To those dinged by UF: Pick FSU > UCF

Colleges & Universities A-Z University of Florida
61

<p>This is the UF section, so out of respect for UF fans this will be my last remark on this issue in this section.</p>

<p>Let’s consider some differences that make FSU a better academic university than UCF. I’ll go along the format of my earlier remarks.</p>

<ol>
<li>Better Academics- Established by a 10 point SAT score difference?</li>
</ol>

<p>SAT score is only one rather simplistic factor. Here are some additional things to consider: The faculty-student ratio is better at FSU (fsu-21.3; ucf-28.8; uf-21.7). This means smaller classes and better chance of work with faculty. FSU has a better faculty-student ratio than UF, btw.</p>

<p>Overall GPA is higher at FSU than UCF.</p>

<p>FSU has higher freshman retention and graduation rates than UCF and is best in Florida at retaining minority students - better than both UF (only by a fraction) and FAMU.</p>

<p>FSU has an Honors program that allows early entry for extremely well-qualified students into the medical and legal professional schools after undergraduate preparation. FSU actively encourages undergraduate research (my daughter participated in this and will be published for basic research in biochemistry as an undergrad).</p>

<p>The notion that UCF has “better sciences” than FSU is false. If UCF has any advantage over FSU, it is in engineering - that’s it. Not chemistry, physics, biology, or whatever else. Here are FSU rankings in the Arts and Sciences: [FSU</a> Highlights](<a href=“Rankings | Florida State University”>Rankings | Florida State University) Note that Taxol, an effective anti-cancer drug, was developed at FSU, not UCF or even UF for that matter. FSU also has the vast majority of the National High Magnetic Laboratory (a program FSU and UF won through peer-reviewed competition from MIT) in Tallahassee. The Mag Lab (see: [National</a> High Magnetic Field Laboratory](<a href=“http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/]National”>http://www.magnet.fsu.edu/) ) is the ONLY national laboratory in Florida. FSU is equal to, or better than UF in physics. Meteorology is another notable FSU strength in the sciences, and is a nationally well-regarded program - see: [Academic</a> Programs - Florida State University Meteorology Department](<a href=“http://www.met.fsu.edu/index.pl/acprograms]Academic”>http://www.met.fsu.edu/index.pl/acprograms)</p>

<p>We should note that FSU is the historic liberal arts university of Florida. This is why FSU has professional, world-class programs in the Arts and controls the State Art Museum of Florida (see: [The</a> John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art-Sarasota-Bradenton-Tampa-Florida](<a href=“http://www.ringling.org/]The”>http://www.ringling.org/) ). For rankings, see: Music - [FSU</a> Highlights](<a href=“Rankings | Florida State University”>Rankings | Florida State University) and Visual Arts, Theatre and Dance - [FSU</a> Highlights](<a href=“Rankings | Florida State University”>Rankings | Florida State University)</p>

<p>In Business, UF ranks better than FSU, but only in certain areas. For FSU’s rankings in Business see: [FSU</a> Highlights](<a href=“Rankings | Florida State University”>Rankings | Florida State University) Note that this includes the famous FSU Hospitality program, rated in the Top 5 nationally.</p>

<p>By now, you’re starting to understand so here’s the link where you may peruse all the rankings: [FSU</a> Highlights](<a href=“http://www.fsu.edu/highlights/rankings.html]FSU”>Rankings | Florida State University) </p>

<ol>
<li>Tradition- Of what? Oh yeah, Football.</li>
</ol>

<p>See Academics, above. Also see where FSU won the Alpha Chapter (this means the first chapter) of Phi Beta Kappa in Florida. Alpha is at FSU (1935); Beta is at UF (1938); whoops! UCF does not appear to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. See: [Phi</a> Beta Kappa Society | Chapter Chronology A-M](<a href=“http://staging.pbk.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Chapter_Chronology&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=1628]Phi”>http://staging.pbk.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Chapter_Chronology&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=1628)
I guess that takes care of academic traditions. FSU’s history is decently discussed in Wikipedia - see: [History</a> of Florida State University - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Florida_State_University]History”>History of Florida State University - Wikipedia) and from the university website: [History[/url</a>]</p>

<ol>
<li>Sports- FOOTBALL</li>
</ol>

<p>FSU has won 11 national championships to date - only two of which were in football. The most recent were in Track and Field; earlier ones were won in Golf, Softball and Gymnastics. FSU has won many conference championships - see: [url=<a href=“http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_State_Seminoles]Florida”>Florida State Seminoles - Wikipedia]Florida</a> State Seminoles - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](<a href=“http://www.fsu.edu/about/history.html]History[/url”>History | Florida State University) Sports are important to FSU as reflected in FSU’s motto of Vires, Artes, Mores.</p>

<ol>
<li>Flagship University- FOR FOOTBALL</li>
</ol>

<p>FSU and UF share this historic title (flagship) in Florida. The law that ultimately created UF also created FSU. There are no others in Florida. We should note that this has been recognized by at least one Florida governor - see: [Florida’s</a> Twenty Percent Plan](<a href=“http://www.puaf.umd.edu/puaf650-Fullinwider/handouts-AA-Florida%20Plan.htm]Florida’s”>http://www.puaf.umd.edu/puaf650-Fullinwider/handouts-AA-Florida%20Plan.htm)
and in the recent Differential Tuition Law - where only FSU and UF qualified for the 40% tuition differential.</p>

<ol>
<li>Compact Campus- If this really mattered, UF would be among the likes of FIU and FAU</li>
</ol>

