D has University of South Florida as one of her top choices. (We’re OOS.) Can any USF student or alum share what they like(d) about USF? D is thinking of physical therapy/kinesiology/athletic training as a major and dance as a minor or possibly another major. (I’m guessing double-majoring is allowed, though this sounds ambitious.)
D is also interested in the Honors College. She enjoyed the tour of USF and the Honors College over Spring Break but I’d like to hear from more folks on their experience at USF. Thanks!
I am waiting on contact confirmation from an alumna (now DPT and Honors graduate). I will get back to you.
@RealAcadAdvisor Thanks for your response – I look forward to hearing what they have to say.
Since the sound of my post is largely crickets, how about if anyone who’s visited the campus and thinking about USF as a possible university to attend could share their take on USF?
Feel free to contact Dr. Garate:
agarate1989@gmail.com
Hey VABogart, were your questions answered ? If you’d still like a pro/con view of USF from a student, I’d love to share!
@SisypheanTask Thanks for responding! I haven’t heard from anyone as of yet. Can you let me know what the pros/cons from your perspective? Thanks.
@VABogart, I’m brand new to the forum and I’m sorry it’s been crickets…USF is D’s first-choice school at this point and she filed her Fall 2019 application when we returned from the tour. The administrator who spoke to the gathered group pre-tour encouraged prospective students to get the applications in because early submissions would be weighed differently than when more offers had already been made by November, for example; also, early applicants have the opportunity to apply for on-campus housing sooner (you probably already heard this). The app is very straightforward, no essays or letters required, but it is the school’s individual app and not the Common/Coalition app.
I get a vibe that USF is starting to really become competition for other FL public schools, hence the “shhh”. I got crickets when I ask around prior to joining this forum as well. D (4.75 weighted GPA, 1300 SAT) loved the tour and chose this school over UF and UCF. We had arranged a pre-tour meeting with some USF faculty who were very responsive, kind and attentive - I’d encourage you to reach out to the PT department and others your D is interested in to speak with the faculty.
Pros: Up and coming (they are the only public U in FL that offers a BS in cybersecurity and the only FL school that received Active Minds’ Healthy Minds Award in 2018), student-wellness focused, reasonably priced, offer tracks for students who are undecided, diverse, friendly, small campus feel on a very large campus, 30 minutes from the best beaches, and the Tampa/St. Pete area is a lovely, with eclectic Ybor City not too far away.
Cons: I’ve lived in FL for more than 20 years, frequently travel to/from Tampa on business and the main highway (I-4) is a beast as there seems to be no time when it is not backed up somewhere in or around Tampa. Fortunately, USF is located some distance from that traveler’s nightmare. I hope this helps!
@fakegrapes2018 Thanks for your response. I’m guessing this board will pick up in activity now that we’re into August. D is still interested in South Florida (we’re from Virginia), though she attended a camp at University of Florida in June and she loved it. She’s also applying to UCF (her brother is there in the engineering school). She liked the campus and the Honors College – spoke with several very nice students there, who really seemed to like USF and the HC. D is also applying to the University of Virginia and James Madison.
D is going to submit her application this month but her high school won’t have her transcript ready to send until the end of September (4.59 W, 3.93 UW GPA, 1340 SAT, is retaking this month). BTW – the Dance Department is fabulous – one professor spent an hour talking to D about the Dance Program, and gave us a tour of the dance studios and a chance to meet some more faculty. Agree that the faculty is very friendly, attentive, and full of great information.
D is still interested in physical therapy/athletic training as a major. She’s also going to audition for the dance minor – the auditions are held in November on campus, so she should know by then whether she’ll be accepted and whether she’ll receive an offer from the Honors College and the possibility of scholarship money. The price tag is very attractive, and with a scholarship offer, USF will definitely be in the running. Although she likes Virginia, she may well end up in Florida as she loves the weather – and the theme parks! 
D just submitted her application to South Florida. She’s excited to get her application in. She also plans to audition for the dance program (as a minor) in November, hopefully in person (we’re from Virginia).
Now that we’re in application season, hoping to hear from others (applicants as well as current students) what they like about South Florida. Yes, the beach, Tampa, Busch Gardens, Lowry Zoo, etc. – all great stuff, but would like to hear great things about the university itself. Like, I heard they just opened a Publix on campus! Impressive.
@SisypheanTask and @VABogart: Current students seem to rarely use CC. It seems as if it used mostly by HS students applying to college, then they move on once admitted. If you provide me (privately or publicly) with your email, I can connect you with a current student or a few. Better yet, if you have a Facebook account, look me up (Arnaldo Mejias with an Honors College logo as the avatar) and we can use that platform.
We live in PA so we toured tons of schools and flew down to FL to tour a ton more. When my daughter got to the USF tour - she said “I love this place” and that was it. She compared every other college to USF and none came close.
She has been there for two months now (started Fall 2018) and she LOVES it. She lives in the Village in a brand new residence hall. The Publix isn’t there yet (to the person above who said it was) but it should be in December.
She’s really enjoying herself. She loves her classes. She is doing great. I miss her like crazy. If there are any specific questions you have about USF, let me know.
You asked about the Honors college. My daughter decided not to go for Honors College (she said she just wanted to be a normal kid for once). But the Honors college residence hall is right across from her. The students in the Honors college get a few more added advantages to everyone else. They get early registration for classes.
Pros for USF - professors are great (so far). The campus is beautiful. There are literally 2 pools in the Village. (One indoor and one out) There are tons of dining options - which is both good and bad. She is blowing through dining dollars pretty quickly because of all of the national chain restaurants (getting her to eat in the dining halls have been a challenge).
They do an amazing job getting the students to find their tribe. They have all kinds of clubs (and not just regular clubs, they have things like Video Gamers clubs). They give all students free tickets to the football game AND bus them for free to the games (go Bulls ??)
The only cons - PARKING. You will see every current student complaining about it. Once a resident student finds a space, they don’t move their cars for fear of losing a spot. Commuter students have it far worse because it can take an hour to find a spot on some days.
Anything else, just ask.