The University of Florida

Given that so much is based on your standing relative to the rest of the class in the grading system for many science classes, attending another, perhaps less competitive, state institution might be wiser. I'm in my second year now, quite disappointed with the university. Their policies are un-accommodating and do not respect their students. Imagine having 3 back-to-back final exams in the same day and no one is willing to help you. Imagine the libraries closing at 6 pm prior to exams.

If you want a somewhat less stressful time maintaining a high GPA go somewhere else (FSU, USF).
Competition in classes is cutthroat.
Also, be extremely careful about who your teachers are in small 1000-level Lib. Arts & Sci req'd classes. Some like to make a 1000-level class resemble their own 6000-level classes. Resemble might be putting it lightly. I really want to leave this place.

1st Year Male -- Class 2010

Education Quality: A, Individual Value: F

I am a second-year student pursuing dual degrees in Spanish and Communication Sciences and Disorders. For those of you who don't know, CSD involves the study of speech, hearing, and language processes/disorders. It is basically the undergrad step to a degree in speech-language pathology (speech therapy) or audiology.

The CSD dept. at UF is wonderful. It is full of fantastic professors who are enthusiastic about the field and force you to get involved with the community for their classes. They get very involved in their research, so sometimes it is hard to arrange to meet with them, but that also means there are lots of opportunities to get involved with research here. That's pretty true for the university as a whole.

I'm less satisfied with the Spanish dept. I do like that I have had the opportunity to choose among a linguistics focus, a literature focus, or a combination (I chose linguistics), but I've found that the professors don't encourage as much discussion as I would like, making it hard for me to actually practice my Spanish in class.

Fortunately, I have been able to practice through study abroad. The UF International Center has tons of programs available. Don't think you can't afford to study abroad or won't be able to find the right program, because there are many options. Talk to UFIC about it!The best thing about UF is the sense of pride, school spirit, and community. HOWEVER, on game days, almost all the parking goes to alumni, and lots of streets shut down.

1st Year Female -- Class 2010

Campus Maintenance: A+, Innovation: C+

Before arriving to "Gatorland" keep in mind that housing off-campus is terrible. There are some nice condominium buildings being built, but be careful to test out the quality of the construction (e.g. sound permeability, how loud the lunatics that live above you are going to be when they're jumping around).

As far as academics of the U are concerned.. Its probably like any other state university. Nothing wonderful. The science classes require a fair bit of work to do well in. There's a lot of weeding out of pre-medical students.

The most important thing is to find a satisfying place to live - a place where you can study in peace. The libraries close at 6 pm on Saturdays and 1 am on weeknights. - I would say that UF does not provide students with a great studying environment.

1st Year Male -- Class 2010

Education Quality: A, University Resource Use/ spending: F