What are the best schools in Florida?

College Search & Selection
21

<p>For the millionth time:</p>

<p>The Playboy “party school” list is totally bogus. They used things like “days of sunshine” and “brains” to determine that Miami was #1. Most of the partying at Miami happens off campus. It is easy to avoid if you stay on campus. They even have very popular “substance free” floors in their dorms. I know a bunch of freshman who requested those floors for next year and did not get them because they were so popular. They are petitioning the administration to add more of these floors to accomodate the demand.</p>

22

<p>Playboy’s list is probably about as definitive as US News’ list.</p>

<p>Sorry, I just couldn’t resist.</p>

23

<p>Exactly!</p>

<p>These list are all so subjective and based on such ridiculous criteria as to render them almost meaningless!</p>

24

<p>Eckerd College.</p>

25

<p>The following are the best schools in Florida:
New College of Florida
UF
Flagler
FSU
Rollins
Eckerd
U Miami- Florida
USF
UCF
Stetson University
Embry Riddle for engineering
Johnson and Wales- North Miami for culinary
University of North Florida
University of West Florida
University of Tampa</p>

<p>PS- Not in order of best schools.</p>

26

<p>"florida schools are huge party schools (especially uf and fsu that are in small towns with nothing to do except drink) no real way around it "</p>

<p>That is just flat out wrong. </p>

<p>The University of Florida has more than eight hundred organizations and clubs for students to join. They range from cultural and athletic to subjects pertaining to philanthropy. Some of the most popular organizations are Florida Blue Key, Theatre Strike Force, the Marching Band, Florida Competitive Cheerleading, Dazzlers, the Gatorettes, Hillel at UF, the student newspaper, Gator Growl, Progressive Black Journalists, Miss University of Florida, and the Speakers Bureau. If students wish they can create their own registered student organization if the current interest or concern is not addressed by the previously established entities. Not to mention a Top-10 Greek System.</p>

<p>I am sure Florida State also has a tremendously large group of student organizations to choose from, numerous fraternities & sororities, and a plethora of other activities as well.</p>

27

<p>If you want to be in the Orlando area the best school is Rollins College in Winter Park. If you’re seriously an Ivy league contender I wouldn’t consider any school ranked above 50 by US News. Maybe check out schools like NYU and William & Mary, Florida just doesn’t have much to offer you.</p>

28

<p>University of Miami is ranked #51. Do you really think that once you hit the magic number of 50 the school is no longer any good and there is this massive drop off in quality?</p>

29

<p>Absolutely not. GWU is ranked 53rd and it’s certainly a good school. I’m just saying if the OP has what it takes to get into a top 20 undergrad school then I don’t know if it would be wise to really look into anything above about #50 as a safety. My point is that you’ve already got 20 or so institutions worthy of consideration… U of Miami is a good school and Miami is a fun city, I tried to convince my brother to apply there.</p>

30

<p>If you want to work in Florida after college - then the University of Florida is a great choice. Out-of-State tuition is very doable, and the housing is cheap.</p>

31

<p>To the OP… do yourself a favor and ignore US News.</p>

32

<p>haha well I quote PR because it seems like nobody reads the stuff and it’s quite helpful</p>

33

<p>This is interesting. Most kids in Florida want to go “up north” for college. At my school the kids who go out of state either go the prestigious schools (ie top 25 colleges) or just hate Florida schools and opt for places like George Washington University. The rest of the kids go to UF which is considered the best deal b/c of its good rep and affordability (almost everyone gets Bright futures. The kids who don’t get into UF go to UCF, FSU, USF. I don’t know much about University of Miami or Rollins. Only like 5 kid out of 150 go their becuase no one wants to pay tuition even if they get a lot of scholarships. It’s actually easier to get into University of Miami and Rollins than UF so going to them isn’t considered that big of a deal. I agree with a previous poster that California schools may offer what you are looking for.</p>

34

<p>Cit, </p>

<p>“I don’t know much about University of Miami or Rollins.” Sorry, that was your brain telling you stop writing.</p>

