<p>I graduated from FSU with a graduate degree and now go to UF for continuing research. FSU has been very good for my career. I worked for the state for many years up in Tallahassee. Then I now have an excellent consulting job out-of-state that pays very high. I attribute that to my FSU graduate degree. </p>
<p>I could just stop and focus on work, but I wanted to do more academic research and am now at UF. The school is ranked higher for my area of interest. I also see it as a public ivy, but I don’t get that caught up about the rivalry. In my experience, the hyper-intense FSU versus UF mindset is mostly engaged by people who were born and raised in Florida. I am from the southwestern USA and only first learned of FSU while watching Bowden play at the Fiesta Bowl long ago. Then I heard of Florida when they played my undergraduate alma mater, Notre Dame, back in the 90s.</p>
<p>So I don’t really get caught up with the passion of the rivalry. They are both good schools. In terms of raw ranking, UF generally has the edge. But I know from experience that FSU has very good programs that can help where it matters the most - the job market. </p>
<p>So I am happy at UF and have gone to Gator games. I’m having a good time at UF, but I don’t do it at the overzealous expense of trying to make FSU alumni unhappy. After all, I am an FSU alumnus too.</p>