With college application season upon us, many students are deciding where to spend their next four years. With over 150 colleges in the state of Florida and the generous scholarship, Bright Futures, students are inclined to look locally. Here is some of our alumni’s experiences of their first semesters.  

UF (University of Florida) is in Gainesville and was ranked sixth in the best public universities in the country. 

“There are so many clubs and activities you can join to meet new people and the campus is beautiful, but because of COVID restrictions we have not been able to be in person for any classes and football games are not the same,” explained Matthew Jefferies, class of 2020. 

FSU (Florida State University) located in Tallahassee retained its place this year in the top 20 best public universities in the U.S. 

“My roommates are so fun; I love the environment of the school and all the people I meet,” Cristina Dabrowski, class of 2020, said. “Also, the sorority life is huge here and makes the school feel much more like a community.”  

UCF (University of Central Florida) is a public university in Orange County/ Orlando, Florida. 

“The student life is what you make of it, you have to talk to new people and get involved in different programs. The campus is amazing, and the dorms are surprisingly nice, UCF is a great choice,” Megan Lippus, class of 2020, said.

USF (University of South Florida) is the closest campus to Freedom and is becoming an increasingly better school. 

“The location is definitely a plus; I get to stay at home which is a much cheaper option and I already know the area well,” Josie Clark, class of 2020 said. 

FAU (Florida Atlantic University) is a public university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida. 

“It is so nice meeting new people, and you live so close to the beach,” Karli Delguidice said, “but there is not a big sorority life compared to other schools and make sure you know what you are getting into with your roommates.” 

These universities are all great choices among many others such as the University of Tampa, Florida International University in Miami, University of North Florida in Jacksonville, Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers, etc. It all comes down to what college is the best for you.