| Location: | Southeast |
| Setting: | Large Town Setting |
| Type: | Public |
| Size: | Very Large (+10,000 Undergrad) |
| Mascot: | Gators |
The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant major research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida, in the United States. The university is one of 62 elected members of the Association of American Universities. The University of Florida was founded in 1853, and was named a "Public Ivy" in 2001 by Howard R. Greene in his book, The Public Ivies:America's Flagship Public Universities. It is ranked No. 49 among National Universities in the U.S. News & World Report 2008 survey of higher education.
The University of Florida is a state flagship university and is one of the largest universities in the United States, with 51,913 students as of fall 2007. It is the largest comprehensive university in the state of Florida and has one of the largest budgets in the United States at nearly $4.377 billion per year. UF is home to 17 colleges and more than 150 research centers and institutes. As of the 2007-2008 academic year, UF ranked twelfth among all institutions in the number of new National Merit Scholar students enrolled. Researchers at the University of Florida developed the famous sports drink Gatorade.
The University of Florida offers many graduate programs—including engineering, law and medicine—on one contiguous site, and coordinates 123 master's degree programs and 76 doctoral degree programs in 87 schools and departments.
The University of Florida NCAA Division I athletic teams, referred to as the Florida Gators, compete in Southeastern Conference. Alligators named Albert and Alberta are the official mascots. Throughout the school's history, the University of Florida's athletic program has earned 27 total National Championships.
The institutional history dates back to 1851, when the Florida Legislature set about creating two seminaries, one west of the Suwanee River, and the other to the east. Some trace UF's history back to 1836, when the United States Congress authorized an establishment of a "University of Florida." Many institutions were founded, before the current University of Florida was established.
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Top States for Incoming Freshman
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| Percent of Students International: | 5% |
| On-Campus Housing Available: | Yes |
| Percent of Students Living On-Campus: | 16% |
| Freshman Students Required to Live on Campus: | No |
| Member of: | NAA, NCAA |
| Sports Include: |
Football (Southeastern Conference) Basketball (Southeastern Conference) Baseball (Southeastern Conference) Track (Southeastern Conference) |
| Tuition & Fees (undergraduate) | In-State | Out-of-State | |
Published Tuition and Fees: |
$ 3,094 | $ 17,222 | |
Average Tuition for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 2,147 | $ 15,632 | |
Required Fees for Full-Time Undergrads: |
$ 947 | $ 1,590 | |
| Financial Aid | Avg. Amount Received | % of Students Receiving Aid | |
Federal Grants: |
$ 3,198 | 19% | |
State and Local Grants: |
$ 2,871 | 92% | |
Institutional Grants: |
$ 3,522 | 24% | |
Student Loans: |
$ 3,191 | 24% | |
Any Aid: |
98% |
| Acceptance Rate: | 57% (Highly Selective) |
| Test Scores | |
| SAT Scores: | |
| % of Students Submitting SAT Scores: | 77% |
| Bottom 25th Percentile: | Verbal: 570, Math: 590 |
| Top 75th Percentile: | Verbal: 670, Math: 690 |
| Application Fee: | $ 30.00 |
| Formal Demonstration of Competencies: | Not Required |
| High School Diploma or Equivalent: | Required |
| High School GPA: | Required |
| High School Rank: | Recommended |
| High School Record: | Required |
| Recommendations: | Not Required |
| TOEFL: | Not Required |
| Test Scores: | Required |
College Advice
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Question:
University Of Florida in Jacksonville?
I know they are an excellent place to go for medical school, but do they also teach Premed classes as well or do you need to take them somewhere else first?
13 months ago
Best Answer
UF only has one campus and that is in Gainesville. You will have to take all your undergraduate classes there.
UF has a teaching hospital in Jacksonville for Med students that have been actually been accepted into the Med School.
UF is getting tougher to get into though, so you will need excellent credentials.
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20070729/LOCAL/707290306
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What are your views on these schools, especially the views of those who attend/have attended them. What is the atmosphere like? Is it easy to meet people? Did you live in a dorm? Are you shy/outgoing?
Also, does anybody have any knowledge concerning a major in psychology in these schools? How are the psychology programs? What types of careers have people pursued after receiving their degree?
Thank you! I'm really looking for insight from people who have had first hand experience at these universities.
13 months ago
Best Answer
I go to UF but don't know much about the Psychology program. I do know that UF is getting harder to get into.
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20070729/LOCAL/707290306
UF is a huge school. It is the 4th largest university in the U.S. with over 50,000 students on one campus. Which means that you are treated more like cattle than students. You will have huge classes, more so that at UCF and USF. You also will have to fight over educational resources with 50,000 other students. I kind of wish I went to a smaller school that actually cared about their students instead of just trying to make money off of them.
