University of Central Florida | Student Reviews | Best College

Student Profile

Bianca

Class: Sophomore
Major: Journalism
Gender: F

High School: F.W. Springstead High School
Transfer Student: N

Big Picture

Although I didn't want to go to UCF in the first place, I'm happy now that I did. I like the fact that it's in a city (although the traffic is terrible). UCF is very large, but I like it. The campus is constantly growing and expanding, which is sometimes frustrating (again - traffic) but they are adding things that make the campus more convenient for students. Faculty at UCF is great. I have genuinely liked almost all of the professors that I've had. But getting anything done concerning signing up for classes, financial matters, etc. is difficult. Because the school is so large, students are treated as a number. But usually things work out well. There is a ton of school spirit, especially with our new stadium and arena. I work for Knightline at UCF. It's a campaign that is part of the Annual Fund, which is part of the UCF Foundation. We call up alumni, parents, and friends of UCF, update them about the school and then ask for donations. The money we raise goes to providing scholarships to students, attracting faculty, and updating technology. While some of the alumni don't care about what's happening at UCF, most are excited to hear from a student and appreciate that we call. It's hard to get pledges, but there are people who will donate $1,000 in one shot. I think it's safe to say that overall, people have a good experience at UCF.

Academic Life

All of this really depends on the class. Large general education courses seem to have more students that don't care about the subjects. But major classes are much better, smaller, and professors almost always make the effort to get to know students. The best classes I've taken have been Introduction to Women's Studies and Third Wave Feminism. These classes, especially the intro. class, introduced me to so many new concepts and made me a feminist. They are also why I joined NOW. I would highly recommend these classes to anyone. Another class that I am really enjoying is Survey of Rock and Roll. It's hard to get into but the professor is great, and everyone in the class is really interested in different kind of music. The journalism major here is great, although very competitive. I was just accepted into it - it took me two tries. There are few faculty members, but it's very in depth, which is why it's so selective. So it's a great opportunity for anyone that really wants to make a career out of journalism. The professors are great and always willing to help students and share opportunity with them. Otherwise it seems like UCF is too easy to get into, but it's getting better. They are beginning to accept only 30 - 40% of applications. They aren't too selective, but I think it's great to give more students the opportunity of an education.

Student Body

UCF is so huge that all groups are equally represented. Personally I'm involved in the groups of students that care about civil rights issues and politics, but I have met people from all sides of the spectrum. There are radical students, apathetic students, and everywhere in between. It's impossible to say that any one group stands out.