How competitive is the environment at University of Florida?

[Anonymous]

I know that this forum is not a Florida forum, but it seems that a lot of kids in the DMV are heading to UF this fall. For those who had/have kids attend UF, how competitive was the environment? I read on here that the pre-med kids are extremely competitive with each other, but what about the other majors?

[Anonymous]

It's very context specific. There are those weird hyoee competitive premeds no matter where you are, but I also had a friend who ignored all that at UF through both undergrad and med school and is an actual successful doctor. Those mind games are pretty toxic, if your kid wants to be a doctor the best advice is just focus on your own studying and ignore the people who try to play games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know that this forum is not a Florida forum, but it seems that a lot of kids in the DMV are heading to UF this fall. For those who had/have kids attend UF, how competitive was the environment? I read on here that the pre-med kids are extremely competitive with each other, but what about the other majors?

I have one kid in med-school and another one on the way, both big State U's. The competitive pre-med thing might be prominent at smaller colleges like SLACs where there are smaller pre-med cohorts competing for fewer Profs and class offerings but not so much at large State U's where you might have 500-600 that start a pre-med track (orgo usually culls the heard). Students are competing against themselves with different majors, classes and such. A lot don't even know each other. It's not like they are hacking into the system and changing grades or something. Your kid just needs to go and get the best GPA they can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know that this forum is not a Florida forum, but it seems that a lot of kids in the DMV are heading to UF this fall. For those who had/have kids attend UF, how competitive was the environment? I read on here that the pre-med kids are extremely competitive with each other, but what about the other majors?

I have one kid in med-school and another one on the way, both big State U's. The competitive pre-med thing might be prominent at smaller colleges like SLACs where there are smaller pre-med cohorts competing for fewer Profs and class offerings but not so much at large State U's where you might have 500-600 that start a pre-med track (orgo usually culls the heard). Students are competing against themselves with different majors, classes and such. A lot don't even know each other. It's not like they are hacking into the system and changing grades or something. Your kid just needs to go and get the best GPA they can.

I wasn't premed, but my major had me bumping into the premeds sometimes and they would do nuts stuff like ruin the lab solvents in orgo. I really hope those people didn't end up actual doctors.

[Anonymous]

So is it just the pre-meds that tend to act competitive/toxic? Anyone have any feedback about other majors? My kid will not be doing pre-med.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know that this forum is not a Florida forum, but it seems that a lot of kids in the DMV are heading to UF this fall. For those who had/have kids attend UF, how competitive was the environment? I read on here that the pre-med kids are extremely competitive with each other, but what about the other majors?

I have one kid in med-school and another one on the way, both big State U's. The competitive pre-med thing might be prominent at smaller colleges like SLACs where there are smaller pre-med cohorts competing for fewer Profs and class offerings but not so much at large State U's where you might have 500-600 that start a pre-med track (orgo usually culls the heard). Students are competing against themselves with different majors, classes and such. A lot don't even know each other. It's not like they are hacking into the system and changing grades or something. Your kid just needs to go and get the best GPA they can.

I wasn't premed, but my major had me bumping into the premeds sometimes and they would do nuts stuff like ruin the lab solvents in orgo. I really hope those people didn't end up actual doctors.

I'm the pp you were responding to. That's really strange, both of my kids didn't experience anything like that, it seems the students doing that would be sabotaging themselves as well. At a big state u with large orgo classes there are multiple associated lab offerings due to space issues so seems it would be a complex endeavor.

[Anonymous]

It’s competitive down there, but I think a lot of those who chose to go there were competitive in high school and it draws the tops of many of the Florida high schools so lots of overachievers. Clubs and popular organizations, volunteer ops, are competitive to get into or particularly leadership in them, but there are tons of them available. My daughter loves it down there, but she definitely has to work for opportunities as they don’t just fall in her lap without putting herself out there. The students are all supportive with each other and tons of school spirit.

[Anonymous]

Your kid is going to be one of 35,000. Of course it’s going to be competitive, survival of the fittest for clubs, office hours, classes, etc. . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is going to be one of 35,000. Of course it’s going to be competitive, survival of the fittest for clubs, office hours, classes, etc. . .

True, but even big schools can have collaborative environments. From what I hear from people who actually attend, the experience is very positive. So it seems that any kind of competitiveness is outweighed by many positives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is going to be one of 35,000. Of course it’s going to be competitive, survival of the fittest for clubs, office hours, classes, etc. . .

True, but even big schools can have collaborative environments. From what I hear from people who actually attend, the experience is very positive. So it seems that any kind of competitiveness is outweighed by many positives.

What even is the purpose of this thread is you’ve already decided that the positives outweigh the competitiveness?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is going to be one of 35,000. Of course it’s going to be competitive, survival of the fittest for clubs, office hours, classes, etc. . .

True, but even big schools can have collaborative environments. From what I hear from people who actually attend, the experience is very positive. So it seems that any kind of competitiveness is outweighed by many positives.

What even is the purpose of this thread is you’ve already decided that the positives outweigh the competitiveness?

I'm not the OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s competitive down there, but I think a lot of those who chose to go there were competitive in high school and it draws the tops of many of the Florida high schools so lots of overachievers. Clubs and popular organizations, volunteer ops, are competitive to get into or particularly leadership in them, but there are tons of them available. My daughter loves it down there, but she definitely has to work for opportunities as they don’t just fall in her lap without putting herself out there. The students are all supportive with each other and tons of school spirit.

How are the clubs competitive? Is there some kind of rushing/application process?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s competitive down there, but I think a lot of those who chose to go there were competitive in high school and it draws the tops of many of the Florida high schools so lots of overachievers. Clubs and popular organizations, volunteer ops, are competitive to get into or particularly leadership in them, but there are tons of them available. My daughter loves it down there, but she definitely has to work for opportunities as they don’t just fall in her lap without putting herself out there. The students are all supportive with each other and tons of school spirit.

My child goes there and I was going to respond but this poster hit it spot on.
My kid is pre-med. They are intense but not competitive against each other from what I see. They’re all trying to get the best GPA and MCAT scores but there is nothing like sabotaging each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is going to be one of 35,000. Of course it’s going to be competitive, survival of the fittest for clubs, office hours, classes, etc. . .

True, but even big schools can have collaborative environments. From what I hear from people who actually attend, the experience is very positive. So it seems that any kind of competitiveness is outweighed by many positives.

Sure, kids like to party and Florida is a party school.

[Anonymous]

I went to UF a million years ago. It was tough, but it wasn't competitive against other students when I was there. Instead, you were competing in some very difficult classes to master the material and get decent grades. UF is known for its "weed-out" courses.

Friends whose kids go there now say it's similar. The difference is getting in in the first place.