choosing between the Florida schools

js911
Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:54:52 +0000

I think I can offer you some objective advice: my brother attended FSU (English/physics), my cousin attends UF (business), and I attended UM (comp. science) as an undergrad. I was accepted to all of three when I applied, so I can also tell you what I found appealing about each. It would be best if you have an opportunity to visit each, though.



I am aware of the magazine rankings, but I do not put much stock into their methodology. All I care about is developing my teenaged son into a well-educated, thinking man.



This is a great start. I’m not sure why you would force your son to go to GTech for science or math, however.



Would you recommend the Honors program at FSU or regular admission to either UM or UF?



I wouldn’t put too much thought into an honors program. If your son is offered the opportunity that’s fine, but it shouldn’t be a deal breaker. Having it on the resume might help when going after an extremely competitive internship, but I can’t think of any other use. It might also give your son more initial exposure to faculty, but it’s not a necessity.



He prefers a larger school with more on-campus activity.



In terms of size, UF and FSU are significantly larger than UM. That’s not to say UM is small, but if your son is really set on a huge school it may not be the place for him. All three schools have very active campuses, although Miami’s tends to be pretty quiet during the summer months. You and your son should consider taking a tour of each campus during the school year to experience this.

Many people choose UM for its smaller class sizes and faculty to student ratio. One perk is that you don’t have to worry about class registration: my brother told me there were students in his program at FSU who couldn’t get into workshops necessary for graduation; when I wanted to register, I walked into my adviser’s office (often without appointment) and took care of it in 5 minutes. If you’re looking for research opportunities or letters of recommendation for grad school it’s much easier when professors actually know you.



He will likely continue his education in graduate school or film school and will get his chance to develop his contacts there.



I had a roommate who studied film at UM and did not enjoy it. I’m not too familiar with the School of Communication at UM, but he had issues with his peers and some of the faculty. This is merely anecdotal, however, so I can’t give you an accurate assessment of the situation. As far as graduate school is concerned, the school you attend is of lesser importance than what your son does with his time. Internships, research experience, and good connections with faculty are available at all three universities.



he is definitely a more Liberal Arts guy than a math/science guy



FSU has strong liberal arts programs, especially creative writing if I remember correctly. Many film majors choose to double major in creative writing, so this could be a good option for your son.