<p>Are there any students out there that decided to go to UF, rather than a higher ranked private university, even though they had the money to go to the private university? If so, why?</p>
<p>i know in a lot of cases it still comes down to money. just because one can afford $30k/year in tuition doesn’t mean its pragmatic.</p>
<p>Our choice is to spend the prepaid on the undergrad education
in State. We have elected to spend the personal education fund
at the professional/graduate level. If our numbers are correct,
the daughter should be debt free upon graduation in approximately
8 years.</p>
<p>Read up on the debt accumulated by some middle and/or upper
middle class kids post 4 years – it’s a regular media topic. So
far as we’re concerned the fancy privates have priced themselves
out of the middle class market. We’ve run the numbers. $200+K of
debt post BA/BS is nuts. (or, you work until you die)</p>
<p>Oh, it’s an “investment”-- sure, or maybe, just maybe it’s an INDUSTRY.</p>
<p>I know colleagues with 2 kids at fancy in the northeast who flat out say
they will need to work until they are 70+ in order to retire. I’d like a
world where I can retire and my daughter can look at a legit mortgage
banker and qualify for a loan without massive debt.</p>
<p>Just my .02 David</p>
<p>The top-25%, or perhaps even more, of UF students basically have “ivy-league” academic credentials. In terms of absolute numbers, that is an awful lot of kids walking around campus that “could have” gone to a top-ranked private. Given that the average income of UF parents is pretty high, it stands to reason that many of those kids could have gone to a higher-cost alternative if they felt it was really worth it. Additionally, you cannot ignore the fact that UF as a vast number of majors and research opportunities that many privates can’t match regardless.</p>
<p>Remember, UF is ranked incredibly high in areas like Engineering, so going to UF beats going to say, Harvard, for particular majors…</p>
<p>My son is a freshman engineering student he was accepted to Harvard, MIT and Ga Tech. He decided on UF over all these schools. Because as he put it: UF just felt right. He visited all 4 schools at the end it was between UF and Ga Tech. But the Environmental Engineering program at Tech was tied to Civil Engineering. UF’s Env Engineering program is at the fore front of all Environmental issues in Florida.</p>
<p>So he is a Gator. Of which I am extremely pleased and proud.</p>
<p>Not sure if I would have turned down MIT… lol but whatever seems right is right</p>
<p>My daughter chose UF over Boston University School of Management (money was not a consideration) because she realized that she just didn’t want those Boston winters. UF can be pretty cold in winter without throwing in all the snow and wind!</p>
<p>burgsoccer that is exactly what I told my son. How could you turn down MIT? His reason was that the students there just seemed to be 100% academics and he is just not there. Sure he is and was an excellent student. but there is a big difference between taking your studies serious and making them your life.</p>
<p>When we visited MIT the overall atmosphere was not one of high spirits and happiness. Ga Tech was a little better but UF is off the charts.</p>
<p>also, most ivy’s now have policies that provide grants to cover need very generously. they do a good job of making sure that if you do get it, you can go if you so choose. only tangentially related, but thought i’d put it out there.</p>
<p>gator4ever, I feel ya there. At UF there are tons of nice people and everyone seems so happy all of the time. That being said, its kinda hard to get to know people at UF since it is so large. My feeling is that college’s main purpose is to learn and prepare for the future so I’m not sure I would have turned down MIT. seems like an honor to go there, but I am really happy at UF and I can see why your son chose it.</p>