<p>I would be interested in hearing from anyone who had to make the decision between attending UF and attending a top 20 private school.</p>
<p>From both people who selected UF for merely for financial reasons, and from people who selected UF over the top 20 private school because they preferred UF.</p>
<p>I think my son has a decent shot at getting into UF, and even UF honors.</p>
<p>Money is indeed a consideration.</p>
<p>He seems to love the idea of going to UF, but I would hate for him to take a pass on a highly nationally ranked university, such as a Johns Hopkins, Penn, or a Duke, if he got into one of those as well.</p>
<p>The general advice for questions like this is unless your son plans on entering a prestige-centric career path immediately after graduation (e.g, investment banking) it doesn’t make much sense to pass over UF in favor of the more expensive “higher-ranked” privates. It would be helpful to know your son’s intended major, however, so a more specific recommendation could be made.</p>
<p>This could be an interesting thread. I’m applying to a nice mix of top schools, but UF is still in my top three (with Miami and Georgetown) and I’m not sure what I’d do if I got accepted into my reaches like Yale, Vanderbilt, or Stanford. My dad seems to be on the same page as you, claiming that “outside of finances, if I got into both Yale and UF, the choice would be obvious,” whereas I think I’m growing out of the desire for a prestigious name and would be completely content with UF, just 2.5/3 hours away from home. But I can’t really figure it out until, as mentioned above, I have my list of acceptances. It’ll be much easier for both me AND my dad at that point.</p>
<p>I would agree with your father that if the choice is Yale or UF, you have to go to Yale.</p>
<p>But what if the choice were Emory vs. UF. Or Vanderbilt vs. UF. Then, I think UF makes more sense.</p>
<p>The question is what is the cut off line when you look at the top 25 or so schools.</p>
<p>FYI, I had a girlfriend whose son went to UF. He WANTED to go to UF over private schools, because all his friends were going to UF. Then, he got into University of Pennsylvania Law School.</p>
<p>D’s major is chemical engineering. She had the stats for “more prestigous schools,” (ACT 35, 4.0 uw/4.6 weighted, Val), but she only applied to 3 schools: UF, GaTech, UCF. She knew herself … didn’t want to be too far away from home for first 4 years. Also, she knew she’d go beyond undergrad degree (whether med school or Ph.D. in engineering), and she knew if she did well at UF (which has a great engineering program), she could get into any school she wanted for grad school, which we fully expect to happen. We also save money. Even w/ bright futures being “gutted,” and losing Byrd this year cause congress didn’t fund it, she’s getting her undergrad for comparatively reasonable money and no loans. Great place to be when she has to apply for professional school … not already in huge debt. We are decidingly middle class: EFC too large for need-based and not enough merit aid out there that doesn’t have a “need-based” component. Thank goodness for corporate NM. Anyway, she’s done well at UF in terms of grades/classes/ and research opportunities. She began w/ a prof 1st semester sophomore year, and this summer she’s been a paid, full-time undergrad research assistant for this prof. Most likely she’ll do her honors thesis w/ the same prof. But I can only speak w/ regards to her experience and w/ regards to that particular major and what UF’s offered in that respect. S went to UCF, again … a state school and one not as prestigous as UF. He got his economics degree and got into UF law school, which is what he wanted. (He has an unusal career path w/ regards to using his law degree and he doesn’t “need” a T-14 to accomplish it). Again, by going to UCF w/ some merit money, there’s still money to help w/ law school … and no big debt. This was important to our family. </p>
<p>zebes</p>
<p>P.S. H and I are both products of public, state universities/public, state grad schools … so for us, we’ve been happy that route. Perhaps if we’d gone a different route, we’d think differently.</p>
<p>You might wish to factor into the equation AP - IB credits. These credits
make a big academic plus financial difference at UF as opposed to top 20
privates. Most IB kids will wipe out the gen ed piece at UF permitting them
to focus on their major and move more rapidly toward professional and/or
graduate education. </p>
<p>Too many kids are sitting thru gen ed subject matter at these privates when
they have already demonstrated mastery via AP - IB credits. The privates
want the $$'s-- e.g. you get to take the entry Biology class via seminar rather
than thru the lecture course – although you aced AP/IB tests.</p>
<p>And why is that? Although not in the Ivy League, Vanderbilt is one of the top universities in the nation (ranked #17 nationally by US News and World Report), and referred to as the “ivy of the south.” Why would Yale be the obvious choice over UF but Vanderbilt wouldn’t?</p>
<p>^ Never heard of that, but Vanderbilt definitely is. And no, I’m pretty sure we’re talking in terms if finances aside (“outside of finances, if I got into both Yale and UF, the choice would be obvious”). Besides, Yale is not in-state or cheap, so that reasoning doesn’t really make sense in this case.</p>
<p>i think the reasoning makes sense, because i’d pick yale over vandy. but i failed to see the finance part. finances aside, i don’t know why you’d go to uf over vandy either, unless it was for a department-specific reason.</p>
<p>Pretty sure he was saying that the debt would be okay for somewhere like Yale, but not so much for Vanderbilt.</p>
<p>
Only ever heard that for Duke, never Emory or Vandy. But when one uses “Harvard/Ivy of the [region],” it generally implies a lesser standing. Of course, it shouldn’t be so, but that’s why such titles are still basically demeaning.</p>
<p>The elite university club is the AAU/ American Association of Universities. The
University of Florida was invited and accepted in the 80’s. Other than Duke and
recently Georgia Tech-- the South is devoid. Big time club with a heavy FUNDED
($$'s) research focus.</p>
<p>One might factor the above into the value of a degree. (or one might blow it off) ! </p>
<p>Just my .02. Edit-- Add Vanderbilt and Emory.</p>
<p>The real ivies have some insane scholarship money to through around to get the tuition paid for. Have him apply to both, and wait until you get the financial aid packet back to make a decision.</p>
<p>DE-- The OP names AAU schools. UF is one of those. Elite schools
seems the focus as opposed to undergrad vs grad/research education.</p>
<p>The OP is really asking – Why would you choose UF over an elite or quasi
elite school for a freshman. ?? His (as opposed to what we might wish to
discuss) is about Yale (elite) yes, vs UF ( oh, no-- a public).-- nothing more
as I see it.</p>
<p>Just my .02</p>
<p>David </p>
<p>ps-- I simply say, UF as an AAU member is pretty “special” as one of 60+ AAU
members. VALUE == 's UF Save the dollars differential and buy a home!</p>
<p>Just in the past few days, my thinking has become similar to yours on this issue.</p>
<p>My son, who is entering the 12th grade, has four 5’s, two 4’s, and two 3’s on his AP tests, so he has already knocked off 8 college courses, and he is taking all AP courses in his senior year, so he will probably have at least 10.</p>
<p>That is like winning a 25% scholarship, in my view.</p>
<p>So I am now looking for top ranked colleges that still give you full AP credit.</p>
<p>It would seem to foolish to throw those away. Instead, he could start graduate school a year earlier.</p>
<p>FloridaDad55-- My daughter is also entering 12th grade. Go to the UF
web site and look at the credit conversions for AP IB testing. Your son
can receive up to 45 UF credits – most degrees are 120. At the undergrad
degree level I’ve evolved into looking at college somewhat from a “value $”
perspective and UF is a tremendous value. In our case we have a prepaid
plus my daughter will qualify for a brightfutures (it is changing somewhat).
I’m holding my college nest egg ($$'s) back for the next 3-4 years so we
can use it on her professional graduate level education. We’d like to be
as debt free as possible at the completion of her formal education.</p>
<p>Just my .02 – Others may see it differently.</p>