<p>yeah florida is definitely a good school.
my sister loves it.</p>
<p>Northstarmom…I don’t think I…or any other UF supporter ever said UF was “as good as HYPS”. All that was being pointed out was it was a “top national” or “top public”…which it is per USNews criteria. No one here ever claimed UF to be the Harvard of the South either…that was hearsay by other posters, even though it is defined as a public ivy in Greene’s book. You really can’t fault the UF supporters for defending their school against claims of being mediocre by certain cc posters, just like I would expect you to defend GWU against similar claims.</p>
<p>rogracer, UF supporters will always defend UF because they know what UF has to offer with its national top 20 research $$$. Lots of top research facilities on campus and around the state of Florida that impact the world. Nothing mediocre about it.</p>
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<p>hmm…well, the town is pretty mediocre. I am sure no one disputes that fact.</p>
<p>
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<p>It was ranked “best place to live” twice in the past 15 years! 
Anything else?</p>
<p>I’ve heard that many classes have 500 kids in them, and when it gets to 1,000 they say “just take this course online”. Could that be true? I’ve also heard that funding is being slashed and they’re losing some of the best profs to better paying U’s.</p>
<p>“Listed below are the areas impacted by a $47 million reduction plan for the University of Florida’s budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year, which begins on July 1. Colleges were asked to reduce spending by 6 percent.
Personnel Impacts
Elimination of about 430 faculty and staff positions (about 290 now vacant)*
About 14 faculty and 118 staff members will be laid off
IFAS will convert about 63 staff positions from state to non-state positions
Information regarding the layoff process and available services can be found at the HR Website.
Student Impacts
Reducing undergraduate enrollment by 4,000 over the next four years (1,000 a year)
Reducing Student Affairs multicultural programs and services (Asian Pacific American Affairs, Institute of Black Culture, and La Casita)
Reducing Off-campus services (town/gown liaison)
Reducing Disability Services
Reducing Financial Aid Services (Delays in disbursing financial aid funds to students)
Reducing Career Resource Center Services (Reduction in Internship opportunities)
Reducing Housing and Reitz Union Services (Reduction of maintenance, housekeeping, and hours of operation)
Reducing high school visit and recruitment fairs
Reducing Study Abroad scholarships, guest speakers and some International Center support for courses
Community Impact
Reduction of services Archer Family Health Clinic
Ending the Oak Hammock Rehabilitation service”
[Budget</a> Reduction - Office of the President - University of Florida](<a href=“http://www.president.ufl.edu/budget-reduction/proposal.html]Budget”>http://www.president.ufl.edu/budget-reduction/proposal.html)</p>
<p>Aug. 16 Miami Herald</p>
<p>"When college students start the fall term at the state’s public universities next week, they can expect fewer choices for majors and classes, more crowded classrooms, and a faculty that’s being lured away by other states at an alarming rate.</p>
<p>Deep budget cuts imposed by the state Legislature this year have resulted in the elimination of the industrial engineering major at Florida International University, the Diabetes Research and Training Center at the University of Florida, and many others around the state. …</p>
<p>But even before this year’s budget turmoil, Florida’s State University System had witnessed at least 10 years of decline in state funding, when adjusted for inflation. That placed the state at or near the bottom nationally in several critical benchmarks of university quality.</p>
<p>Florida now ranks 50th in the nation in faculty-to-student ratio. It is also far below average in funding per student, and last in the number of tenured or tenure-seeking professors per student.</p>
<p>Florida charges the lowest tuition of any state – about $3,500 a year for a full-time load at a four-year institution. That’s good for budget-minded students but bad for generating revenue to prop up higher education. And so, programs get eliminated…</p>
<p>To complicate matters, higher-education leaders say a devastating ‘‘brain drain’’ is occurring because professors have received raises in only two of the past five years. Some are going elsewhere. Florida ranks seventh among the 10 biggest states in pay for full-time faculty members, averaging $84,000, according to the National Education Association. Full-time faculty members in North Carolina, the highest paying of the 10 biggest states, earn $97,000 on average.</p>
<p>The State University System is requesting an additional $65 million from the Legislature to give professors a 4 percent raise to stem the outflow. The stewards of the system are asking for an additional $30 million in fresh funding to cover the rising costs of keeping the lights on and the air conditioning running in university buildings. The prospects aren’t good, university leaders say, and, in fact, another round of cuts is expected next year.</p>
