University of Florida
OVERVIEW
University of Florida is a public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university, which is an elected member of the Association of American Universities (AAU). With over 32,000 undergraduates and nearly 17,000 postgraduates, it is the second largest Florida university. Developing very fast, this university is one of the three “research flagship universities” in the State University System of Florida. The acceptance rate of this university is 43.2%.
The origin of the University of Florida goes to the year 1853, when the oldest predecessor institution of this university was founded. Based in Florida, the University of Florida has a beautiful campus of totally 2,000 acres large, in which there are a number of buildings of historical significance. The university provides a series of campus services like 24-hour foot and vehicle patrols to facilitate students’ campus life.
University of Florida offers degrees in bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate’s programs as well as combined-degree programs like Aerospace Engineering, Animal Sciences and more. The average freshman retention rate is 96%, which is definitely a satisfying number and 59% of the students in this university finally finished their four years’ study and managed to graduate with a degree.
The mission of the University of Florida is:
The University of Florida faculty renews its commitment to serve the citizens of Florida and educate students so they are prepared to make significant contributions within an increasingly global community. In affirming the university’s academic mission, we honor the human component of our mission: our students, faculty, staff and administrators; and recognize the importance of these human resources to the university’s success. Towards this affirmation, the University of Florida faculty specifically encourages a campus-wide culture of caring.
ACCREDITATION
University of Florida is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
ACADEMICS
University of Florida has as many as 16 colleges, from College of Agricultural and Life Sciences to College of Veterinary Medicine.
The most popular majors and course of study for students are as follows:
- Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
- Social Sciences
- Engineering
- Biological and Biomedical Sciences
- Psychology
The university is ranked NO.58 among all national universities by US News.
The student-faculty ratio of the University of Florida is 21:1 and 40.7% of all classes have less than 20 students, which guarantees a qualified instruction for students.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Applicants for the university are required to provide either their SAT or ACT scores before December 31 and admission interview is neither required nor recommended. The application deadline is November 1 and the application fee is USD 30. Working and volunteering experiences usually give applicants extra advantages.
COSTS AND FINANCIAL AID
The in-state tuition and fees for year 2011-2012 are USD 5,656, and the out-of-state ones are USD 27,933. Estimated costs on books and supplies are USD 1,070.
The University of Florida offers scholarships (including both need-based ones and non-need-based ones), financial aids and part-time job opportunities to help students deal with their tuition and expenses. There are five types of need-based scholarships/grants, awarding 34% of the freshmen. USD 1,562 non-need-based scholarships/grants are offered according to data of the year 2010. More than that, the university also offers non-need-based athletic scholarships. The University of Florida provides five types of loans for students. The average financial aid package is USD 14,548. About 76% of the students applied for need-based financial aid and 22% of them had their needs fully met. Financial aids are also available for international students in this university.
