Florida State Univeristy Vs. University of Florida

[leeyuuhluhh]

I'm so confused on what to do I do not even know where to start.

I’ve been talking to family and friends about which school to go to and it is simply not helping. They are all so biased all it is doing is making things worse. Making a pros and cons list is also just making me more confused.

 

Here is my situation: I got into both schools I applied to for my program starting in the Fall of 2013. I am going to go for my masters in Mental Health Counseling. I applied at the University of Florida (the university I went to for my undergrad) and Florida State University.

Florida State was originally going to be my "back up". Florida State is in Tallahassee which is about 2 and a half hour away from where I currently live. However, my boyfriend lives in Tallahassee and is about to finish up his second year of law school there. During the whole application process I kept promising myself that I would not let my boyfriend influence my decision. Though, I am going to be totally transparent here- he is a HUGE factor in where I will decide to go. I would save almost $40 every other weekend in gas visiting him. I would save money living with him. I would be able to get a job on the weekend without sacrificing my relationship.

Though moving to Tallahassee will mean I am moving farther away from my mother. My father just passed away in February and I am concerned for her wellbeing. I already live 2 and a half hour away and moving to Tallahassee will increase the distance to 4 hours. Though I visit my mother about once a month (though it has been more often lately due to circumstances) and my boyfriend and I try to visit each other almost every weekend (taking turns for driving). If I cut out that driving I do not feel as through the 4 hours drive would seem that bad.

Here is the thing: University of Florida has the #8 Counselor Education program in the country. I don't think Florida State is even ranked. Though they are both accredited. Upon graduating the program you have to get licensed- after you are getting licensed- why would it matter which school you went to?

Finally, the University of Florida has offered me $3,000 in scholarships for my first year. Florida State has offered me nothing. There is a catch with that as well... Florida State is about $1,000 per 24 credit hours cheaper than University of Florida and it is a 72 credit program. 72/24=3..... 3,000 dollars cheaper total which is the exact price of the scholarship. Not to mention the money I would save living with my boyfriend.

 

Though if my boyfriend and I broke up... I'd be farther away from my Mom, at a worse school, that I would have turned down scholarships to go to. Epic fail.

 

I had to tell University of Florida my decision on 3/21/2013. I told them yes since I was 100% unprepared to make a decision. I need to tell Florida State my decision on April 15th. I have not told them anything yet. If I change my mind I am prepared to revoke my decision to UF and here is why....

 

The faculty at UF has been terrible to me so far. Let me explain: when I first started the application process I was broke. I had to wait to a dangerous time to send in my GRE scores because I simply could not afford it earlier than that. I called the admissions department 3 times, left 2 voicemails, and wrote 2 emails trying to find out if my scores came in by the deadline. I heard nothing even though the admission websites specifically says to contact your department to make sure your application material has been received. Finally, a week after the deadline I got ahold of them and found out my GRE scores indeed came in on time- talk about stress! Next, they scheduled and interview for me. At first they told me I would be attending the morning interview starting at 8:30a.m.

I took the day off work and prepared. A few days before the interview I got an email with the itinerary telling me that I will be attending the afternoon session starting at 12:30. Good thing I had taken the whole day off work! I wish it ended there but it doesn’t because a few weeks later I got an email regarding the scholarships that I had applied for. This email was informing me that I did not receive any scholarships but it was not addressed to me! It was addressed to a “Lauren Parker” and my name is Leah Parker but underneath the name they had my address listed. A few hours later I got a “correction email” telling me to disregard the previous email and that I had indeed received $3,000 of scholarships. This email had the correct name but the wrong address! When I responded to the email asking for clarification it took almost a week to get a response. THEN I checked the CACREP website where you can see if the program is accredited and when I looked up UF it said that their accreditation was expired.

Here is the link that shows that information: http://www.cacrep.org/detail/directory.cfm?program_id=84

Naturally I emailed the program asking them about their accreditation. I even included the same link I just posted in the message I sent them. I was polite and ensured them that I believed that they were accredited but just wanted to clarify that this information was out of date. In response I got an abrupt email from the head of the program saying, “I do not know where you got your information from” (even though I included the link) and sent me another link with updated information. He did not even sign the email. Then the program barely gave me any time to decide and when I did send an email stating that I would attend the program I got no response. I am still not sure if that email I sent was even received. Finally, EVERY email I have received from the program has had some horrible misspelling and grammatical error. Example: “Dear applicant: Attached is an official letter of acceptance — please let Ms. Bruner if you are accepting this invitation at soon as possibe — Comgratulations.” This whole process of admissions at UF has come off as very unprofessional. Though, can you really judge a program by this? I don’t know if this is foreshadowing for what is to come. In contrast my experience has been seamless at Florida State University.

