As title implies, I’m deciding between the University of Florida and the University of South Carolina Honors College.
For context:
I am a NY Resident (OOS for both schools)
Finance Major at both schools
COA is no factor due to very generous merit aid at both schools (they end up being about the same cost).
I want to attend grad school and possibly get my PHD to become a professor.
UF is the higher ranked school, both overall and in business. I love the sense of school spirit, good job placement, high starting salaries, and overall good student outcomes. But I am concerned about the size of UF and the fact that most (if not all) business classes are online for the first year or two. I also have some concerns about Greek life prominence and the lack of surrounding area (Gainesville). With that said, I visited and really liked the school and campus. To add another variable, I applied for the grandparent waiver in late December, which would grant me in-state tuition. I was waitlisted and will have to commit in order to see the prospect of getting it (A spot might open up after May 1).
UofSC Honors is, according to some sources, the top ranked public honors college. I love the prospect of the more intimate learning experience (most classes have less than 20 students), priority registration, and an honors only dorm. I have seen limited student outcomes but alumni seem to get into top tier grad schools, law schools, etc. I am mainly concerned with the relatively low ranking/ reputation of the school itself and the idea that honors will not provide me a leg up in grad school admissions (whether it’s because of opportunities or reputation). I have heard from some that honors is a scam to “steal” some high achieving students from other schools and that honors doesn’t really matter.
What I’m asking is: Should I value the reputation and academic rigor of UF over the learning experience, opportunities, and comfort of the honors college at UofSC? Which will open more doors?
campus wise UF is bigger but Columbia the city is bigger.
Re check the online part for the b school. Many on here have claimed that but others on here have said it’s not true - hopefully someone will weigh in.
U of SC is considered, along with ASU, the top Honors colleges but that doesn’t matter. Nor in this case does it matter than UF is higher ranked.
What matters is you will be somewhere for four years - day after day after day - and you have to fit there.
Grad school is different. It’s hard to say now you’ll be a PhD even though you think so. And if you end up working and decide an MBA later, the where you go will have zero effect.
Forget the opening doors - tell me where you’d better excel.
A strong student like you makes me think U of SC.
That said, I might reach out to the b school and validate the online thing because we’ve heard it both ways on this website over the last few years.
Good luck.
PS - don’t forget, kids choose safeties each and every day because you want fit. Mine turned down both U of SC Honors and UF for a more regional school because it fit her better. She’s not headed to a PhD, etc. but the point being - map out your daily life over four years vs. - who may (or may not) give a leg up because that’s counting on a lot of promise for something that isn’t necessarily true.
I am not that familiar with UofSC
UF alumni and D23 a freshman at UF
Since you liked UF let me address your concerns.
The size of campus. Yes the campus is over 2000 acres. However, as a Freshman living on campus, from your dorms to your classes max walk probably 15-20 minutes or less.
If/when you move off campus there are apartments right next to campus some almost across the street from the business school. A couple are the Standard or Stadium House
If you move further away from campus Parking is an issue like many schools and many kids ride scooters/vespas or take the bus.
Some students live all 4 years on campus.
Online classes, Yes they have some online classes, D23 “not Business major” did not like online classes in High School but likes them at UF. They give you freedom to watch the lecture when you want, pause or replay it while taking notes and studying etc. S21 at FSU makes sure to take at least one to two online classes a semester just for the flexibility.
Greek life is there but so is about a 1000 clubs
If you talk to people in Greek life they tell you it’s everywhere and for them it is. They are in the Greek bubble, Everything they do is Greek, ie Greek intramural’s, going to football games together, socials, and even eating at their Frat house, just under 20% are in fraternities that leaves over 80% not in greek, Girl just over 20% are in sororities maybe closer to 25%, so 75% are not in sororities.
Lack of things to do. There is always things going on campus. Sporting events, gym to work out and take classes, D does yoga and pilates, Clubs, lectures, Intramural sports, some dorms have pools, etc. Off campus Gainesville has all the chain restaurants plus local ones, Mall and clubs and bars.
