The University of Central Florida

Date: Jun 21 2005
Major: Business - Management and Administration (This Major's Salary over time)
WOW- in a word, UCF is incredible. Let me start by saying that it is not fair to compare the UCF of 2005 with the UCF of 1985, or even 1995. Thing have changed here IMMENSELY over time, and fortunately, the changes have already been realized in a more rigorous curriculum and a beautiful campus.

Let me start by stating how good the reputation of UCF is here. I am from New Jersey and have attended two other colleges prior to attending UCF, and UCF is known up north just as much as FSU or UF. On the board of trustees are many influential business people, including the President of Disney World, and UCF Alum Al Weiss. UCF cares to place their grads into jobs. One of the projects currently under construction is a huge alumni center which will service ONLY the alumni, and will have an expanded career resource center among its amenities.

Here you will find small campus attention in many areas, despite its enormous and ever expanding size. Professors keep their office hours here- they do not leave an hour early like at my previous colleges. Teachers are happy to answer questions, and thanks to the reputation of being one of the most wired campuses, it is very easy to email a professor with a response that same day. Faculty is very knowledgeable, at least in all of the core classes I have taken (I am an HR Management major). Tutoring is free, and UCF even sends free tutors over to the apartment complexes across the street. Classes are not easy here- the school prides itself on integrity and therefore expect to work hard for a good grade, but know that you will walk out of that class satisfied you have mastered the material.

Currently the enrollment stands around 40,000 and the goal is to expand to 50,000 in the next ten years (all of this information is on the master plan which is accessible from their web site). Unlike FAU, which is also an expanding college, UCF will not simply accept "anyone" to meet the requirement. I was accepted at FAU without even sending my transcripts!! Here, I was rejected many times until I pulled my college GPA up above a 3.0. As a result of these higher standards, which seem to have been implemented only a few years ago, you will find a very intelligent student body who are here for more than simply to drink and smoke. The reputation of UCF is already good and is bound to climb even higher with both a higher enrollment and the higher quality student. UCF has made a lot of changes in order to attract the quality students they have applying everyday.

Yes, UCF was the focus of a WB bachelor type show that gave viewers false and unfair picture of campus life and the student body. Yes, UCF is spending tons of money in order to build an on campus football stadium for a team that still has many years before it is of FSU or UF caliber. One needs to look at the big picture in order to understand why this is good in the long term- both help get UCF noticed nationwide (as I'm sure the tv show is partly responsible for my NJ friends' awareness of the school), and when one is curious enough to find out more information and walks around the campus they will see for their own eyes what the tens of thousands of students love about this school. A school that is already great will continue to rival the best such as UF, as exampled by a pending medical school program.

A beautiful campus, a great faculty, rigorous programs- I am proud to say I love my college.