College – we’re always talking about it. That great, mystical promise of the future that is so close, yet so far away. Most high school students, especially juniors and seniors, have an idea of where they would like to end up after their high school journey comes to an end.

As a junior, I have been exploring my options for college. In fact, I recently made the trip up to Gainesville to tour the University of Florida – one of the top schools in the state.

Initially, I was shocked to discover that the entire city seemed to revolve around the college. There were Gators signs practically everywhere, UF students were offered deals at restaurants, and some stores’ names were even related to the school, despite being off-campus.

However, once I arrived on campus, I felt mixed emotions towards the university. I observed some clear benefits that the school offered, but there were several aspects that were less appealing.

The tour began with a short video providing a glimpse of some of the impressive educational and athletic opportunities that future Gators will have available to them. Then, an admissions officer briefly explained what to expect from the admissions process. What followed was a journey around the campus led by two upperclassmen.

One striking aspect of the campus was the unique artwork. A large, string-like yellow sculpture located near the center of the campus has been aptly nicknamed “French Fries” by the students.
Yet, even more notable was the architecture of the school. One building, the University Auditorium, has a rather odd architectural history. It began construction in the 1920s with a Gothic design. However, the project was shut down due to a lack of funds. It was expanded in 1977, giving it two different appearances: Gothic, as well as modern. The impressive architecture and artwork displayed throughout the school alone provide a case for consideration of the University.

Despite the appealing architecture of the school, however, the overall tour was slightly underwhelming. Essentially, the tour provided zero access to any of the indoor facilities on the campus- sans one library. Additionally, the tour guides seemed to lack sufficient knowledge of the specifics of the school, noting that the answers to many questions could be found online.

Ultimately, the tour guides’ tones left gave the impression that, yes, the school is impressive, and they don’t really need anyone specific to apply. As a result, the school didn’t feel required to outdo itself in any regards throughout the tour.

Despite the slightly disappointing tour, the school still makes a case for itself. The University offers impressive educational opportunities, is ranked second for best value in public college education, and tops it off with a visually stunning campus. Therefore, given the unique benefits that the school has to offer for incoming freshman, the University of Florida is an impressive institution that should be considered by all Pats looking at college in the near future.