<p>As the oldest university in Florida, FSU has been landlocked and forced to develop in a fairly small area not unlike older urban universities. FSU buys additional land when it can, but it is very compact and well suited to walking and bikes. Note that UCF has 16 different campuses, so you better have a car. </p>

<ol>
<li>Graduate Programs- No complaint here, but we’re analyzing undergraduate programs.</li>
</ol>

<p>Graduate programs greatly influence undergraduate programs. Many basic-level classes are taught by graduate students. This matters.</p>

62

<p>Choosing a school that is the “right fit” is essential to a student’s contentment with their entire college experience. (Students who didn’t get the right fit usually transfer after the fieshman year, if their grades permit.) </p>

<p>My d and I traveled all over the southeast (over a 2 year span) visiting the colleges which held her interest. She learned very quickly what was appealing and important to her and not. Surprisingly (to her) the very schools she anticipated to be a favorite, prior to the trip, she found to be to the contrary. (Rankings, websites, and brochures are not all that it needed when deciding on a school.) </p>

<p>Interestingly, she did not find UF, USF, UCF or UM to be desirable for her. FSU was however, her best fit and was the one large university in the state where she felt “at home”. She will be in their honors program starting this fall and couldn’t be happier!</p>

<p>To those of you who are still exploring your options, I encourage you to visit the schools before you completely make up your mind. (Even in the information age in which we live, nothing takes the place of walking and investigating a campus first hand!) I hope you all find the school that is the best fit for you and enjoy an awesome college experience!</p>

63

<p>My oldest son had been a Noles fan all his life, and was accepted to both FSU and UF. I insisted that he make one more visit to each before he decided. He looked at the program he wanted to major in, and it was UF hands-down. He bleeds orange and blue now.</p>

<p>Make one more visit to all the schools you are seriously considering and to which you have been accepted. It will be a very different visit for you now that it is “real.”</p>

<p>You’ll know. Really. </p>

<p>Good luck to all of you.</p>

64

<p>Sorry, but I had to do it ;).</p>

<p>Seiclan quotes:</p>

<p>OK -

</p>

<p>Seriously, is this perfect grammar? (commas are your friend, as is spellcheck)</p>

<p>

</p>

<p>FSU MBA is right, people. (add the comma or else it doesn’t make sense: “right people” - are you speaking about a political leaning?)</p>

<p>jask, you beat me to it with the you’re correction. Your - possessive pronoun, You’re - contraction meaning - you are</p>

<p>

You’re …</p>

<p>

You’re…</p>

<p>

You’re…, grammar (spelling)</p>

<p>One mistake and it could be considered a typo. Many mistakes make it look like you just don’t know the difference.</p>

<p>People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.</p>

65

<p>WHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAATTT???
ag54-
I had no part in this mudfest over grammar! I threw no stones at anyone. I simply added my advice to choose a college for the fit (as opposed to the rank). This is my honest opinion. None of your quotes are from my posts.</p>

66

<p>That’s what I thought too, but I was staying out of it. </p>

<p>:-)</p>

67

<p>ag54 is referring to the PhD candidate’s posts.</p>

68

<p>I don’t want to get into the “which is best” argument because I think it varies with major and type of kid, but there is a financial factor parents should know about. UCF is apparently out of Pegasus merit scholarship money, so the “automatic” scholarships to high performers are no longer being offered if you haven’t already been accepted. As far as I know USF and FSU were still extending their automatic merit scholarships. Of course, FSU and USF carry the tuition surcharge that Bright Futures does not cover, while UCF does not, but that isn’t enough to offset the scholarship amounts.</p>

69

<p>Oh, seiclan - I’m so sorry!!! I meant SSobick!! :)</p>

70

<p>Another point to add to imdamom, current Florida prepaid plan owners are exempt from paying the tuition differential fee.</p>

71

<p>Any thoughts on why UCF Engineering is so good? My son is looking at that program as his second choice in a few years.</p>

72

<p>There are to many factors at hand to just say which school is better for an individual person. Overall, FSU trumps UCF in many aspects, but if you bring it down to an individual level, such as myself, you will see that UCF is the better choice over FSU because my goals are set to major in Journalism.</p>

73

<p>jankrav: I think it has to do with it being geared towards technology before it turned into UCF…it was previously called something different (I cant remember off the top of my head) but it had the word technology in its title. Florida Technical University, maybe? </p>

<p>Also probably has to do with the facilities and technology.</p>

74

<p>Kristendotcome,</p>

<p>Are you referring to the Florida Institute of Technology?</p>

75

<p>The original name for the University of Central Florida was in fact: Florida Technology University.</p>

<p>It is not to be confused with Florida Institute of Technology.</p>

76

<p>One of my classmates today who got accepted to UF turned it down to go to UCF instead because he liked the programs there better. Another turned down UF to go to New College today as well. I just thought you should know. ;)</p>

77

<p>^ I think UF wil survive. LOL</p>

<p>On a serious note: Best of luck to you on wherever you end up attending.</p>

78

<p>Several of my friends who got accepted into UF are still waiting to hear from other schools such as Duke, Univ of Va., Rice University, etc. Also, some others who applied to the other state universitys in FL such as UCF, USF and FSU and have received scholarship money are still a little torn about deciding.</p>

79

<p>^ That’s to be expected. UF has a high Yield Rate, however it’s not going to ever be 100%.</p>

80

<p>FSU is pushing it up another notch. Here’s the latest from a student admitted today:</p>

<p>The middle 50% of students who are being offered admission tomorrow have a core grade point average of 3.8-4.3, SAT scores of 1220-1350, and ACT scores of 26-30.</p>