<p>The past proves things change. For example, FSU used to be a women’s college.</p>
<p>Harvard University was originally chartered to produce religious leaders. Cornell University was founded as merely a Land Grant School. Some institutions did not want to produce graduate degrees and remained Liberal Arts Colleges (ie: Amhert, Williams, and Swarthmore). Missions change, institutions adapt, and alumni are produced that play a key roles in society. Time goes on, and the pattern continues but at this current moment in time in the state of Florida we have established institutions and we have emerging urban universities. History is history and it can not be changed no matter how conveniet it may be for the less established institutions. </p>
<p>Just my two cents…</p>
<p>FSU was the Florida State College for Women from 1905 to 1947. It started out as male only, then became co-ed, then female-only in 1905 back to co-ed again in 1947. It was female-only for about 42 years, while UF was the state college for male students per the same 1905 law.</p>
<p>This fact is really not applicable to the question if UCF is a “commuter school” which is not a pejorative term, by the way. Until UCF sheds itself of 10 or more campuses with close links to community colleges, and in the process loses a significant portion of its student population, this is its function.</p>
<p>I’ll pipe in also (a UF parent of an oos kid). My son is graduating in May from UF. 4 years ago, after he had been accepted to UF, UT, Tulane, and some other schools, he decided on UF because of the scholarship offer. After a while, he got worried about attending UF because, coming from a major metropolitan area, he was worried that Gainesville was going to be “hicktown” USA and he was going to be surrounded by rednecks. He almost changed his mind to head to Austin, but decided to give UF a chance.</p>
<p>It was the best decision he ever made. He has loved his 4 years there, hardly ever comes home, and has decided to stay in Florida after graduation (moving to either Jacksonville or St. Augustine). He has found Gainesville fun, with plenty of bars and clubs, great restaurants, and things for college kids to do. He has never been hassled because of his oos license plate, although some of his friends rib him and call him Tex. And as for the proximity to beaches - He has become an amazing surfer (driving the 1 1/2 hours hasn’t been any impediment to him). </p>
<p>As for sports - in the 4 years that he’s been there, they’ve won 4 national championships, and if you don’t think being a part of that isn’t fantastic, then you’re crazy! Being in Gainesville during the football and basketball championships was crazy and fun and something he will forever look back on with happiness. </p>
<p>So, for those thinking of UF - don’t believe all they hype that they are a bunch of hicks - they’re not.</p>
<p>So where do you think the name Gators came from? Gatorade… UF had a huge change when they developed Gatorade. I do believe that UF had a big change in reputation after this point…8 million dollars a year I do believe is the latest number and as we all know… Money talks…</p>
<p>I must say that as a transplant to Florida back in 1998 I never gave the in state rivary a thought until recently. And this is only because of forums like cc. I guess its because I’m not a sports fan. UCF is very well respected in the business community. In fact the company that I work for, Oracle, recruits from UF and UCF. I’m not from an Ivy league university and have done extremely well in my field. In fact to the extent that my income has surpassed my husband’s and we are in the same field. Interesting how the tables are turning… </p>
<p>ps: I work along side all those Ivy League graduates and they don’t make anymore than I do. So its not always the university you graduate from that makes the differences. Its in the person and what they do with their education…</p>
<p>The University of Florida, the state’s largest university and one of the biggest research universities in the nation, contributes nearly $6 billion annually to Florida’s economy and is responsible for nearly 75,000 jobs. The Milken Institute named UF one of the top-five U.S. institutions in the transfer of biotechnology research to the marketplace (2006). Some 50 biotechnology companies have resulted from faculty research programs. UF consistently ranks among the top-10 universities in licensing. Royalty and licensing income includes the glaucoma drug Trusopt, the sports drink Gatorade, and the Sentricon termite elimination system. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is part of the Flagship University and the current Vice President is Dr. Larry Arrington. It should also be noted that the UF is currently ranked seventh among all private & public universities for the total number of patents awarded for 2005. </p>
<p>The University of Florida was awarded $583 million in total research expenditures (which is more than all the other Florida universities combined - in sponsored research in 2006-2007). Research includes diverse areas such as health-care and citrus production (the world’s largest citrus research center). In 2002, UF began leading six other universities under a $15 million NASA grant to work on a variety of space-related research during a five-year period. UF has a partnership with Spain that helped to create the world’s largest telescope in the Canary Islands (the total cost was $93 million). Plans are also under way for the University of Florida to construct a new 50,000-square-foot (4,600 m2) research facility in collaboration with the Burnham Institute for Medical Research that will ultimately be located in the center of UCF’s Health Sciences Campus in Orlando, Florida. Research will include the areas of diabetes, aging, genetics and cancer.</p>
<p>The $60 million McKnight Brain Institute, part of the J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center, is the most comprehensive program of its kind in the world. The Institute comprises 300 faculty members from 10 colleges, and 51 departments campus-wide. In addition, UF is also doing some innovative Diabetes Research In a statwide screening program, that has been sponsored by a $10 million grant from the American Diabetes Association. The University of Florida also houses one of the world’s leading lightning research teams. Also UF scientists have started up a biofuels pilot plant that has been specifically designed to test ethanol-producing technology. UF is also host to a nuclear research reactor which is known for its Neutron Activation Analysis Laboratory. In addition, the University of Florida is the first American university to receive a European Union grant to house a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence. In 2009 the University of Florida Cancer Hospital is nearly completed, and this complex will focus on producing basic laboratory findings that will ultimately be used for preventive therapies for cancers.</p>
<p>In January 2008 the University of Florida, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, and Shands at the University of Florida formed a partnership to develop world-class programs in cancer care, research and prevention. The partnership, will extend Moffitt’s innovative model of comprehensive patient care to UF and Shands cancer programs.</p>
<p>The University of Florida has made great strides in the space sciences over the last decade. The Astronomy Department’s focus on the development of image-detection devices has led to increases in funding, telescope time, and significant scholarly achievements. Faculty members in organic chemistry have made notable discoveries in astrobiology, while faculty members in physics have participated actively in the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory project, the largest and most ambitious project ever funded by the NSF. Through the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, the University of Florida is the lead institution on the NASA University Research, Engineering, and Technology Institute (URETI) for Future Space Transport project to develop the next generation space shuttle. The University of Florida is therefore well positioned to become a major center of space science research.</p>
<p>IF you are going to copy and paste information from another site, please do not forget your footnotes and disclaimers as to where you got the information.</p>
<p>Parent2noles,</p>
<p>Dorm parking lots during weekends (except for Towers, because those are assigned and can’t be taken by someone else) are full at UCF. It’s a Saturday afternoon and I’m looking out my window right now and I see an event (possibly greek) outside with plenty of people walking around elsewhere as well. Do I get a prize?</p>
<p>Why do we have to compare universities? You like the one you like. A degree is a degree. We should be happy kids are going to college no matter where it is. All of this ego boosting crap is ridiculous. Just becuase school X has a higher this or a better this, doesn’t change the value of the degree. All of these schools are regionally accredited so that means they are all viewed in the same way. The only time it might matter is if your employeer was an alumni there. But even then, who’s going to admit someone based solely off their school?
