@Gator88NE, thanks and love your insights ! Same also to @Zinhead’s inputs.
As internationals, we have been visiting Florida since 2003 because my in-laws and their kids live there. We certainly love the place. When my kid was going to be a junior high two years ago, my in-laws arranged a campus tour at UF and we fell in love with the school. Yes, UF may not be that known in our part of the world (they also did not send reps at my kid’s school college fair) but that’s ok. We are comfortable after seeing the school and what they have to offer. We also took the effort to submit additional requirements for international students (in addition to the usual SAT and essays submission) and we have no regret about it. We are certainly glad that my kid was accepted and look forward to our next journey. It is also an opportunity to get my kid to become closer to my in-laws and their kids, especially during holidays and school breaks.