Many kids at UF turned downed Honor programs at other schools, daughter included, to attend UF… You need to decide which is a better fit for YOU. After all you will be living in Gainesville or Columbia for the next four years.
My S19 went to UF with the NMF full ride when it was still offered to OOS. He started in computer science, switched to accounting, then some basic business degree. He did spring rush, joined a frat, dropped it after a semester. Very smart kid but did not find his people. Covid definitely had an impact. He felt the culture was much more conservative and southern than he expected (coming from upper midwest). He aced the online classes with little effort and frankly little learning. Graduated in 3 years.
As parents we were very disappointed that he did not use the resources of UF better. It is a large school and it is on you to make the effort. My D24 is going to a smaller school. Based on her brother’s experience she wanted to be a “big fish in a small pond”.
You know yourself!
But if we could go back in time we would have encouraged a U of SC honors college type school for our son.
I’m with those who say find your fit. Has your kid visited U of SC too? My kid is just finishing his first year at UF and it’s been great for him. He’s also not business but like the other poster has chosen an online class a semester for mixed reasons – to get a requirement, for flexibility, for no final exam. But most of his classes are in person, and this semester all were under 30 kids (except for the 1 online one). Last semester he had one big lecture – Calc 3. He did not rush (had friends who did, but not his scene), has made good friends through interest groups (statistics club and, less great to my mind, poker), and in his dorm. He always wants to stay a few days during vacations hang with friends (several of whom are also OOS but some in-state). I do feel like the university is making efforts to help students navigate the bigness – there’s the First Year Florida 1-credit class that his roommate did that seemed helpful. But my son has had no trouble meeting with advisors to discuss navigating doing a dual major across two schools, reaching our to departments about electives could count across the two programs, etc. But my kid is very comfortable with self advocacy and went to a very large public high school as well.
This is an exaggeration. There will be some (not most) online classes.
In regards to jobs, for the majority of career opportunities you would come across in life, it would not matter if you graduated from UF or UofSC. However, with some prominent publicly-traded corporations, certain executives do prefer people who went to the upper tier of state flagship universities (like UF).
I can tell you that there is a near zero chance that being an honors college graduate from any state university will factor into any hiring decision for you in the future. You will be a UF or UofSC graduate. That’s it.
This is not accurate. At some universities, employers–at least in the not too distant past–have specifically requested to interview honors college students.
Most universities designate honors college on the honors students’ transcripts.
Many university–especially U of SC finance–arrange special career exploration trips to places like NYC/Wall Street and arrange interview slots/resume drops for honors students. At least this was accurate pre-Covid.
Honors College status helps honors students get internships and first post-undergraduate job offers. This is facilitated in several ways including special advising for honors students at many universities.
P.S. Several honors colleges provide honors students with stipends for internships. Almost all host special events with alumni & visiting speakers and university faculty.
P.S. The poster who asserted that an Honors College will not distinguish one or give a meaningful advantage in the employment process may have been influenced by his son’s experience at U Florida for 2 years as a CS major at a time when the market for CS students was robust, therefore any additional boost such as close faculty relationships/alumni connections/mentoring/financial assistance was not necessary.
I agree with @Zrt42 is this - when you fill out online job apps (which seem to be used more than the resume), there is no place for you to list Honors - so it won’t be seen by the initial job screen if it’s via computer, etc.
Not at all…it comes from nearly 30 years of experience of talking to (and interacting with) V & C level hiring executives specifically about hiring, from Fortune 50 companies to start-ups (and everything in between). The next time someone having been in an honors college makes a difference in a hiring decision will be the first.
By the way, when my son as at UF, he was in the Honors College, and had a great experience because of it (especially the early class registration). An honors college is not without benefits, it just doesn’t factor in to future hiring decisions at a material level.
Honors Colleges help with making contacts–especially with alumni–and with personalized advising and help with internship placement. These factors often make a significant difference in the process of securing a post undergraduate position.