It is easy to meet people but I guess that goes with every university since you will be taking classes with the same people most of the time and you will be doing a lot of studying together.
I live off campus because the dorms are crowded and I didn't like sharing a bathroom with 20 other different people. And I couldn't get any studying done in the dorms and the libraries were always crowded. UF likes to take over study rooms and study areas to make more offices for staff.
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I have been accepted to both schools, University of Florida and Northeastern University. I am an accounting major. According to us news rankings University of Florida is ranked higher than Northeastern University. UF is in Gainsville which is a subarb and Northeastern is in Boston. Any Northeastern university students please give recommendations about the business school.
13 months ago
Best Answer
Just don't look at rankings. I go to UF and yes it is highly ranked but it is not that good of a school when it comes to supporting students and giving them educational resources. Most of the money goes to graduates programs and research programs that make the university money. That is why they are so highly ranked.
UF is the 4th largest university in the U.S. with well over 50,000 students on one campus. That means you are treated like cattle by the university and you are fighting over resources with 50,000 other students. Almost all of my classes the first two years at UF had over 200 students in them. A few with 300 students or more.
UF is also doing a lot of cut backs because of funding issues which means that students will pay the price in the quality of education.
Yes, the weather is great down here but are you willing to sacrifice your future and education for some nice weather? Gainesville is a nice little town but you will be hard pressed to find any internships or jobs here that will help you in your major.
Boston is great and has a ton of companies that you can internship at or work part time to gain experience in your major. Northeastern is a good solid school. But the cost of living is a lot higher in Boston than Gainesville. I think you would get a better education at Northeastern.
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Question:
college search...?
i want to study business and music - best choice?
university of central florida
university of florida
15 months ago
Best Answer
UF has a nationally ranked (though not top-20) business program.
UCF draws less national attention, but choose the school that is best for you (although, if you plan on leaving Florida, UF has more name cache).
The schools have different concentrations (for exaple, UCF has a sports management major), and different feels. Pick the one that fits you.
Not sure about music, but both offer extensive programs. Good luck.
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Question:
University of Florida Admission?
Hi, I am from South Windsor, CT
I am seriously interested in attending the University of Florida in Gainsville, FL. I have a 3.55 (out of 4) unweighted GPA, and i will have 5 AP classes and the rest honors classes after finishing my high school career. I am on the varsity lacrosse team, I play lead tenor saxophone in my school's audition only jazz band, I've been in the marching band for two years, model un, academic bowl club, and have been working at mcdonalds since january (because that's when i turned 16).
I took the SAT on May 5th. Based on my practice exams, I have averaged...
720 math
600 critical reading
680 writing
Do I have a chance?
15 months ago
Best Answer
This question is a hard one to answer,people here can say yeah you have a chance but that's all it is, even with good grades you can and sometimes will be turned away. UF is very selective and you have thousands of students floridians and outer towners competing for acceptance. you should just keep your grades good and continue with extracurricular activities, to catch the admission boards eye, also look into other schools as a backup in case you're not accepted. my friend was not accepted the first time, but later on was. So if you're denied the first time just come back and try again another year,unless you find another school you like.
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Question:
What are some good college/universities?
I live in Ohio and id like to attend a college either in North Carolina, Georgia, or Florida! What is a good college/university out of these states? And what should I go to college for? Oh and I was also wanting to know about online/home colleges!
16 months ago
Best Answer
I agree-- you should do some research and decide based on what it means to be a "good college" to you.
UF is my alma matter, and is considered #1 in the Southeast by many people. After all, UF is:
#1 in Football
#1 in Basketball
#1 in national merit scholars (of those you asked about)
Because of the award winning sports program, UF is well known throughout the country-- but there's more to it than that.
Did you know that UF placed #13 out of ALL of the public schools in the Nation, in a 2006 study? (http://www.ufl.edu/facts/) You truly receive a top notch degree when you attend UF.
It's a great school in a great town. It's located in Gainesville, Florida . Nearly half the population of Gainesville either attends or works at UF, but there is also a stellar community college called Santa Fe (http://www.sfcc.edu/) in Gainesville, too. The weather is beautiful, the city is small enough to navigate but big enough to keep you busy, and there's generally low crime. Also, it's a really good deal compared to other Universities (you get a great degree for relatively low cost per credit hour). There's an active greek community, with different organizations for every personality type. UF offers several internship programs, which will help you get class credit while working on your resume, and they have award winning colleges in everything from science to theater. For students looking to study Medicine, it's a particularly good choice, with Shands as the UF teaching hospital--- among the best in the nation. Also, I found the students to be laid back enough in their studies that I didn't feel pressure to compete--- which is unusual in such a stellar university.
