty time, rather than hiring more faculty or having more grad students in charge of more classes or sections.
Some students donât mind, some like having the option, and some really canât stand it or are still boderline traumatized by school closures or covid online learning.
However, since weâre trying to tease out differences between excellent Southern flagship, whether some freshman classes can only be taken online seems relevant then they can decide if itâs for them or if theyâd rather have a choice (again, some may not mind and others may actually like it).
In addition, itâs worth seeing whether itâd apply to any freshman class @billythegoldfishâs child would take and how she feels about it.
UGA Honors, which is one of the top Honors colleges in the nation (and known for its excellence) would be another differentiator.
ETA we cross posted and I just saw OPâs daughter was admitted to UGA Honors. Wow. Congratulations. Her academic and personal achievements must be amazing. I hope it came with a nice scholarship!
thanks, I think it will be a nice fit for her (and yes, there was some scholarship money involved). sheâs excited. sheâs picked 3 honors classes to start with 1st semester (the Honors classes are always small) and her 4th class is a language class so itâs also small. plus her 1st year seminar. so no big lectures or online classes at all.
Congratulations to her. Very happy to hear such a positive outcome wrt to 1st semester scheduling. 
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