<p>‘‘I think it’s very precarious,’’ Bob Graham, former Florida governor and U.S. senator, said of the system’s health. ``The university circumstances are the canary in the mine shaft of where the state is going.‘’"</p>
<p>[State</a> universities’ new year starting with a jolt - 08/16/2008 - MiamiHerald.com](<a href=“http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/645013.html]State”>http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/645013.html)</p>
<p>^ Ownage.</p>
<p>What an interesting way to end a thread…[/thread] pwned</p>
<p>goufgators
</p>
<p>LMAO…ok, dude, you lose all credibility when trying to prove a point at whatever cost. Here you have the “top 10 places to live” 2008 rankings:</p>
<ol>
<li>Plymouth, MN</li>
<li>Fort Collins, CO</li>
<li>Naperville, IL</li>
<li>Irvine, CA</li>
<li>Franklin Township, NJ</li>
<li>Norman, OK</li>
<li>Round Rock, TX</li>
<li>Columbia/Ellicott City, MD</li>
<li>Overland Park, KS</li>
<li>Fishers, IN</li>
</ol>
<p>Two points: first, ranks are useless and second, all those places are STILL pretty MEDIOCRE…including Irvine, CA</p>
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</p>
<p>OOOhhh… all of a sudden ranks are useless huh? How convent for you. LOL</p>
<p>convent = convenient</p>
<p>The OP asked: “Is it really the best Florida has to offer?”</p>
<p>There are other options in FL for pre-med. UF offers the big state flagship/research U experience. New College of FL provides an individualized and intellectual LAC undergrad experience, no pre-med program…but some bio majors go on to elite med schools. USF offers a 7-year med program. The OP should visit each of these schools and find-out if the graduates are going on into programs they are interested in. See which one fits best, but apply to all since admissions are getting more and more difficult. We know of top students getting into elite schools and not into UF.</p>
<p>You might want to consider Florida State as well. FSU offers a highly competitive Honors Medical Scholars program:</p>
<p>Through the Honors Medical Scholars Program, and upon completion of premed requirements, students will be eligible for early admission to the FSU College of Medicine, making it possible to graduate with an undergraduate and M.D. degree in seven years. </p>
<p>See: [fsu.edu</a> | Honors Medical and Legal Scholars Programs](<a href=“http://honors.fsu.edu/medical_legal.html]fsu.edu”>http://honors.fsu.edu/medical_legal.html)</p>
<p>Florida State ranks highly(very competitive with or better than UF and U Miami) in chemistry, physics and other sciences (and is the home of the National High Magnetic Field Lab - the only national lab in Florida), see: [FSU</a> Highlights](<a href=“Rankings | Florida State University”>Rankings | Florida State University) Florida State is also the birthplace of commercially-viable Taxol, one of the best known cancer-fighting drugs available. See: [Office</a> of Research: Research In Review: A Tale of Taxol](<a href=“http://www.rinr.fsu.edu/fall2002/taxol.html]Office”>http://www.rinr.fsu.edu/fall2002/taxol.html) FSU still works on Taxol-related chemistry, the profits of which helped build the new chemistry research building: [Pathways</a> of Excellence](<a href=“http://pathways.fsu.edu/facilities/chemistry.bldg/]Pathways”>http://pathways.fsu.edu/facilities/chemistry.bldg/)</p>
<p>My oldest daughter just graduated Phi Beta Kappa from FSU with a degree in biochemistry. Florida State greatly emphasizes opportunities for undergraduate research - she was awarded a fellowship which enabled her to travel and present her work at a national biochem conference as well as funded research and a paid position over the summer. See: [fsu.edu</a> | Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors](<a href=“http://undergradresearch.fsu.edu/]fsu.edu”>http://undergradresearch.fsu.edu/)</p>
<p>The cost of attending FSU is low, compared to other private schools (save your money for graduate school) and as a Florida resident you may qualify for the usual Florida scholarships and university scholarships. See: [Scholarships[/url</a>]</p>
<p>The student-faculty ratio is actually lower at FSU (21.3 to 1) than UF (21.7 to 1), per the latest Common Data Set.</p>
<p>The Fall 2008 SAT average at Florida State is now 1265 (competitive with both UF and U Miami), having increased 47 points from last year due to restrictions in undergraduate enrollment. This reduction in enrollment will improve the student-faculty ratio. See: [url=<a href=“http://fsu.edu/highlights/students.html]FSU”>Strong Students and Outcomes | Florida State University]FSU</a> Highlights](<a href=“http://www.fsu.edu/students/prospective/undergraduate/finances/scholarships.shtml]Scholarships[/url”>http://www.fsu.edu/students/prospective/undergraduate/finances/scholarships.shtml)</p>
<p>To the OP.
Your questions would be best answered in the pre-medical thread.