However, UF isn't for everyone. First, it's very hard to get into. Secondly, it is more expensive than a community college. Third, the cost of living here in Gainesville is higher than in many other small SE cities. Also, it's a very large school, which is a huge step for many kids who went to small high schools and are used to less challenging courses and more "hand holding" from staff, counselors and teachers. Other cons of UF: there's only enough on-campus housing for 7500 total students (though there are over 50,000 students at UF). For those who live off campus as undergrads, there is no place to park on campus, and the bus system is very slow and problematic. Plan on at least a 1 hour commute per day, if you live in an off-campus apartment that isn't walking distance to classes. Also, the majority of the UF students don't work, so if you don't come from a privaleged background, you might have trouble fitting in and relating.
If you can't get in by applying directly to UF, consider applying to Santa Fe instead. Santa Fe is a community college, so it's easier to get into. It's also MUCH cheaper than UF per credit hour. You can get your AA there and then apply as a transfer student to UF. Santa Fe is a feeder college to UF. Several of my family members went this route-- it's less expensive and easier to get into UF than applying straight out of college. Plus, it can serve as a nice stepping stone between high school and the large University.
If you do choose UF, here are my pointers:
- Apply to both UF and Santa Fe, just in case you don't get in directly.
- Though you might have heard about early decision, don't plan on using it. They stopped the program this year.
- If you want to live on campus, apply for both UF and the housing as early as possible (ie: June of your Junior year) because housing assignments are given based on your priority date from your app.
- Tour as soon as possible.
- Start in Summer B instead of Fall; this will allow you to learn the city and the campus before it's overcrowded and hot
- If you live off campus, live walking distance to your CLASSES (near University Ave and 13th St)
- Get involved as early as possible in extra-curricular activities which have something to do with your major. There's everything from journalism clubs (where you can work at the local newspaper) to Frats/Sororities. Join! Join early!
- Don't get the gator dining program. Everyone agrees its a waste of money and that the flex plan is the only way to go.
Helpful websites:
- UF site: http://www.ufl.edu/
- Santa Fe CC site: http://www.sfcc.edu/
- Gainesville Wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gainesville,_Florida
- Gainesville Sun: http://www.Gainesville.com
- On campus housing: http://www.housing.ufl.edu
- Off campus housing that is walking distance to UF: http://www.TrimarkProperties.com
- Student Newspaper: http://www.Alligator.org
Good luck!
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Please give me some info about UF, especially about its strength in Computer Science.
PS. How bad there in Florida in summer?
16 months ago
Best Answer
i got accepted into UF and turned it down after going on there tours ... its really not the kind of school where people can excel!! ur pretty much blended into the crowd and u dont get individual training.
as for the college of engineering, which major are u talking about cuz it varies.
as for the florida weather, i've been here 11 years and lemme tell ya ... in the summer, there are days when u can walk out of ur house and feel as tho u cant breath because its so hot!!! mosquitos, humidity, and sun like u wouldnt believe .. unless ur on the beach, it sucks!!! and then there's the rain that starts at 2 PM every single day and doesnt stop until its dark out ... so basically u can go to the beach in the morning, otherwise u'll get stuck in the jungle-like rains... and dont even get me started on hurricane season!!! i really wanna leave florida!!!
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My sister's been offered to do a Master's in English by both Purdue University and University of Florida? Which one is better, has a better reputation, better prospects for doing a PhD?
17 months ago
Best Answer
Purdue.
The University of Florida is having a lot of problems right now with their College of Liberal Arts and Sciences which includes their English department.
http://www.alligator.org/pt2/070201professors.php
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Question:
Where should i go to law school?
I definitely want to practice law in Miami and i have been accepted in University of Florida and The college of William and Mary in Virginia. Florida is ranked 41 and W&M is ranked 27. Would it be a better choice to attend school in florida since that is where i want to work or should i go to the higher ranked school that is located in another state?
17 months ago
Best Answer
I'd go to Florida.
Yes, normally, the better ranked university is the better choice. However, both are first tier. W&M isn't one of the very top law schools that have national reps that make it easy for their grads to get jobs everywhere. It's quite good, but it should be easier to find a job at Univ of Florida b/c recruiters and employers will be more familiar with that school and are much more likely to recruit there than at W&M.
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Question:
University of Florida?
How is Living on campus at the University of Florida? How are the dorms rooms? The people (in general)? The security? Is it quiet or loud? I’m very curious to know =)
19 months ago
Best Answer
i work for the police department at UF. it is a football university, so there is a lot of fans. game days are crazy. if you want peace and quiet, try living off campus. depending on the area you live, you either have quiet, or your closet plays music from your neighbor. the students are pretty much the same as everwhere else. Gainesville is a college town, so there are tons of stuff to do if you're a student. i think our security is good. there are lots of ways to travel safely around campus.
if you need to know more, you can always email me, or go on the college website.
www.ufl.edu
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