I know, I know, I know…everyone is sick of seeing the whole UF/FSU rivalry thread. But I’m a high school senior who just really needs helping figuring out where to go. I have been admitted into both schools. I have only visited UF and my experience was decent, but nothing extraordinary. However, I’m willing to give UF another shot. I’m visiting FSU for Preview Day so I will not know how I feel about the atmosphere there until March. I plan on majoring in Management Information Systems or Information Communication Technology if I go to FSU. I plan on majoring in information systems and minor in computer science if I choose to go to UF. I like that UF is closer to where I live (2 hours away) whereas Tallahassee is 4 hours away. I love the whole idea of the full college experience. I’m a huge football person. HOWEVER, I don’t care about opinions on football teams on this thread. I’m an Auburn fan anyway (War Eagle)! But, I’m just trying to give you an idea of what I like. Academics, cost, diversity, and social interactions are very important to me. Can I please get some genuine opinions? Like I said, comments about their football teams will fall on deaf ears. Thanks in advance!
Do you have friends going to either school, and does that make a difference to you? Did you get the scholarship from FSU?
I think it will be very hard to get a feel for it until you visit Tallahassee.
There’s no right or wrong answer. I will say that I was underwhelmed the first time we visited UF, too, and our son loves it now (he is in CS).
@SouthFloridaMom9 I have friends that go to FSU but not UF. It doesn’t make that much of a difference to me because I’m perfectly fine with making new friends. I did not get the Presidential Scholarship but I was still offered a great financial aid package in addition to the Bright Futures Academic Scholarship. Can you give me a list of pros and cons of UF based off of your son’s experience?
UF is the higher ranked school (50 vs FSU’s 92). The general consensus has always been that if you can get into UF then you should attend.
I love Gainesville. The campus seems very large at first but most of the classes are concentrated into specific areas depending on major. It’s easy to get around by walking and bike and has a great bus system (free for students).
Very friendly and lots of clubs and activities. And beautiful.
Another factor is that “Gator Nation”. UF has a great reputation and it can factor into getting jobs when you graduate.
And while you don’t want opinions on football there is an intangible “school spirit” at UF that permeates everything and goes far beyond the football field and fall season.
You should also consider that the Warrington College of Business (Heavener School of Business) (for your intended major) at UF is much higher ranked than FSU’s program.
Put some research into this area.
@gouf78 Thank you. I’ll check it out. What would you say are the biggest pros and cons at UF? What restaurants does UF have both on and off campus? I’m a huge foodie too lol.
Gainesville downtown (either bus,bike or walk) has lots of really good food and quite a variety. My son is at UF now (about to graduate from law school) and takes us to different places each time we visit. We just let him select and have never been disappointed. I’m amazed at how much Gainesville has grown in this regard. Some of the best places are little hole in the wall spots.
As you get a bit further off campus (bus or car but still not far) are most national chains.
Cons. My son would say that studying really gets in the way of having fun…(I don’t think it slowed him down).
It gets really hot at times but FSU does too. Nature of the beast.
Traffic (especially on certain weekends 
)
Parking if you have a car (that’s universal also).
Hope you applied to housing way back when.
FWIW: I attended a presentation about Warrington College and was very impressed by not only the program but also by the students who conducted it. I almost wanted to sign up myself!
I’m not sure but it may be a limited access program. Might want to look into that also.
^^agree very much with @gouf78.
That being said, my older son had a number of classmates go to FSU and they seemed to love it just as passionately. UF does carry prestige, though of course there’s nothing to be ashamed of with FSU.
If you’re a foodie, Gainesville has some unique, local-type restaurants. The only thing I feel like we’re missing is a really good pizza joint. Everyone loves Satchels, and I do too, but I truly miss Tucci’s in Boca.
Gainesville has a hippie, artsy, vibe to it in the downtown area that’s pretty neat. On the other hand I would imagine the state capital is cool too (haven’t visited though)j.
SouthFloridaMom–try Leonardos (downtown) for pizza (been there for 30 plus years unfortunately with the same tables I think! but a mainstay) or just for great Italian food of any sort (including pizza) try Napolitanos (northwest G’ville).
Google Napolitanos on the map–it’s up a little hill and hidden from the road when you first approach.
Try Adam’s Rib Company for BBQ. There are two locations but the more popular is in SW part of town.
(SW 13th St). The wife runs the SW location and her husband runs the other one. Great food.
@gouf78 @SouthFloridaMom9 Out of curiosity, have you heard of Windsor Hall at UF? It’s another housing option.
