This is OP. We are visiting UF for the second time (third time of you include visit for a sibling).

UF gave a very nice merit scholarship, research program + guaranteed housing in honors village. DD is pre-med and there is a hospital and children’s hospital on campus.

UMD offered College Park Scholars (not honors) and no scholarship (we are at a W school). we also live about 30 minutes from campus and DD wants to spread her wings a little.

We didn’t particularly care to see how few students were admitted to UMD from our high school this year. That just didn’t feel right and we worry she wouldn’t have the opportunities at UMD. (DC1 went to UMD Honors and had 10/10 experience.)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does she want warm weather? big sports gal? prefer a small college town kinda in the middle of no where vs. more suburban in the middle of a big metro area? interested in Greek life? I think they probably offer roughly equal opportunity/prestige in terms of the business degree, but different locations obviously and sorta different socially.

Different indeed, but which way does that cut? I was just in Gainsville recently and in no way is it a "small college town in the middle of nowhere." That's just ignorant.

^ To add, it seemed fifty times more desirable than college park, and UF is much higher rated.

Poster with the child there.
Of all the college campuses we toured, UF is one of my least favorite. I just don’t find anything redeeming about it. I don’t find Gainesville nice either, except for the weather. It doesn’t have a beautiful green or manicured grounds like many college campuses. It doesn’t take far to get off campus and feel a little unsafe. The dorms are pretty crappy.
UF doesn’t have to put money into those type of things because people will go there for the rank (as my kid did).

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I've heard that Florida State has a much better campus. Has anyone been there?

Anonymous wrote:DS accepted into Smith Business at UMD (in-state), and is waiting on Florida’s Business School. Any first-hand insight, without factoring in the cost, as it relates to strength of programs, etc? It seems like a toss-up, but leaning towards UF if she gets in.

Have they visited both schools? They really are quite different. I think they need to figure out if they want to be in Florida or College Park in the next 4 years. Pros for College Park are the obvious. Very convenient location- near DC, Baltimore, Virginia, NY, etc. Lots of internship opportunities. Not a greek dominated school so kids who aren't in greek can find a ton of fun at other places. But I get it, my kid doesn't want to go in state to Maryland either. We visited Florida too (she's not going). It was her dream school but realized it wasn't the best for her. A friend goes there and she says a ton of in-state students to the point that being out of state makes you feel different, traveling to/from the airport isn't great, very very large classes that can feel impersonal; and a huge emphasis on Greek life that it's almost off-putting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:UF is a way better college and more highly ranked. Sure, it's in the middle of nowhere, but in 1.5 hours you can be in Tampa or Orlando and Jacksonville is closer.

Are you taking a helicopter? Tampa and Orlando are 2+ hours away. Sure Jax isn’t far, but other than a beach it’s a pretty big nothingburger.

Orlando to Gainesville is not 2+ hours! The airport is on the further side and it’s less than two hours. They drive fast on 75.

As a middle-aged liberal from the DMV, the suburbs around Gainesville wouldn’t be my first choice for my current stage in life. However, my kid is having a great experience and spends 99% of her time with other people her age on campus and in mid-town. The student body at UF is very diverse in terms of cultural, religious and political backgrounds.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend moved to Gainesville from the DC area. They hated it. Moved out after a couple of years. They are a white, liberal family. I know the oldest, and they are super smart. They made some comment about how people there ( living in the town, not UF) hardly knew any poc. I take it that area is super white.

What? Most of the locals weren't white where I lived. It was very solidly AA. But I did look up the demographics and it was still half white. Maybe the SFH neighborhoods where the professors live are whiter.

54–59% White, 20–23% Black or African American, 6–7% Asian, and about 10–13% Hispanic/Latino

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does she want warm weather? big sports gal? prefer a small college town kinda in the middle of no where vs. more suburban in the middle of a big metro area? interested in Greek life? I think they probably offer roughly equal opportunity/prestige in terms of the business degree, but different locations obviously and sorta different socially.

Different indeed, but which way does that cut? I was just in Gainsville recently and in no way is it a "small college town in the middle of nowhere." That's just ignorant.

how is it ignorant? Gainesville is a relatively small town dominated by the college that is surrounded by a whole lot of nothing. I grew up there, I know.

As a fellow former Floridian, are you also baffled by the enthusiasm for UF?

I read that the made a strategic campaign to raise their rankings, somewhat gaming the system more than even the usual brinkmanship. I wish I could find the article again…

UF is in the select group of colleges that are NOT test optional. Those schools that admit a massive % of TO kids are the ones gaming the system. It’s one thing to admit a bunch of kids with very low SAT/ACT scores, but hiding those scores is dishonest!

Anonymous wrote:[img]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:does she want warm weather? big sports gal? prefer a small college town kinda in the middle of no where vs. more suburban in the middle of a big metro area? interested in Greek life? I think they probably offer roughly equal opportunity/prestige in terms of the business degree, but different locations obviously and sorta different socially.

Different indeed, but which way does that cut? I was just in Gainsville recently and in no way is it a "small college town in the middle of nowhere." That's just ignorant.

how is it ignorant? Gainesville is a relatively small town dominated by the college that is surrounded by a whole lot of nothing. I grew up there, I know.

As a fellow former Floridian, are you also baffled by the enthusiasm for UF?

I read that the made a strategic campaign to raise their rankings, somewhat gaming the system more than even the usual brinkmanship. I wish I could find the article again…

UF was a solid school in a state that Republicans are killing.

Anonymous wrote:A friend moved to Gainesville from the DC area. They hated it. Moved out after a couple of years. They are a white, liberal family. I know the oldest, and they are super smart. They made some comment about how people there ( living in the town, not UF) hardly knew any poc. I take it that area is super white.

What? Most of the locals weren't white where I lived. It was very solidly AA. But I did look up the demographics and it was still half white. Maybe the SFH neighborhoods where the professors live are whiter.

54–59% White, 20–23% Black or African American, 6–7% Asian, and about 10–13% Hispanic/Latino

UF itself is a large city. Town is irrelevant.

I don’t think the locals who grew up in Gainesville are representative of the student body at UF. Think about the area immediately surrounding UMD. It’s hardly a reflection of the majority of students who go there.

UF is significantly a better schools. The students come from all over Florida. The above posters comment is crazy. Do all UMD students grow up in Adelphi Maryland? Get real. Go Gators!

Gainesville is a "southern" Florida city. You might as well be in Alabama. It is not Miami, Palm Beach, or Ponte Vedra. It is not for everyone, especially if you are not from Florida or the South. This is not to say anything negative about UF; it is a great school, but these southern state schools are not always a great social fit for many kids from the NE.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lots of political interference at UF these days. I wouldn’t send my kid there:

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/04/us/florida-professors-lawsuit.html

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/report-university-of-florida-researchers-pressured-to-destroy-covid-19-data/

I would think a free thinker like yourself would enjoy diversity of thoughts and ideas? Didn’t click the links but assume it’s the usual talking points about extremism, etc. which is just dog whistling for “not liberal enough.”

You sure are tipping the scales away from UF

Anonymous wrote:UF is a way better college and more highly ranked. Sure, it's in the middle of nowhere, but in 1.5 hours you can be in Tampa or Orlando and Jacksonville is closer.

Are you taking a helicopter? Tampa and Orlando are 2+ hours away. Sure Jax isn’t far, but other than a beach it’s a pretty big nothingburger.

A friend moved to Gainesville from the DC area. They hated it. Moved out after a couple of years. They are a white, liberal family. I know the oldest, and they are super smart. They made some comment about how people there ( living in the town, not UF) hardly knew any poc. I take it that area is super white.