Santa Fe College, Gainesville- Reviews

Overall

Overall, I think Santa Fe College is a fantastic school. It is a small state college located in Gainesville, FL. Located conveniently close to The University of Florida and the heart of downtown Gainesville. Santa Fe boasts about having the highest transfer rate into UF, hence being given the nickname, "Gateway to the Gators".The campus is easy, small, and accessible. The library on campus is 3 stories, and has a great cafe that sells Starbucks coffee and snacks located on the first floor. The campus has very beautiful landscaping and courtyards throughout. There is also a teaching zoo on campus with a wide range of animals that is free for students, and relatively cheap for others. Next to the teaching zoo there is a daycare for students with children and professors children, and also a gym on campus. The clinic on campus is great as well, very kind employees. Also located next to the bookstore is a rec-room with computers, printers, and video game consoles to pass time between class. Parking is FREE! Although it's generally tough to find a close spot all the time, there are lots of "carpool parking lots". In the main courtyard outside the cafeteria, there are always things to do set up by students for students. Krishna lunch, blood drives, music, free handouts from local apartment complexes and other schools in the state, and lots more.

Academics

The classes at Santa Fe are small, comfortable, and enjoyable. The class size is usually no more than a mere 20-30 students at a time. Every professor I have had actually cares about their students and creates a one-on-one personal connection with you. The professors are very kind, educated, and understanding. Work load is what you can expect when attending college. It's more work than high school but less than what a grad school offers. My favorite professor was Dr. Howell. She teaches Core Biology 1 & 2 and loves her students. I aced her classes because she connects and engages with the class. She took us on field trips, to the teaching zoo on campus and the local bat caves in the area. She is fun and outgoing and you can tell she really has a passion for teaching. So many other professors are like her as well. The staff and faculty are great as well! They help make accommodations and explain situations thoroughly.

Campus Facilities & Safety

The atmosphere is very energetic, fun, engaging, welcoming, diverse, and refreshing. I love the campus setup and landscaping. The facilities are great as well. There are many computer labs located around campus and all have up to date computers and software. The library is huge and comfortable. I've spent an easy couple of hours losing track of time because I never felt like I was dying to leave. The parking is free because the president doesn't believe in charging students to pay to park their vehicles at school. Carpooling is strongly encouraged and welcomed. There is a police station on campus as well. There are always police around campus whether it be day or night. All parking lots are well lit and if you're taking night classes then you will usually always find a spot immediately next to your class so you wont have far to travel. Mornings are typically the worst times for parking.