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UNC without a doubt. UNC is well known for being an academic powerhouse, while UF is less so. And the business school at UNC is amazing and extremely competitive. Outside of Florida, the first thing that people think of when they hear UF is "party school." UNC-Chapel Hill commands an entirely different response .
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<p>Up until I started learning about colleges, I thought UNC was just an average state school. I know it's not, but you're not giving UF any credit whatsoever. UF is very similar to Wisconsin with the work hard/play hard message.</p>
<p>Anyone who knows anything knows what a fantastic school UF is.</p>
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Up until I started learning about colleges, I thought UNC was just an average state school. I know it's not, but you're not giving UF any credit whatsoever. UF is very similar to Wisconsin with the work hard/play hard message.</p>
<p>Anyone who knows anything knows what a fantastic school UF is.
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<p>There is no denying that UF is a great school; I have already said that. I'm just saying that when it comes to academics, UNC is regarded as a better one. UNC has name-brand recognition for being an elite public, while UF has name-brand recognition of being a very good public. There is a difference, and people notice it.</p>
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last time i checked this thread was about undergrad.</p>
<p>go to UF on a free dime..go to UNC graduate business school.
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<p>And that rankings I posted were undergrad business school rankings.</p>
<p>Go to a second-tier (sub-top 50) business school for free, or pay a bit more and go to one of the best in the nation. That's basically what the decision comes down to.</p>
<p>Why bother? Well, going to a top-5 undergrad business school generally helps your chances when it comes to minor things like...employment...and graduate school...and starting salary. But if you don't care about those things, then I guess you have a point.</p>
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Go to a second-tier (sub-top 50) business school for free, or pay a bit more and go to one of the best in the nation. That's basically what the decision comes down to.
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<p>What's the point of going to "one of the best" if you don't see financial returns from it? Let's compare the median self-reported salary by UF and UNC b-school graduates (according to businessweek):</p>
<p>UF: $47k, UNC: $53.5k</p>
<p>The difference in median pay between UF B-school graduates and UNC's is small, and given UNC sends more kids to the northeast than UF, these numbers are probably less different in reality due to cost of living differences. You pay 100k more (no exaggeration) <em>before</em> interest on loans to go to UNC. </p>
<p>It'll take a long time before UNC and UF reach parity for worth during the OP's career, and by then where you went to school for undergrad will probably be long irrelevant.</p>
<p>If you can get a full ride to a top-5 undergraduate program then of course you take it, but if you have to dish out over $100,000 then it's simply not worth it. Especially when you have the option of a very decent undergraduate program for free. The difference between the programs won't make much of a difference in the long run. It is much more important to go to a top tier graduate school than undergraduate school. And don't say that OP won't be accepted to a top tier graduate school if he goes to UF, because graduate schools understand that programs across the country are very similar.</p>
<p>The only thing UNC will do will put OP in massive debt, which even with a small salary advantage would take years to pay off. Not worth it.</p>
<p>It's impossible to accurately assess the situation without knowing the financial aid that UNC is offering you. Since we (and presumably you) do not yet have this information, this is perhaps a debate best deferred until a later date.</p>
<p>That said...like Cuse, I am a huge fan of Carolina -- but I agree with those urging you to take the money. Florida is a great school, and I'm sure you can do well there.</p>
<p>thank you all for your opinions. Although I think I will receive some financial aid from UNC, I am not expecting a great amount. In that case I'd most likely be looking at taking a loan out and paying it off with a better job that I would hope UNC could bring to me. Worth it?</p>