<p>Demure, I think that it’s great that you feel safe where you do. I guess its stuff like this that I see on the news and in the paper that has me concerned, just as an example this was a couple days ago</p>
<p>Unfortunately there are stories like that that come up on the news occasionally. I can’t say that there will never be crime at and around UCF, but the negative newstories like that tend to stick out in our minds and give an inaccurate, overall picture of the area. I’m almost certainly baised but if your daughter does decide to come to UCF she will be very safe. If you’re not familiar with the area just outside of UCF I would strongly encourage a campus tour so you and your daughter can decide for yourselves.</p>
<p>Agreed, it’s all about being careful. As long as you know where to stay away from, you should be fine. I’ve looked online, to see what places aground orlando aren’t a very good area to go near, unless you need to. Such as pine hill, which they now call ‘crime’ hill. Have your daughter check, because no matter where she is, that’s always the possibility. This is her opportunity to open her eyes to what’s REALLY around her.</p>
<p>Orlando is indeed one of the cities with the highest crime rates. But I do think that the UCF area is pretty safe if you have your guards on and don’t do anything stupid. I too was paranoid at one point, but I got over it pretty quick. Quite honestly though, attending UCF is fine, but to reside in Orlando after graduation, I’d have to think twice about that.</p>
<p>Maybe I can offer some additional perspective here. My daughter started out at UCF. Honestly, she went there to follow a boy. She broke up with BF in the middle of her first year and transferred to FSU. </p>
<p>According to D- FSU is a better school in many ways- school spirit and quality of professors were two major factors in favor of FSU. However, as a parent I have to say, her grades were stellar at UCF and went to mostly B’s at FSU. She has since graduated and now is very successful in NYC and freely admits that the only thing going on in Tally is lots of fun. I’m not so sure I care for that all that much as a parent. D2 might find herself at UCF getting great grades for 4 full years. I attended the Univ. of Miami many years ago and we had fun but more along the lines of UCF as both schools are located in a big city. </p>
<p>My oldest D did pretty well in Tally, got a wonderful internship in New York City, and now works and lives there. She regularly interacts with other FSU grads who thrive there as working professionals and students at med school at NYU. </p>
<p>If you want lots of school spirit- don’t bother with UCF. It doesn’t have it. Heck- UMiami didn’t have it and has had more football success in the last 30 years than UCF can hope to have. I think it is part of being located in a city. Not better- just different.</p>
<p>Currently living on Alafaya (right next to UCF) and personally walked at night with friends back to the apartments from fubar, library, and Dekos I can say it’s pretty safe.</p>
<p>Im currently attending Valencia College but plan on transferring to any of the other universities in FL. Im still trying to decide where to go thus why I’ve been obsessed with this website lately. </p>
<p>As far as school spirit goes, UCF lacks in that department. You won’t see sold out stadiums with kids with their bodies painted. You’ll get students more interested in the tailgating then the actual game.
Maybe this might change in 2013 when UCF moves to the Big East Conference (yeah, UCF vs USF !!) but we’ll see. Ive only been to the USF and UCF campus and the difference is huge. USF looks a bit run down and old. UCF looks so nice, especially at night when the street lights come on. </p>
<p>But back to topic, as far as safety goes, just be smart and don’t put yourself in a position where something could happen to you. A buddy system does wonders.</p>
<p>DavidDavid-depending on the fit, it might be:)
I visited FSU, and personally…didn’t like it. UCF is just better, maybe not technically, but for me, it is.</p>