Most of the advice you have been recieving here is shall we say “slightly biased”.</p>
<p>I’ve lived in Florida and New York and UF was considered a very good school in both places. Obviously people hype up their state school (NY with Binghamton, FL with UF, etc.), but UF has a solid reputation in those two states.</p>
<p>JHU is definitely better than UF, but UF will offer you a very good education. UF is one of the best state schools and if cost is an issue you could definitely do worse.</p>
<p>Northstarmom: Thanks for posting that link. Very alarming.</p>
<p>Some of you must have your heads in the sand if you think that it’s only Florida that is feeling the heat from the downturn in the economy.</p>
<p>Read this;</p>
<p>The result is a brain drain that hurts our workforce and weakens our economy. For years we have prided ourselves on providing the business community with a highly skilled workforce that allows our financial services, telecommunications and life sciences industries to thrive. If our best and brightest continue to leave … to earn their degree, I fear these businesses will begin to look elsewhere.</p>
<p>Talking about Florida??
Nope New Jersey.</p>
<p>LINK: [TURNER:</a> HIGHER EDUCATION BUDGET CUTS WILL HURT STUDENTS/WORKFORCE | Politicker NJ](<a href=“New Jersey Politics | Channels | Observer”>New Jersey Politics | Channels | Observer)</p>
<p>One of the biggest proposed cuts is to higher education spending in the state. Already in the budget adopted in April, the State University of New York (SUNY) had a whopping $150 million in cuts, and now the Governor’s proposal would additionally cut $50 million from TAP (Tuition Assistance Program), $51 million from the City University of New York (CUNY), and 6% across the board from all “opportunities programs.” The proposal even put on the chopping block the new Veteran’s Tuition Assistance Program, which stand to lose 50 percent of its budget.</p>
<p>LINK:[People’s</a> Weekly World Blog: Student Protest Proposed Cuts to Higher Ed in NY](<a href=“http://peoplesweeklyworldblog.blogspot.com/2008/08/student-protest-proposed-cuts-to-higher.html]People’s”>Peoples World Blog: Student Protest Proposed Cuts to Higher Ed in NY)</p>
<p>And this from California</p>
<p>[89.3</a> KPCC | News | Higher Education Fights Budget Proposed Cuts in California](<a href=“http://www.scpr.org/news/stories/2008/05/08/08_ed_gridlock_050808.html]89.3”>http://www.scpr.org/news/stories/2008/05/08/08_ed_gridlock_050808.html)</p>
<p>Rory Hume: It’s at risk today, it’s at risk from a level of cuts that is unprecedented in its cumulative effects.</p>
<p>Small: Budget cuts could mean a freeze on hiring faculty, and Hume says that could cost the UC a lot of young and talented professors.</p>
<p>Hume: We won’t be able to hire the best and the brightest young people. They’ll go to, very probably, the Ivy League. We won’t be able to retain the best people as their careers mature.</p>
<p>Small: The UC might have to freeze enrollment, too. Students who can’t get into the UC often head to the CSU, but they may find that door closing, too. Chancellor Charles Reed says the CSU turned away 10,000 students this year. The students who did get in could be asked to pay an extra 10% in fees. That’s almost $300 a year; even then, that won’t cover the millions in cuts.</p>
<p>Charles Reed: We’re going to have larger class sizes. We’re going to provide less student services, academic advising, and help to students if we have to cut back. We’re going to have fewer administrators, and fewer administrative services.</p>
<p>Small: Students who can’t get into the UC or CSU, or who can’t afford the higher fees, can still find a place at one of 109 California community colleges. But Community College Chancellor Diane Woodruff says the budget cuts could mean many more students, but a lot fewer classes.</p>
<p>Woodruff: Because our community colleges are open access institutions and we’re not able to limit the enrollment the way UC and CSU do, the real impact is that even when students get in, they can’t get the classes that they need to transfer or to graduate on time.</p>
<p>Small: Instead of cutting education funding, CSU Chancellor Charles Reed says the state should raise taxes to invest more.</p>
<p>Reed: California, as a state, has got to increase its revenue so that it can provide the government services that most good, healthy states provide.</p>
<p>Small: Reed says California’s higher education system produces a skilled workforce that attracts employers, and keeps the state running. Without that magnet, he says, California’s economy could lose jobs to states willing to pay a little more for higher education.</p>
<p>I could move onto Connecticut next.</p>
<p>Point is Florida is dealing with the SAME problem as most states.
MOST states are having “brain drain” problems. But could they all be having them at the same time?
IMHO it’s all scare tactics to preserve state funding.</p>
<p>xNYer, don’t cloud the issue with facts! lol</p>