Where to go: Comfort vs "Prestige"

College Search & Selection
1

Hi everyone. I recently made a post about how I was unsure of my decision to attend Univ of FL and was wondering if I should stay in the midwest/close to home (Im from IL) However, Ive realized its not necessarily distance that Im afraid of, but more so that Im not entirely comfortable with the college I was planning on choosing. Before hearing back from UF, I was between Univ of Tenn and Univ of South Carolina. Im planning on studying PR, marketing or supply chain and UFs PR program really interested me as its less social media focused like most schools now, and has more of an emphasis on campaigns & communication for organizations & nonprofits which I am interested in. UF has good business too so I knew Id be ok if I switched. However, I wasnt in love or super excited after my tour, and just felt like I had to go since it was the “best” school I got into & it has good programs for what im interested in. However, I am concerned about UFs lack of oos students, HUGE enrollment, distance from airport/ease of travel and over-all location. Additionally, Im aware I fall in the low end of admitted/enrolled students in terms of scores & gpa, and the small fish big pond scenerio scares me a little, but I know the school is great and I would eventually find my place and feel comfortable. I also like the idea of a ton of highly motivated students, but I really just feel uncomfortable about my decision of going there. That doesnt mean it wouldnt work out well in the end if I do choose to go there, though.

On the other hand, I felt completely at home on UTKs campus & honestly just fell in love. I love Knoxville & the area, too. I was ready to commit before I heard back from UF. UTKs PR program isnt exactly in line with my goals or interests, though Im worried that I would struggle to find internships & jobs for PR. Its business seems good though, especially supply chain (though I am more interested in marketing). It also is closer to home than UF & I know a few people that will be attending. To be honest, theres just a certain happiness & comfortable feeling I have with UTK that I dont feel about UF.

Basically my issue is that I dont know if I should choose immediate comfort & happiness over a highly ranked school with great programs for my major. I know transferring is always an option (to UTK or some other schools in the midwest Ive considered) if I go to UF and it isnt right for me, but Im wondering how to make a decision based on the pros&cons of both schools. I know only I can make the decision, but Im sure there are users out there with experience with this kind of decision. Thank you!

2

Cost isn’t an issue? Honestly, I don’t think employers will differentiate much between UF and Tennessee.

3

Go with your heart. UF is a large school and would tell,lots of self determination. I say this tho most of the young people I know went there, but it wouldn’t have been right for my child.

4

If you like UTK better, go to UTK and be among the top students there - join a leadership living learning community, go to office hours, find an on famous job at the college store, etc. (Are you in the honors college? Is that something of interest?)

5

@PurpleTitan Cost is almost the same for me for both schools, so unfortunately that cant help me decide.

@bookworm Yes definitely a huge school, yet a small OOS % which Im not a fan of. Im worried UF might have the “just a number” feeling.

@MYOS1634 Did not apply to honors college because I was very burnt out (too many apps, too little time) but may look into applying once at the school. I appreciate your response & I definitely want to get really involved & take advantage of as many opportunities as I can. Ive heard it doesnt matter where you go, but what you do there, and I wonder how true that is.

Ive made a pros & cons chart with my family & we will talk more about it tomorrow. I really wanr to come to a decision I feel happy about so I can finalize housing & rooming situations in time. Any more info/experiences or feedback is appreciated, thank you!

6

@PurpleTitan that’s true except in Florida.

7

To be honest, if you are much more happier with UT-Knoxville, I would give it serious consideration.You really should be excited about your choice. Everything else is secondary. While I think UF is the better school, that’s only one factor you should consider.

UF’s is 83% in-state (11% OOS, 5% international, and !% “Unknown”), while UT is 82% (16% OOS, 1% international), so not that much of a difference.

Use LinkedIn, search for University of Tennessee Knoxville, and view the alumni tab. You can select major (like marketing) and see how many are in LinkedIn, which company do they work for, and where do they live. You can do the same with UF.

Good Luck!

