<p>Different strokes for different folks. I personally hate weather below 60 and enjoy our so called "ugly terrain" or as we like to call it down here, the beach.</p>
<p>gainesville isnt really near a beach, but i do like florida's general terrain. the flora is pretty impressive in some places.</p>
<p>Chapel Hill is only an hour further away from the beach than Gainesville.</p>
<p>We could go on all day about this, point is, for me it would cost an extra $30,000 a year for me to attend UNC and I don't think you could argue that UNC is $120,000 superior to UF, especially for undergrad. Whoever started this thread, make your visits, ask plenty of questions and dont take the people on this message board too seriously. Most of them get way too caught up in supposed "presitge". Go where your most comfortable and for the right price and that's that. Good luck!</p>
<p>UNC definitely is not $120,000 superior to Florida.</p>
<p>UNC is less overwhelming than UF, in terms of sheer size/population. UNC is more "charming", but they are both great schools. I just visited UNC with my s. this summer, and I attended UF for grad school quite some time ago. I really enjoyed my years in Gainesville, though yes, its hot and humid (UNC is too, for a lot of the year). Gainesville has more available in terms of the "college town" resources, and its about 2 hours from everything (from the east and west cosat of Fla, from Disney, etc) so if you are looking for more to do than attend sports events, you might like Gainesville. That said, I really like UNC as well, and hope my s will apply to both. Remember too, if you are a NMF, UF will probably be almost free. If you are OOS, UNC will cost, though its a pretty reasonable tuition. Its just not almost free (unless you are instate).</p>
<p>Depends on the applicant. UNC wouldn't have cost much for me OOS with the school's scholarships.</p>
<p>Well, that goes without say. Individual situations/scholarships would always differ. We are talking in generalities.</p>
<p>*** for example, UF offered my older S a $9k stipend to attend. Yes-- a free ride PLUS they would have paid him 9K/yr to attend. He wanted no part of it (hrmmmph!!)</p>
<p>"Remember too, if you are a NMF, UF will probably be almost free."</p>
<p>Not anymore. I'm not sure if you're familiar with the changes or not, but the compensation given to NMF by UF after the 2006 entering class has drastically gone down. I'm talking a gigantic decrease.</p>
<p>Thats a bummer, ABCB. Can you give more details???</p>
<p>I personally don't know all the details, but here's one article about it:</p>
<p>I'm sure you could find more detailed info if you desire on the UF board or on google. Good luck to you and your son!</p>
<p><a href="http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/07/13/florida%5B/url%5D">http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/07/13/florida</a> I just found this too. Bummer.....</p>
<p>UNC is a top school, UF isn't. PLUS UNC is a ton of fun and one of the best college experiences anywhere. A no-brainer.</p>
<p>lol man, UF is ranked 47th in the nation. </p>
<p>UNC is a great school, but are you willing to pay so much more for a similar education? Plus, we actually have a football team. Now what would college be without football? :)</p>
<p>i think what slipper1234 meant by top school is a college that is top 30 and has top 10 schools within it. </p>
<p>i think you'd get a better education at UNC.</p>