<p>I got accepted into UCF but some people keep telling me that it is not a very good school Is this true? What are the best/worst things about UCF? Thanks</p>
<p>Congrats on your acceptance! Not an easy feat to get in. Why would anyone raise doubts about the school, knowing you applied and have been accepted? What did you like about UCF that lead you to apply? UCF is a great school! I am a parent of an alumnus who has been successful in her field since graduation, thanks to the awesome internships available to her while a student at UCF. I hope you have the opportunity to visit and speak to students, but from my experience I can tell you the school cares about the students and treats them as their customers. Besides the excellent academics there is plenty to do socially. Good quality of life on and off campus. If you have specific questions, feel free to ask. Best of luck with your decision!</p>
<p>colcon2010, no offense, but you read like a brochure. Is there anything specific you can say?</p>
<p>Hi WasatchWriter, No offense taken! I realized when I posted that my answer was lacking details, which is why I asked the OP if he/she had specific questions. As a parent of an alumnus, I can only give an overall impression, so I do hope current students chime in, though they rarely post here! </p>
<p>Around the time my daughter started at UCF, there was an article, I believe in the NY Times, about the annual influx of college freshmen into the dorms. The director of housing at UCF was interviewed and quoted as saying the students are UCF’s “customers,” and they strive to make them happy. This attitude, in my experience, comes from the top down, and every interaction I had with administration was a pleasure. Of course, my direct experience was limited, but the times I had financial aid inquiries, attended parent events, etc. all left me with a very good feeling that my kiddo was in a place that cared about its students. Even during the year, the students were treated to perks like free tickets to sporting events, or UCF takeover of Universal Studios, little things that enrich their day to day experience.</p>
<p>We are OOS, and one thing that really impressed me and made a difference in my daughter’s initial experience was the OOS student mentoring program, where freshmen students are matched with a graduate student and over the course of a year have the opportunity to go on outings, or even just go to a BBQ at the mentor’s home. At the time, only 7% of students accepted were OOS (at the time, FL law limited it to 10%) and this was a great way to integrate before she met friends from FL. By the way, all of her friends happened to be from FL, or like her, became FL residents after graduation! They are still a very close group and live near one another (or together!) and attend the UCF games, tailgate, etc.</p>
<p>Academics are challenging! She did not have many huge classes as her introductory college courses that she took during HS and her AP scores transferred to UCF, so she had 21 credits out of the way before she started. Huge bonus to us as parents that those credits transferred! Upper level courses hone the skills kids need to succeed: writing, collaboration, speaking, etc. She did not want to graduate early, so she was able to add a minor to her major which has helped her tremendously in the job market. Also, she was required to do 3 paid internships before graduating; this shows the community that UCF students have value and gives the kids the experience to hit the ground running when they leave. All of my daughter’s friends are employed in their fields, some are also in grad school as well.</p>
<p>Housing is beyond anything I could have imagined, and far superior to every other school we visited. Cost for housing and board, as well as off campus housing, is significantly lower than that in the NE. Even OOS tuition was comparable to our in-state tuition, and quality of life is much better in FL! The environment in and around the campus is beautiful and safe.</p>
<p>If community service is important to you or your student, there are numerous opportunities to get involved throughout the year. Employment and recreation are all nearby, as well as on campus. My daughter also did a summer study abroad, since she did not want to be away from campus during the school year! </p>
<p>Let me know if you have specific questions. As you can see, our experience with UCF was very positive.</p>
<p>colcon2010, thank you.</p>
<p>Hi WasatchWriter, You’re welcome! Have you visited? It is quite an impressive campus. If you are not local and would like hotel, restaurant, or other recommendations, send me a PM. Best of luck!</p>
<p>Thanks for your answers, I’m pretty sure I’ll be attending UCF! The reason I applied to UCF was because I had visited the campus back when I was a in 9th grade, and I just fell in love with it. I like how modern it looks, and just the overall atmosphere of it makes me feel welcomed. What raised my doubts were the academics, but with the internships opportunities I think that this is my best choice. Also I’ve been living around the UCF area for quite a while now, and I really enjoy it. Again thanks for replying! :)</p>
<p>How hard is it to get an OOS scholarship?</p>