 

My heart tells me to go to Florida State. My logic says University of Florida- with some serious reservations due to the admission process. I just need to talk to someone totally unbiased. I need someone to either say, “it won’t matter which school you pick- ranking doesn’t matter” or for someone to say, “ARE YOU CRAZY? GO TO THE HIGHER RANKED SCHOOL!!!” But no one wants to give me advice one way or another. I have told my whole story and just need a 3^rd party to tell me what they think.

[Biostat_Assistant_Prof]

As an unbiased source, I think University of Florida is definitely the better choice -- Better funding, better ranked, and proximity to family (which seems to be important to you).... Yea, it'll be hard now to accept your boyfriend living far away, but don't sacrifice the potentially better, lifelong career UF could lead to (that FSU wouldn't provide) for the few convenient years of living with your boyfriend. The funding UF is offering only makes the choice even more clear from my POV Also, I wouldn't worry about those admission problems you've had. You're likely not dealing with the actual faculty you'd work with, but the admissions staff.

[nesw4314]

Don't consider trivial things, of course you should go to Florida -- I did my undergrad there as well and my wife did her undergrad at Florida State. We lasted all of those four years (we weren't married at the time) between 2008 - 2012, and got married the year she graduated, 2012 (I was a year ahead of her). If you're in a serious relationship it will work out. After I graduated from UF in 2011 I moved to Ithaca, NY for graduate school while she finished her senior year at FSU. During that entire year we planned our wedding and talked everyday. Then again, our relationship had always been long distance really, as we didnt start dating until my senior year of high school, her junior year. 

[jmu]

I don't think you should be considering the drive from Tallahassee to Gainesville as a factor. As you said there are pluses and minuses to living in both. I can add another benefit to Gainesville if you'd like as well -- you can live in a quiter, safer part of town for the same price. Quiet housing in Tallahassee can get expensive and depending on your boyfriend's financial situation it may not work out to be that much cheaper in the long run, especially if you break up.

 

It's a bit short notice but I would try to contact some students in the programs at both schools with your concerns about your experiences with the department at UF. Students are generally far more forthcoming with information than people in the department. UF obviously wants you considering they are offering you a scholarship. If you filed a FAFSA by the priority deadline you may be able to see if either school is offering you any need-based assistance as well and see how that factors into your decision.

 

All that being said, I think UF is the better choice. Not just because of the ranking, but also because of the reason why it is ranked so high. There are a lot of opportunities for professionalization in your field in Gainesville that you won't have in Tallahassee.

[leeyuuhluhh]

I don't think you should be considering the drive from Tallahassee to Gainesville as a factor. As you said there are pluses and minuses to living in both. I can add another benefit to Gainesville if you'd like as well -- you can live in a quiter, safer part of town for the same price. Quiet housing in Tallahassee can get expensive and depending on your boyfriend's financial situation it may not work out to be that much cheaper in the long run, especially if you break up.

 

It's a bit short notice but I would try to contact some students in the programs at both schools with your concerns about your experiences with the department at UF. Students are generally far more forthcoming with information than people in the department. UF obviously wants you considering they are offering you a scholarship. If you filed a FAFSA by the priority deadline you may be able to see if either school is offering you any need-based assistance as well and see how that factors into your decision.

 

All that being said, I think UF is the better choice. Not just because of the ranking, but also because of the reason why it is ranked so high. There are a lot of opportunities for professionalization in your field in Gainesville that you won't have in Tallahassee.

 

 

 

I did file for FAFSA. My awards package is showing up already for FSU which is showing me being able to take out 10,500 in loans for each semester plus 500 in grants each semester.

UF's package is not showing up yet... I do not know when it will.

Finally, I applied for a scholarship at FSU on March 29th- I don't even know if I will hear from that scholarship by the time I need to make the decision.

[DebraK]

As an unbiased source, I think University of Florida is definitely the better choice -- Better funding, better ranked, and proximity to family (which seems to be important to you).... Yea, it'll be hard now to accept your boyfriend living far away, but don't sacrifice the potentially better, lifelong career UF could lead to (that FSU wouldn't provide) for the few convenient years of living with your boyfriend. The funding UF is offering only makes the choice even more clear from my POV Also, I wouldn't worry about those admission problems you've had. You're likely not dealing with the actual faculty you'd work with, but the admissions staff.

