<p>That all sounds very nice momsworried. Does your son talk about large groups of students spending weekends at FLA state schools?</p>
<p>No, he has not mentioned that at all.</p>
<p>Well, that's actually good, IMO.</p>
<p>UF and FSU are respectively a 2 1/2 and 4 hr drive from UT. UCF is about 1 1/2 to 2 hrs depending on the Disney traffic. USF is only about 20 minutes, but it really is a suitcase/commuter school so I doubt anyone is flocking there.</p>
<p>We gave serious consideration to Tampa a few years ago. Visited the area, spent 2 nights in Tampa, and went to accepted students reception on Long Island. D decided not to go too far from home and is a happy student at SUNY Cortland.
This is what I remember--
Tampa makes an effort to get kids from outside the region- so I am a bit surprised to hear its a commuter school. When we signed in for our tour, they had a blackboard indicating how many students were taking the tours that week and the states they lived in. Overwhelmingly, the NE was well represented. Almost all the students working in admission office was from the NE. I think they try to take advantage of Tampa weather- especially during the February break when alot of NY kids look at Florida colleges. I remember that there is some sort of trolley system that goes from downtown Tampa to Ybor city area. (Nice shopping/entertainment area not too far from U Tampa). School is "walking" distance to Tampa business area- but my guess is that downtown Tampa "closes down" after regular week-day business hours. School is also pretty close to Tampa Performing Arts Center.
As d was accepted and received generous scholarship, we did give the school serious consideration. We attended the new student reception on Long Island. I would say there were at least 60 people in attendance. I have no clue as to how many did decide to go to UTampa- but the reception was well attended. Similar receptions were planned for NJ, Westchester and Boston area- so they really do try to get OOS kids to attend.<br>
There seems to be a good relationship with school and Tampa business community, so my guess is that there is good opportunity for internships. i ALSO REMEBER SEEING THE MOCK "STOCK EXCHANGE" (ooops!) room that they have set up in their business school.
I thought the campus was compact but pleasant- a little quirky as one of the main buildings was formerly a hotel (?), so the atmosphere is definitely different than most schools we visited. There was also an outdoor pool on campus. It was crowded- but most of the kids did seem to at least have a book in their possession while sunning at the pool.<br>
Ya gotta visit the school. I think it has potential. But in the long run- my kid decided to stay closer to home.<br>
NE mom- did you check out Towson? That's also pretty popular with Long Island kids. Towson seemed to be walking distance to shopping/restaurants etc. and not too far from Baltimore.</p>
<p>I think my kid's decision on what school to attend had alot to do with her basic personality. She is not the most adventurous kid and her comfort level played a big role. When all was said and done, she liked the idea of being within an hour of alot of her friends. She has many friends in the Binghamton-Ithaca-Syracuse area. And Cortland puts her right in the middle of those areas. It also has a very solid sport management program- so it didn't make sense for her to go elsewhere.</p>
<p>Marny, Hi, and I just sent a PM to you! Thanks for posting!</p>
<p>Do you or do any others know how involved it is to get from UT to the trolley system, and how good that transportation is?
