<p>My son has been accepted to UF, UCF, University of Alabama and Southern Methodist University. Based on available scholarships, and Florida college prepaid tuition, he has narrowed it down to just UF and UCF.</p>
<p>He is mostly considering an engineering or computer science degree, maybe architecture. He's not definite, so having a good overall college seems important, and UF seems to be a better overall school.</p>
<p>At both schools he will have Florida Bright Futures and Florida Prepaid Tuition. At UCF he also has an $8000 National Merit Semifinalist scholarship. This means UCF will cost him about 7 thousand vs 15 to 22 thousand at UF.</p>
<p>He is relatively sure that he will be attending graduate school, maybe at Georgia Tech.</p>
<p>UF seems to be more prestigious than UCF.</p>
<p>The question is, Is UF's added prestige worth that difference in cost? Based on what I've seen, neither school has a particular advantage over the other in this area. Location is also not an issue, he says he would be happy at either place.</p>
<p>Avoid directional schools as a rule of thumb. It says something about them that their administrators don’t have the common sense to know having a direction in their name damages their own brand.</p>
<p>kvilledeac, but I don’t think anyone should avoid a school just because there is a direction in its name. (Northwestern anyone? lol just kidding. :P) But in all seriousness, I don’t see why the simple fact that it’s a directional school should automatically rule it out.</p>
<p>I have been to UCF, UF and now at Georgia Tech. It does not make even an iota of difference, especially at the undergraduate level between UCF and UF and he is planning to go to Georgia Tech anyway for graduate study. Based on the program of study, some consideration and thought could be given if you are trying to compare UCF vs UF at the graduate level and that too mostly if you are looking to continue in the academic line. Based on my experience, if I were you, I would save money and spend it on graduate study.</p>
<p>UF definitely. I would love to go there (born into a gators family) but my mom doesn’t want me that far away until grad school. It’s a great school and of course awesome football.</p>
<p>Hi:
I have a son at UF who is a junior and majoring in Computer Engineering. We also have the Bright Futures and Florida Prepaid and we are spending less than 11k a year. He lives on campus, does his own cooking (his food bill is roughly $400 per month and he eats very well). Previously he had the food plan which is about 5400 per year for unlimited. He has maintained a straight A average, works as tutor on campus, and co-published two research papers. He is now a Microsoft internship candidate and is being flown to the corporate headquarters in Washington State. He intends to go to graduate school as well and that is why he chose a State school for undergrad. In engineering a Masters degree is quickly becoming the norm (at least that is what I am hearing/seeing). I also know several of his friends who are really enjoying UCF and internships. I think it depends on what area your son wants to major in, but my son visited the departments at both and decided on UF. He felt at the time it was a more prestigious school than UCF. UCF does have a great robotics program which competes internationally.If you have the time call the schools and arrange for a personal meeting with that department.
See what research is being done at the school, talk to the Professors, we did and it was worth the effort and should help him decide. I believe the most important aspect of this is how much involvement your son has at the school that is a contributing factor.
Good luck,</p>