8

You should read this article from the NYTimes. TLDR you should go where you would ‘thrive’.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/22/smarter-living/should-you-always-strive-to-work-at-the-most-prestigious-places-well.html

9

I am of the opinion that being happy with the overall school’s environment and experience is more important than the exact major or the major’s specialization. First of all, lots of students change their majors, often more than once. But more importantly, the exact specifications of your major usually don’t matter much. There are plenty of people who didn’t major in anything close to PR or marketing who are working in PR and marketing. In fact, I’d be willing to bet that MOST of the people currently working in PR or marketing didn’t major in that.

You seem really excited about and attached to the experience of UT-Knoxville. You also don’t seem to like much about the University of Florida, and you have outright said you are uncomfortable about your decision to go there. Go to UT-Knoxville.

10

UTK’s reputation has suffered because it’s not a pipeline to jobs in a major city. It’s tough to beat out UGA and Emory students for internships and jobs in Atlanta for example. With the growth that is happening in Nashvile all of that is changing. I wouldn’t hesitate to go there today.

11

As you move forward through a PR major, you’ll find that targeting smaller, more local companies to intern at in Knoxville can evolve into a fitting exercise for the major. Chances are that they will need you more than companies you might intern with in FL.

PR is all about creating a perception strategy (plus a simultaneous Plan B and Plan C) and implementing it fearlessly.
Then adapting, as needed. Create your PR plan now. Attend the school you feel comfortable at, knowing that if you’re happy, you will having a higher chance to succeed. Think strategically about how you will be able to make UTK work for you, then develop ways to overcome any perceived obstacles. The smaller city of Knoxville will likely compel you to think differently about your career goals and how to achieve them. Consider that you might have the unique chance to create your own opportunities.

Bottom line: don’t spend too much time looking for a validation or justification to attend UTK.
Both schools will have what you need. It’s up to you to take full advantage at any school.
Listen to your gut. You already know the answer.

12

Did UT offer a scholarship?

Is U-Illinois not an option? (With the exception of certain specialized programs, I’m strongly against paying OOS fees for a generic major at a OOS public. Just a waste of money, unless the family is wealthy.)

13

Thanks so much for everyone that replied. Ive honestly moved on from the whole “prestige” thing; I dont think the name on the degree between these two schools really matters. In fact, Ive compared job placement rates and UTK actually has more sucess in the majors Im looking at. But honestly, I know I will get involved & find opportunities at either school, so I think I need to allow my “gut” feelings to have more weight in this. An issue I keep coming back to is that I only toured UTK over the summer with essentially no one on campus versus UF which was the only school I visited that was actually in session. Harder to compare vibes & student bodies, except I know how happy, smiley and excited I was at Tennessee vs UF. Everyones really helping me see what the most important factors in this decision are and Im going to talk more with my parents tonight. Thanks again for all the responses.

@Gator88NE Thanks for the LinkedIn tip, I will check that out. Did not know that OOS %s were that close. I do feel the student body at UF is quite different than UTK, and I dont know where I fit in more. (Though each school is huge & diverse so I know I can find "my people)

@JohnBlack Very interesting and applicable article, thank you. Makes me feel better about listening to my gut and emotions instead of just going to higher rank. Ive sent it to my parents.

@AlwaysMoving That is a great point about Nashville that I hadnt thought of. I have always considered living in Nashville postgrad so UTK would definitely help with job offers, Id think. Im not really as interested in working in FL immediately postgrad (not entirely against it though) so thats something I should consider.

@julliet Thank you for your post; it was honestly reassuring. I agree, I think I will do best wherever I am happy and comfortable. I just keep thinking that I probably can be happy and comfortable at UF, even though Im unsure now, which makes my decision hard. Thanks again though, your reply was helpful.

@hop I agree, I think Knoxville has potential for internships, and both schools have a lot to offer. I definitely have been trying to justify UTK to myself and everyone and its really just holding me back. Thanks for your reply.

@bluebayou Did not apply to IL & my parents were more than okay with that decision. The instate rate isnt exactly a bargain. I understand where you are coming from, though, as UofI is a great school & out of state tuition can be crazy. We did not feel UofI would be a good fit for me. I have a scholarship for UT (nothing at UF) & have transferred military benefits completely covering 2 years wherever I attend. I just found out after my two years at UTK I should have in state tuition because of these benefits. So this would may make UTK about half the cost of UF (I thought costs would be equal, initially)

14

Even financially, UTK is the best choice.
:slight_smile: