Enrollment: 42910
Average SAT: 618
Average ACT: 26
Most Popular Majors: Health Services/Allied Health/Health Sciences, General,Marketing/Marketing Management, General,Psychology, General,
Regular Application Deadline: 05/01
Student Faculty Ratio: 29.9:1

Undergraduate Receiving Need-Based Financial Aid: 80
Average Freshman Total Need-Based Gift Aid: $4,196.00

2009 Best Value Colleges – Public
Students Study the Least

School Says - General Information
The University of Central Florida is a comprehensive research university with approximately 48,000 students. As one of the nation's fastest growing universities and the 6th largest in the nation, UCF enrolls a diverse student body representing 50 states and over 120 countries. The University offers educational and research programs that complement the economy, with strong components in aerospace engineering, business, education, film, health, nursing, social sciences, and hospitality management. UCF's programs in communication and the fine arts help to meet the cultural and recreational needs of a growing metropolitan area. The University also offers many graduate programs leading to masters and doctoral degrees. UCF has established extensive partnerships with businesses and industry in the central Florida area that provide students with exceptional research and learning experiences. These partnerships bring practical learning environments to UCF students through co-op and internship programs. Joint curriculum development strategies include BE2020, which is a widely modeled business curriculum incorporating classes taught by local business and industry executives. The on-campus and campus-affiliated housing facilities include traditional residence halls, apartment-style options, and Greek housing that accommodates approximately 10,000 students. Several thousand students live in apartments located within walking distance of the campus. Approximately 400 students live in on-campus Greek housing. Students participate in more than 300 organizations, including special interest clubs, multicultural associations, fraternities and sororities, honor societies, and academic and preprofessional organizations. The Offices of Student Life and Student Activities schedule a wide array of extracurricular programs, including concerts, movies, and guest speakers.

School Says - Student Body
Students participate in more than 300 organizations, including special interest clubs, multicultural associations, fraternities and sororities, honor societies, and academic and preprofessional organizations. The Offices of Student Life and Student Activities schedule a wide array of extracurricular programs, including concerts, movies, and guest speakers. The University of Central Florida is a member of the NCAA and Conference USA. All teams compete on the NCAA Division 1 Level. UCF's men's teams compete in intercollegiate baseball, basketball, cross-country, football, golf, soccer, and tennis. Women's teams compete in basketball, cross-country, golf, rowing, soccer, softball, tennis, track, and volleyball. Intercollegiate coed club activities include championship cheerleading, crew, and waterskiing teams. The university intramural sports program offers disc golf, flag football, floor hockey, racquetball, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball.

School Says - Admissions
A freshman applicant is a student with fewer than 12 hours of college coursework after high school graduation. The most important criteria in the admission decision for these applicants is the high school academic record, quality and level of difficulty of courses, grade point average, grade trends, and SAT I or ACT test scores. UCF operates on a rolling admission basis. Students are generally notified of their admission decision within two to three weeks after receipt of the application and all supporting documents. If the number of qualified applicants exceeds the number that the university is permitted to enroll, a waiting list will be established. All applicants must have earned a minimum of 18 high school academic units (yearlong courses that are not remedial in nature). These include 4 units of English (3 must include substantial writing), 3 units of mathematics at or above algebra I, 3 units of natural science (2 must include a laboratory), 3 units of social science, 2 units of one foreign language, and 3 units of academic electives. Grades in honors courses, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement and dual enrollment courses are given additional weight in the GPA computation. Students must meet the Department of Education minimum eligibility to be considered for admission. Applicants should understand that the satisfaction of minimum requirements does not automatically guarantee admission to UCF. Transfer applicants with fewer than 60 semester hours of college course work must submit official high school transcripts, SAT I or ACT test scores, and all official college transcripts. Transfer students with more than 60 semester hours or who have earned an Associate in Arts degree or a state-wide articulated Associate in Science degree from a Florida public community college need only to submit all official college transcripts. A transfer credit summary evaluation is provided to students once they are offered admission to UCF. Students are encouraged to apply several months in advance and can apply online at www.admissions.ucf.edu. It is recommended that freshman students apply early during the fall semester of their senior year. Applications are accepted up to one year prior to the start of the term for which entry is desired. Priority application deadlines are May 1 for the fall term (July 1 for transfers), November 1 for the spring term, and March 1 for the summer term.

School Says - Campus Life
The University of Central Florida: Competitive Advantages A Focus on Undergraduate Education: We're committed to teaching and providing advising and academic support services for all students. Our undergraduates have access to state-of-the-art wireless buildings, high-tech classrooms and research labs, Web-based classes and an undergraduate Research and Mentoring program. A Talented Student Body: As one of the fastest growing universities in the southeast, total enrollment has reached 48,000; 38,000 are undergraduates. Our emphasis on excellence in undergraduate education has produced many rewarding results: a Goldwater Scholarship awardee, a Rhodes Scholarship finalist, a Clarion awardee in Radio/Television, a Zonta International Amelia Earhart fellowship awardee, and a nationally ranked Computer Science programming team. Career Opportunities: Our Career Services professionals help students gain practical experiences at NASA, schools, hospitals, high-tech companies, local municipalities, and the entertainment industry. UCF faculty sit on boards and planning committees, and our graduates make their mark in engineering, business, computer science, education, health care, science, tourism, film and public service. An International Presence: With an international focus to our curricula and research programs, we currently enroll international students from 122 nations. Our study abroad programs and other study and research opportunities include agreements with 98 institutions and 36 countries, including Australia, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Russia, South Africa, Spain and Wales. A Spacious, Modern Campus, plus Orlando: UCF's 1,415-acre campus provides a safe and serene setting for learning, with natural lakes and woodlands. The university provides housing for 10,000 students on campus and through affiliated housing. The bustle of Orlando lies a short distance away: the Orlando Magic, the Orlando Predators, the Kennedy Space Center, major film studios, Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Sea World, and sandy beaches are all nearby.

School Says - Cost Aid
Approximate Tuition, Health Fee, Room and Board Annual Rates 2007-2008 Florida Resident Non-Florida Resident Tuition and Fees $3,677 $17,878 Room $4,900 $4,900 Board $3,200 $3,200 Books (estimate) $800 $800 Approximate Total $12,600 $26,800 Annual Cost Based on 15 credit hours per semester, double room and meal plan.Financial aid is awarded according to each student's demonstrated need in relation to college costs and may include grants, loans, scholarships and part-time employment. Programs based on need include the Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Florida Student Assistance Grant, Federal Work-Study, Florida College Career Work-Study Program, and Federal Stafford Student Loan. To qualify for these programs, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The priority application deadline is March 1. Approximately 70 percent of UCF students receive some form of financial aid.

Students Say - Academics
The University of Central Florida is "a growing school with a solid academic image." "Its reputation needs to catch up with how it actually is," urges a junior. The engineering and science programs are renowned, and students laud the hospitality, management, and business programs. UCF undergrads also benefit from "awesome technology" all over campus. The Internet is everywhere. Much like the surrounding city of Orlando, UCF has experienced explosive growth in recent decades. Today, UCF is really quite gargantuan. "It's one of the largest schools in the nation." "The massive size of UCF can be intimidating for students who need a personal approach to higher education." "It is easy to feel a bit lost," admits a freshman. Classes are large, and most note that professors can be "hit-or-miss." "Some professors are amazing" and "willing to go out of their way to make sure you understand the lectures." Others "just stand in front of the class and read off PowerPoint slides." The foreign professors, while "highly-specialized," can "be hard to understand." On the bright side, upper-level courses are "fun and taught by professors who are good and know what they're doing." "The administration seems to genuinely care but, because there are so many students, it is hard for them to really do anything about your concerns." Registration is pretty awful. "When you get to the end of your degree, you better plan out your schedule carefully because there are a lot of important classes that are only offered every three semesters," advises one student. In terms of initials, students used to say that "UCF" stood for "U Can't Finish." Now, it stands for "Under Construction Forever," but most don't mind "because the newer facilities are beautiful!"

Students Say - Campus Life
UCF boasts a "very scenic," "comfortable" campus. "Everything is relatively close together," which is great when it comes to getting to your next class, but not so much when parking your car. "No matter how many garages UCF builds, somehow parking still sucks." Socially, if you're bored here, you just aren't trying very hard. "The campus organizes a wide variety of social events." "We have a ridiculous number of clubs and organizations," boasts a sophomore. "There are about a million events going on at any given time." There is almost every imaginable intramural sport. There is "a huge three-story gym" that features "every kind of workout machine." "Football game days are amazing" as students root for the perennially "up-and-coming" team. Fraternities and sororities are here too, but they "constitute a minority of the culture." UCF's location is a big hit with students. Hot, sunny Orlando is "a large, thriving city," but the area around UCF has "the feel of a college town." "If you live in the dorms your first year, you will definitely get the typical college experience." The "many bars with dance floors around campus" are "a breeding ground for drunken debauchery." They "get packed every night." "Downtown Orlando is a different story, which "provides a nice refuge for upperclassmen trying to break away."

Students Say - Student Body
The only real thing that many students share in common is sandals, observes a business major. "At a given time, 75 percent of the campus is probably wearing sandals." "The typical student also applied to the University of Florida but didn't get in," claims a UCF Spanish major, "and also to South Florida, but had a grain of sense and avoided Tampa like the plague." UCF students hail overwhelmingly from in-state, too. And "the girls are insanely pretty." Otherwise, "it is difficult to generalize" about some 42,000 undergrads. "There is no possible way to describe a typical student." Students tend to have "their own set of friends, activities, and experiences at UCF." There are vast differences among students in the different schools (business, health and public affairs, communication, hospitality, engineering, etc.) and also within the schools themselves. "This is a melting pot of culture," says one student. "Walking around campus you see a little bit of every culture, every race, and every ethnicity." "There are strong subcultures for the minorities" and ages, ranging from students "right out of high school" and those "older in years [who] are looking to further their careers."

University of Florida
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