I agree with the above post and response to your dilema.  Take it from someone older and has been in your place, it is better to do for yourself and what is important to you - and that seems to be family.  The boyfriend is important, I get that, but if he truly is the one for you it will all work out regardless.  If it doesn't work out, then you did the right thing by doing what is best for you and you won't feel stuck or devastated by having done all this for him or your relationship.....left feeling like you should have chosen UF to begin with initially. 

 

You can't go back and redo events of life and life is not perfect.  The issues you dealt with at UF in the beginning process is unfortunate, however don't discount an entire program or college based on that experience.  It seems you might be using that to give you an excuse to go to FSU. 

 

Be there for your Mom, and do what is best for you, you will know the right decision to make and if it doesn't work out, you didn't fail at anything becasue you tried.  My choice would be UF.

[leeyuuhluhh]

I wish I was getting different responses then what I am getting... but I know that they are right.

 

I want to go to FSU. I got my letter of acceptance from there first and I was stupid and started making all sorts of plans for moving up there and getting an apartment with him and got us both really excited for it.

Unfortunately, he is finishing his 2nd year in law school. My program is at least two years. At most we'd have a year together... unless he stayed in Tallahassee to work after he graduated. Right now he has no idea what he wants to do upon graduation. He even said to me the other day, "who knows... I might get a job in Gainesville" wouldn't that be ironic if I moved there for him?

I don't want this to be an emotional decision but the emotions behind it are so unbelievably strong it seems impossible to supress them. I keep saying, "why does ranking even matter", etc...I keep trying to give myself reasons to go to FSU. I feel like choosing UF is dooming our relationship. Grad school/law school/internships/clerkships/2 and a half hour drive... how will we be able to keep that up? Especially if I am broke and need a part time job. I was hoping for someone on here to be like, "I've heard great things about FSU. You'll be set no matter where you go." That didn't happen.

 

I've tried to give him the chance to say, "I am serious about you. I want to make this work. Please move by me." He hasn't done that out of respect for me and my decision making. He said that a relationship will be hard to continue if I pick UF but that he will try but that the relationship will be hard no matter what once he graduates. That this will be a crucial year for us. I think that in and of itself should tell me that me and him are not on the same page for how serious this is.

 

Thank you for putting it in a format that made it easy for me to see that.

[nackteziege]

Incidentally, I did my undergrad at UF, and came to FSU for graduate school.  I only applied here, and I'd be lying if I said my relationship didn't play a part.  Everything has worked out great for me here, but I was fortunate.

 

However, we've lived together now for two years and now I'm looking at a PhD and he's looking to get a master's.  We didn't apply to the same places.  He told me not to consider him in my decision, which was really out of respect for what's best for me professionally.  It hurts like hell, but my decision to get a PhD may well doom our relationship.  So the point of this story is: if you go to FSU and live with him, etc., you may just be delaying the inevitable.

 

If it helps, Gainesville is a much nicer place than Tallahassee...

[Biostat_Assistant_Prof]

I wish I was getting different responses then what I am getting... but I know that they are right.

Yea, your initial post seems that you wanted us to tell you to "follow your heart/love" or some cliché thing like that... At the same time, it also seems to indicate that you know what the smarter (more logical) decision is...

All in all, you have an idea on what the unbiased consensus is -- take the UF offer. However, the decision is ultimately yours, and only you can decide what is best for yourself and your future. Good luck!

Edited April 9, 2013 by Noco7

[leeyuuhluhh]

I am just surprised that everyone says I will have better professional opprotunities in Gainesville. I thought being by the capital would offer some support to the FSU argument in that regard, no?

Edited April 9, 2013 by leeyuuhluhh

[jmu]

Gainesville has more opportunity for your degree.

[nackteziege]

I've heard the mental health services in Tallahassee are less than fantastic, but that was one person's opinion.  The capital has political opportunities, but I wouldn't necessarily expect it to have more medical opportunities.

[leeyuuhluhh]

Well, I got my financial aid package from UF today. Not only will they allow me to take out more loans if I need them but they are also offering me 3,000 my first year in Graduate Grants as opposed to the 1,000 FSU is offering me.

Not to mention the 3,000 difference in scholarships the first year.

Decisions been made- can't argue with numbers.

 

Thanks for all your help guys!

[nesw4314]

You've made the right decision.