<p>Hey guys,
I know May 1st is nearly here and that most people have made their college decisions, but please help me out here. I've been accepted to both UM and UF honors and I am stuck between them. I am interested in majoring in something science related- possibly microbiology or neuroscience. Can someone please tell me the pros/cons of these universities and why they chose one over the other. Also, I know this is the UM forum, but does anyone know if UF honors students get a lot more perks or if it's not that big of a deal. One thing I'd like to make clear- Money is not a factor!! Please answer these questions honestly and without regard to money because this decision is huge to me. Any help is appreciated. Thank you in advanced!</p>
<p>UM: Top university in Florida, one of the top research universities in the country (very good for a science major), more diverse, smaller student population (much smaller), amazing connection to administration (Donna Shalala is a god), better location (Miami vs. Gainesville… Really, no contest)</p>
<p>UF: Honestly, if you aren’t taking cost into the situation at all, I don’t see any upside for UF.</p>
<p>Bottom line is that UM is a much better school overall than Florida if you’re looking for a smaller, more diverse research university. Of course, if you’re looking for the experience of a large university, UF might be the way to go. But I would definitely pick UM.</p>
<p>Quickly and off the top of my head…</p>
<p>UM:</p>
<p>Pros:
in beautiful Miami</p>
<h1>1 school in florida</h1>
<p>tons of diversity
small class sizes
personalized attention from faculty
strong sense of community (“family”)</p>
<p>Cons:
less resources than UF because we simply aren’t as big (though we do get more grants, I think)</p>
<p>UF:</p>
<p>Pros:
generally best graduate/professional programs in FL
closer to orlando
more resources available because of large student body
whole city is oriented around UF</p>
<p>Cons:
not much diversity
in gainesville
super large class sizes
no real sense of community (“nation”)</p>
<p>Best of luck with your decision.</p>
<p>Gatorsorcanes, we grappled with this same question last year. For us in came down to the difference between a public and a private institution. We felt that she would get a good education at both universities, but we could not get past the the amount of red tape at UF. Every contact we had with the school made us feel that she was regarded as just a number. No one answered the phone or you had to leave a message and hoped someone would call you back. It was maddening. At UM we were and have been treated like a valued customer. You call, someone answers the phone and solves your issue. You want to change majors? Its done with a phone call etc. it’s important for young people to learn how to navigate a bureaucracy, but not at the expense of your education if you get into snares.</p>
<p>I picked UM over UF Honors because of the funding cuts, smaller classes, and actual academic guidance I’ll be receiving at UM. My friends at UF feel like “just a number,” which helped me in my decision. The neuroscience program also seems particularly strong at UM. Best of luck :)</p>
<p>“The funding cuts” was referencing the ones UF is facing - I think this will prove particularly detrimental to a neuroscience major</p>