Did you feel that your D, Marny, needed a car at UT?</p>
<p>FLVADAD recently suggested that I look into Tampa - - how wonderful to find this thread!</p>
<p>I too would very much like to know whether the trolley system is reliable and easily accessed from the Tampa campus; my D definitely will NOT have a car her first year in college. D would like to visit at least a couple of FL schools next month; sadly, a car seems like a necessity at the two schools that look best on paper (Eckerd, Tampa).</p>
<p>It seems to me that Tampa is more accessible without a car, but I could be wrong. Just seems that way to me from reading the descriptions. Also, would I be correct that internships might be easier to get in Tampa?</p>
<p>You are correct that interships are easier to get in Tampa. Last semester my son attended a Business Etiquette Seminar/Dinner. Various businessmen and women were in attendance at each of the tables during the dinner. It was a great way for the students and local Tampa businesses to interact. The dinner was free and there was also discussion on business etiquette and business attire. There was also a Business Attire Fashion Show. All students attending had to wear business attire. Without any prompting, my son was offered an intership at a bank (20 hours/week etc.) He had to decline due to his course load and time constraints with the golf team.</p>
<p>I just want to reiterate that a car at UT is NOT a necessity. UT makes it very favorable if you WANT to bring your car. There is a large parking garage with plenty of parking for a nominal yearly fee. It is definitely a convenience but by no means a necessity.</p>
<p>Thanks, momsworried.</p>
<p>What is the "vibe" at Tampa? Is it a a fairly conservative schools? (D I liked the fact that Eckered is described as very liberal and hippie-ish.) Also, I see a lot of students complainig about "rich kids." I appreciate that the young tend to see anyone with more as rich, but still, I worry about ostentatious displays.</p>
<p>I have not seen any ostentatious displays of wealth at UT. I would describe the school as being moderate and very diverse. There are plenty of students there on financial aid and plenty of students in the work study programs. As with any private college, you will see an occasional student with an expensive new car. It is definitely not hippie-ish.</p>
<p>momsworried, Thank you so much for your information about UT. It is very helpful. Do you think that students outside of the business school would also have good opportunities for internships?</p>
<p>Absolutely, I don't think internships are given to business students only. I also think that UT is gaining in popularity and reputation. If you watched ESPN this week, you would have seen UT's campus as they hosted the Punt, Pass and Kick Competition for College ALL-Stars. CNN has broadcasted from the campus as has "Good Morning America". If you visit UT's website you will see many of the accomplishments of UT students and graduates.</p>
<p>For those wondering about public transit, I did find this on UT's website under "off campus housing":</p>
<p>
[quote]
Most students who live off campus purchase a car. The public transportation system in Tampa, and for most places in the United States, is very limited. Although bus service is available, buses do not run late in the evening, which may affect students with night classes. Taxis are expensive, and there are few apartments within walking distance of the University. If you buy a car, there will be additional costs such as automobile insurance (expensive for persons under 25 years of age), maintenance, annual license tags and vehicle safety inspections.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Here is a link to some internships that are listed. They sound great!:</p>
<p>The</a> University of Tampa - Tampa, Florida - Communication Internships</p>
<p>I got accepted back in January to University of Tampa and it was my first choice of school for various reasons. Although, the total price including tuition, room and board, books and supplies, etc. comes to around $33,000. I was offered around $15,000 in academic scholarships/need based grants and the rest of the tuition ($18,000) was offered to be covered in parent/student loans. Although I would love to go to this school, I just think it's a bit too expensive and is not worth all of the hefty loans I'll have to pay off once I graduate.</p>
<p>I find this thread interesting as my son was accepted with a Presidential Scholarship, but being from Upstate NY and the other scholarships he has been offered I'm not sure the dollars will be there for him to attend without having to take out great loans.</p>
<p>AJG: what school would you ultimately attend that would cost less than $18,000/year? if you have considerable scholarships from somewhere else, this is understandable...but UT is easily one of the most economically reasonable private schools on the east coast.....imo......hope it doesn't get too selective in the next two years!!</p>
<p>Wondering if you and your son made a decision. We are also considering UTampa. A bit concerned about the academics, retention and graduation rates. The data online is disconcerting. Very anxious to hear real experiences…Quality of classroom experience and interaction with faculty as well as % of kids who stay on campus through the weekends.</p>
<p>He is considering Business or Marine Biology…any experience with either area is appreciated.</p>
<p>Hope to hear back.</p>
<p>The Gateways program sounds excellent- glad to hear you have been happy with it and that it serves its purpose of helping kids transition to college. Any idea of the number of kids who transfer out of UT? How many students are in the School of Business? What other schools did your son consider before deciding on UT? What are the biggest pros and cons from your point of view?</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the help!!! It’s a tough decision.</p>