If you like a school, go there! I love UCF and support it very much, but a lot of my friends are going to fsu, uf, usf, ect. and it doesn’t matter because we will all graduate with the same degree in 4 years. So let’s stop this name game!</p>
<p>^agreed .</p>
<p>Although I may not have as long as a reply like the other before me, but I must agree with you. I’m a high school junior from the DC Suburbs. Prior to the winter season, I thought that UF was my dream school! But then I began to do my research & I realized that UF (imo) is nothing more than an overated school in florida. “Public Ivy” they can only dream. How can a school be considered of such high academics when they are known outisde of the state of Florida for the athletics. This past holiday season I visited UF, UCF, & FSU. The overall atmosphere of UF was very snobbish, I felt uncomfortable approaching students, & the town was pretty bland. With the other two schools as soon as I stepped on campus I felt welcome! Lets just say UF is no where near MY dream school anymore!</p>
<p>Fact: UF is classified as a Public Ivy. It says it on the front of the book on the link below.</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> The Public Ivies: America’s Flagship Public Universities: Howard Greene, Matthew W. Greene: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Public-Ivies-Americas-Flagship-Universities/dp/006093459X#]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Public-Ivies-Americas-Flagship-Universities/dp/006093459X#)</p>
<p>lol .</p>
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<p>UCF is a commuter school because most of their students come from its surrounding counties. UF and FSU get their students from all over the state and country.</p>
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<p>SSobick already proved you wrong on this one.</p>
<p>UF is also a member of the Association of American Universities, a group of the top research universities in the country.</p>
<p>There is no need for all of this. Comparing schools does nothing for anyone attending either UCF or UF. They are both great schools, it all just depends what you want out of your undergraduate education. Also, both UCF and UF have amazing career centers. So, in all, no matter where you go, as long as you put in the effort, you will get the same career opportunities as those going to your opposing school.</p>
<p>Just remember the days when you were a little kid. You would do what you felt was right for you, whether it was wearing lime green shorts and a jean jacket to school, or reading your favorite book on top of the monkey bars. You have always done what was right for you, and you only. College should be no different. So what if someone doesn’t like your school. Move on and live your life.</p>
<p>Good look to everyone. I hope that you will all have an amazing future due to your decision to go to college. We should all spend less time defending our school and more time focusing on our classes and the career that we have chosen. I believe that it is time to enter the real world. Who’s with me?</p>
<p>I agree with Knightforum. I think its just getting pathetic how those from UF are getting offended and need to defend their school. We get that UF is great, top 50 in the nation, congrats. UCF has been known as UCF sine 1978, and was a tech school before. Those of us who like UCF over UF are going because we are comfortable there, where we may not be at UF and hope to help continue it grow and get better. If you have a problem with that or with UCF, that’s fine.</p>
<p>And for the record, not all of UCF’s students come from the surrounding counties. Just in this thread you see people from different parts of the country coming to UCF.</p>
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<p>The numbers show that more than 55% of enrolled students at UCF came from surrounding counties.</p>
<p>[Florida</a> Board of Governors : Resources](<a href=“flbog.org”>flbog.org)</p>
<p>"UCF is a commuter school because most of their students come from its surrounding counties. UF and FSU get their students from all over the state and country. "</p>
<p>A commuter school, in case you don’t know, means that the majority of it’s students live at home and drive to school. FIU here in Miami is a clear example of that and I know it as a fact because the vast majority of the people that attend it are from Miami. “Surrounding counties” alone doesn’t qualifty UCF as a commuter school even though it’s still growing out of that phase. People aren’t going to drive for an hour or more from nearby counties everyday to go to UCF, they’re gonna live on campus. And you’re also not completely right about UF being a Public Ivy. People consider it to be one now but it isn’t one of the original Public Ivy schools. The Ivy League is a sports division anyways so who cares? UF is a great school but you goufgators and SSobick need to stop and realize that people actually like and feel more comfortable at other schools than they do at UF. Talking down about other schools isn’t going to make UF any better. I got into UF but I chose UCF because I felt it was right for me and I’m happy with my choice.</p>
<p>This is a UCF thread anyway. Why are you so intense to defend your school in another school’s forum? And if your school is so much better, why even give us the time of day?</p>
<p>Just saying.</p>