If you want a super breakfast go to the Bakery Mill and Deli in Newberry Crossing (strip mall) in NW part of town.
Fresh everything. Great egg breakfast. Lots of food. Small place and very unimposing but great. One of those places you wonder how someone even found this place or would suggest it–until you step in and smell the deliciousness.
(Friends in G’ville steered us there).
From son’s observation (he spent a weekend at FSU ) was that the FSU campus while it is very beautiful has very definite boundaries. Step off campus and a less than desirable Tallahassee was evident.
At UF the boundaries of the campus are less evident. The campus vibe blends into the rest of the city making it feel larger.
I’ve seen Windsor Hall but haven’t been in it. Friend’s D was in Ivy House which was very close by. She liked it okay.
She also had a moped which was needed (and cost extra for parking BTW).
It is close to boundary of campus and a nice location depending on your classes. Probably better for upper classmen.
Also depends on your pocketbook.
As a freshman the campus dorms seem preferable because of their more central location. (after all-they were there first and got the prime spots!)
I had the same dilemma many years ago. When I asked my high school counselor about it, she gave a strange look and said “Florida of course.” You can get a good education at both schools, as well as at USF and UCF. Some differences between the schools.
1 - Your peers at UF will have better academic qualification than those at FSU. The differences aren’t great, but they do exist.
2 - If you are considering graduate school, UF has better significantly placement at higher level grad schools.
3 - Job placement is stronger at UF. A few years ago, UF ranked number 9 for best colleges for corporate recruiters with the school of business being a strength. The location in Gainesville makes it easy for regional companies in Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville to recruit there. This is also true regionally. When I worked in Atlanta, UF was considered one of the better schools along with Georgia Tech, Georgia and UNC-CH to recruit from. FSU was clearly in the second tier along with schools like LSU, UT and MSU.
The cons to UF:
1 - It is a big state school with very little hand holding. You will have to figure out your path on your own. FSU is no different.
2 - Compared to other flagships, UF has very few OOS students. FSU has the same issue. At the same time, Florida is a very large and diverse state, and the population of both schools are representative of the state.
When we went, UF’s tour was easily the worst of all the schools we have visited. It is as if they know UF is the number one pick in-state, so the admissions office doesn’t even try to make the school seem appealing. Regardless, I wouldn’t put much emphasis on the quality of the tour for any school.
@Zinhead I appreciate the honest feedback. That was really helpful. Would you know what the better school would be for student/teacher ratio? I know they’re both huge schools and don’t expect to have one-on-one time with my professors but I would like to know which has the smaller ratio.
I don’t think the overall student/teacher ratio will make much of a difference. In both schools your freshman and sophomore year classes will have a mix of large lecture halls and multi-section class taught by a professor with help from T/A’s. UF has moved most larger classes to the web so you can stream classes at your leisure. Here is an example:
http://warrington.ufl.edu/undergraduate/myheavener/videolectures.asp
Offering systems like this is how UF and other large state schools can maintain low tuition. Once you get to the upper division classes and are accepted to a school, you will get smaller classes and one-on-one time with a professor.
Others may disagree but I feel the student-teacher ratio is a red herring to some extent.
I grew up with 36 students in a grade school class. And most went to college.
It depends on the quality of instructor (and discipline of the class) and less on numbers of students in that class as to how much you learn.
I took an elective class at UF (million years ago) that actually had over 600 students enrolled in the class–standing room only. Literally. Sitting in the aisles. Between rows.
Back in the days when computers weren’t so apt to keep track of numbers. And students could fudge a bit more on these things.
The class was only meant for 300 (HUGE lecture hall) and EVERYONE showed up.
The biggest problem was fire codes. Totally hysterical from a student’s view.
Professor didn’t kick anyone out. The university made accommodations.
It was one of the best classes I ever took from one of the best professors ever.
A true icon of teaching.
I’ve always heard that if you want to make a huge lecture hall smaller, sit in the front row. Sounds simplistic but seems to make sense.
OP - I don’t know much about Windsor other than it is privately owned (i.e., not campus housing). If my son could have gotten a single we might have considered it, but we missed that opportunity. DS lives in the engineering LLC and loves it. He was a homeschooled student and we did not think he would ever tolerate a double but he loves it.
@gouf78 - thanks for the heads up on Leonardo’s (also the deli you mentioned). Not sure how I have missed those places!!!
From what I can gather UF has the smaller class sizes.
But those are going to be at an upper level–not in gen ed classes. If you’ve got AP credits or similar you may be skipping some of those.