<p>My first choice was UF but unfortunately i wasn't able to make the late deadline application date. Therefore, I am now having to chose between USF, and UCF. I have already been accepeted and have a full scholarship to both of these universities. However, I am having a hard time deciding which one to attend. This is my scenario:
1. I want to be a biology major/or related
2. I am a 100% sure I want to go to med school and become a Pediatrician
3. I would be moving out of my house, and living on my own. Parents would not be able to provide me with any financial aid. Family of 5 with a low income.:(</p>
<p>Based on the above: I would like to know which of these could:
1. allow me to be a full-time student, and an active participant within the university activities/without having to worry about getting a part time job to cover my expenses from books, fees, personal expenses, etc.
2. offer me the best undergraduate biology major program/academic education
3. offer me the best opportunities as far as internships, research, volunteering in health related professions/hospitals, etc.
4. other than considering my MCAT scores, which would ultimately provide me with the best chance of entering a great medical school after graduating.</p>
<p>Thanks in advance for all the feedback, if you need any addtional information to assist me better in my decision just let me know. :)</p>
<p>hey Gordon_Gekko thanks for the reply…but about #4… at least which would look a little better or give me a slightly higher edge than the other one when applying to a medical school…Otherwise, what would you recommend me to do?..should I apply to another particular college?..note that I cannot afford UM tuition, and I was not able to meet the application deadline for FSU, UF. By the way I’m planning to stay and go to college in Florida.</p>
<p>1) I hope you did FAFSA app. If not, do it immediately and call financial aid offices asap at both colleges. Grants, scholarships, loans and work study should cover expenses.</p>
<p>2) If you are dead set on being a doctor, check out USF’s 7 year accelerated program. It is not for the fainthearted and like any preprofessional studies–it is hard, hard work.</p>
<p>3) USF Health is well established with a teaching hospital, several specialty hospitals on campus, an adjoining VA hospital, and additionally a co-op with a trauma hospital by downtown (Tampa General.) Lots of opportunities for health related work, volunteering, and research.</p>
<p>I might suggest going to the college of your choice (UCF or USF), then transferring to UF after getting your associates…</p>
<p>I go to USF so I can tell you if you do chose this school, do yourself a favor and live off campus. I play $768 a month for a room thats about 8x12. Literally across the street you can get a much nicer room with a private bathroom for around $450. If you have any questions just send me a message on here.</p>
<p>Gordon_Gekko… i had thought about what you suggested before. Transferring to UF after getting my associates. But I mean isn’t you 3rd year in college your most important year for people who want to get into a medical school?..I mean don’t you need to be focused the most on your MCAT, and medical school applications, rather than building up new references and trying to find new possible health related internships/volunteer, research etc?.. Is it worth the hassle starting in a brand new environmet? like starting in a brand new high school where i don’t know anyone, any teacher, or how anything works?.. </p>
<p>On the other hand, I hear that USF is located near a bad neighborhood where crime rates are pretty high, as some people pointed it out: “near the ghetto”… is this any true?</p>
<p>Once, again thanks for all your help and feedback</p>
<p>I have always felt quiet safe on USF’s campus. Late at night when I am at study hall I always call “Safe Team” and they give me a ride in a golf cart back to my dorm, the only problem I get with that is a lot of times others jump in the cart ahead of me that I called for and I have to wrestle the ride back from them! The area west of USF has a lot of low rent apartments–I don’t go over there and the people who live over there that don’t belong on campus know not to come on campus looking for trouble. USF is in a large city that has neighborhoods to avoid just like any town. USF has ample security and I really don’t worry about crime and feel safe. UCF has its own problems and is near Colonial Drive (State Road 50), you can go down there and get your head skinned no problem if you are looking for adventure.</p>
<p>It’s kind of up to you on whether or not you think it would be beneficial to transfer…</p>
<p>USF itself is safe. We’ve got a bad reputation about being in a dangerous neighborhood but it isn’t really true. Personally I try to avoid going west of Bruce B. Downs or south of Fowler at night, but areas north and east of campus are fine… Most of Tampa isn’t too great in my opinion, if I stay in this area after graduation I’ll probably move across the bay to Pinellas County.</p>
<p>mom2collegekids… I am aware that they have a brand new med school, which in 2009 allowed their first charter class composed of 41 students. According to their website it was the most selective school in Florida, as more than 4,300 students applied. Although it sounds pretty good as a med-school, becuase of its selectivity and brand new scientifically technology, I have two major concerns that make me double-guess going to UCF. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>did over 4,300 students applied because acceptance meant free tuition for all 4 years? that sounds very appealing tom most students wanting to go to med-school.</p></li>
<li><p>how strong are the ties or partnerships to hospitals?, or how strong will they be in the future? how strong would their program be in pediatrics, as it seems their college of medicine is mainly focused or strong in the biomedicine related programs.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>-So would I have good undergraduate research opportunities in the fiel of pediatrics, or in the field of biomedicine?</p>
<p>lol, I mean’t areas east of USF are safe lizard. I’m from east coast so I’m used to the water being on the east rather on the west side of town here. I’ve only been here 3 months, I’ll get used to it after awhile.</p>
<p>What about the professors at USF?.. I’ve heard, read, and seen interviews of students that say that some teachers don’t speak english???.. from previous experience at USF, is this really the case?.. are the teachers for pre-med/biology great?..</p>
<p>Some teachers don’t speak English at USF. My economics teacher had a Macroecon prof that had a thick Russian accent. She withdrew because she couldn’t understand him. However, there are profs like that at each university. Use your drop/add period for classes wisely.</p>
<p>Any major research university is going to have some instructors or professors whose first language isn’t English. I’ve had teaching assistants/graduate students who didn’t have perfect command of English or an accent but it wasn’t a big problem–they got their points across clearly enough and I learned the material in class. It is not common with every class and is not something to be overly concerned about, but you might get a teacher once in awhile that you have to pay a little more attention to resulting in you perhaps learning even better!</p>
<p>I’ve had 5 professors this semester, 3 of which are not originally from the United States. I’ve been really impressed with all of them so far, it hasn’t made a difference that English isn’t their first language because they still speak English very well… I should probably disclose, however, that my experiences may differ somewhat from that of a typical undergraduate student.</p>
<p>After a lot of thinking, researching, and your guys advice, I was pretty much 90% percent I was going to attend USF. Unfortunately, I came accross with this video:</p>
<ul>
<li>I am Hispanic, I am not racist at all, some of the best teachers and people and I made friends with in high scholl were dark-skinned, but this is defenitely not the environment I want to live in for the next 4 years. Now I’m more confused than ever as far as which school to attend. :(</li>
</ul>
<p>HaHa! Don’t worry, the guys in the video aren’t professors at USF. Some of the goofs in the video hotdogging were on the football team and believe me they caught a lot of grief for the video. April Fools Day is 2 days from today, they look like fools everyday that video is watched.</p>