<p>“It’s actually easier to get into University of Miami and Rollins than UF so going to them isn’t considered that big of a deal.” Whoops. </p>

<p>Time to put this “Big Lie” to rest once and for all.</p>

<p>You can go to [College</a> Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics](<a href=“http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/]College”>College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics) to check, but figure a soon to be Dookie could use a hand:</p>

<p>UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS FALL 2008 (University of Florida)
TOTAL MALE FEMALE
Number of applicants 26,326 11,550 14,776
Percent admitted 41% 38% 44%</p>

<p>UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS FALL 2008 (University of Miami)
TOTAL MALE FEMALE
Number of applicants 21,774 10,160 11,613
Percent admitted 39% 39% 38%</p>

<p>Ahh, but you say, “Look at Florida’s test scores” As Lee Corso (FSU Alum) would say on College Football Game Day “Not so fast…” Oh, I’m sorry Duke Football is NEVER on Football College Gameday </p>

<p>TEST SCORES: FALL 2008 (ENROLLED FIRST-TIME STUDENTS) (University of Florida)</p>

<p>TEST SCORES 25TH PERCENTILE* 75TH PERCENTILE**
SAT Critical Reading 570 680
SAT Math 590 700
ACT Composite 25 30</p>

<p>TEST SCORES: FALL 2008 (ENROLLED FIRST-TIME STUDENTS) (University of Miami)</p>

<p>TEST SCORES 25TH PERCENTILE* 75TH PERCENTILE**
SAT Critical Reading 580 680
SAT Math 610 700
ACT Composite 27 31</p>

<p>Hey, look at it this way, a little fact checking before believing something is good…as Dickey V would say to Coach K, “With a little work, the kid could be a PTP (Prime Time Poster).”</p>

35

<p>Well, I don’t know much that much about Rollins or UM becuase I moved to Florida recently. I’ve already said that I went to an inner city public school so most kids are not interested in instate private schools. Anyways, I’m only saying this from experience from seeing 2 graduating classes at my HS and my guidance counselor’s own words that UF is harder to get into than UM or Rollins. There were about 20 kids in my class who got into UM but not UF. And only one of them went while the rest picked USF/UCF/FSU.</p>

<p>OP, since you are looking at ivy schools you could get a lot of money in scholarships from UM which makes it worth it to go. I’ve heard (don’t know if it’s true) that they give full rides to extremely qualified applicants. A lot of my friends had decent scores and grades and got half of tuition off.</p>

36

<p>“Most” kids in Florida absolutely DO NOT leave the state for college. In fact, its something like 95% that end up staying instate. Rare is the native Floridian who wants to leave. As far as the Florida publics be aware that state funding of all of them has been drastically slashed due to the recession (property and leisure taxes funding the schools?) and at FSU they’re talking about dropping Education, Music and other majors, and combining Social Work with another department. The classes at these schools can be so big that its hard to get in, and some kids don’t bother and just take their classes online or ?? by video I’m told. At a private school at least there’s consistency, and if you’re from up north there will be kids where you’re from at U. Miami, Rollins and Flagler. Just take a really hard look. Someone looking at the Ivies and the Florida publics…they’re very very different.</p>

37

<p>Correction: my husband tells me that its more like 75% of Floridians stay instate for college. The Bright Futures scholarship program is a great motivator for students to stick around.</p>

38

<p>

</p>

<p>At least for undergrad :\ .</p>

39

<p>Cit,</p>

<p>Ahh, Guidance Counselors. Sometimes the greatest asset to a college-bound student or the bane of their existence…and it could be the same person! Not sure what inner-city your school is in, but I know Miami is keen on URMs, especially in their backyard. So admission may be easier in your school’s individual case. True, many can’t afford it even with merit aid, but if one more “different from the norm” student enrolls, it is a win for them and UM.</p>

40

<p>BaghDAD, do you know the percentage of international students at UM? Miami is the New York City of Latin America so I know a lot of affluent international students attend.</p>