Death Battle!! UF vs. UM

[If tuition was equal for both schools, but $$ after graduation was a factor where would you go?]

If tuition was equal for both schools, but $$ after graduation was a factor where would you go?

University of Miami, with average starting salary of 95k

University of Florida, with an average starting salary of 70k

[AspenLizzy]

So you would not describe Miami as having a culture of locals who live there because they want to be there who fall outside the superficial crowd?

[AspenLizzy]

To clairfy: I'm not trying to corner you into saying everyone is the same way, or is stuck in Miami.  I really want to know.

[AJF]

Well, that's an interesting question.  Wherever you go, you will find friends that you have alot in common with.  It's more a matter of what is going on around you, and what the culture as a whole values.  You may have a good down to earth group, but you may be looked down upon for not driving a rented ferrari, i.e. it won't be "cool" to be down to earth.  Also, you will be in law school,and come in contact with lawyers, which is great, but in general not the most humble people, especially in Miami.  Just something to think about.

[FrancesUVA!]

AspenLizzy,

AJF is gives us a correct and real representation of Miami. I have experienced this city for the last couple of years and he has really painted a picture of what it is to live here and what the culture is here. 

Let me put it this way, I have met college kids in one of the university there that rather buy a mercedes or bmw with their finacial aid money than to pay for educational expenses.  You go to that university and you will see the undergrads in 8" heels and dressed as if they are going to a club or even worse (you can imagine). 

So if you want a place to live that is NOT "fake" or "synthetic" then Miami is probably not the best place. 

[juliemccoy]

I spent most of my life in South Florida and I don't particularly like South Florida. I actually like the rest of the state better. However, I do recognize that there is more money to be made in South Florida. That doesn't necessarily mean I will move there for the jobs because... well, I still have to live there and I have about 18 years of back-up which tells me I don't like South Florida.

And at the end of the day, UF v Miami has only to do with which school gives you a better vibe when you have actually had a chance to visit and make a reasonable decision. I have met people who chose Miami over UF and are happy there. So it isn't necessarily true that UF is the obvious choice for people who get accepted to both schools.

In three years, if you have busted your butt to network, done well grades-wise and have moot court/law review to your credit, you'll get a good job in any market. It's not a celebrity death match-- it is just a personal opinion of where you feel you'll be happiest over the course of your education. I chose UF because if felt like a better fit for me and I'm excited about going there in the fall. I wish everyone at Miami and UF the best with 1L!

[Reesespbcup]

KeeLee....Reading comprehension:  I said it is not like other big cities...i.e. culturally it is not the same.  Miami is unique.  Never did I say it was less urban than Atlanta.  I said that UM is more urban than Gainesville.  I don't understand where you are deriving this confusion. 

More layman's prestige because of what name?  It's not like UM undergrad is world renowned or anything.  It's not like it is historically a higher ranked school.  UM has always been the Florida school you have to pay for.  UF in recent history has been accross the board more prestegious.  I don't think that point is even arguable.

Perhaps it would be easiest to explain my beloved state like this:  consider it two states, Miami, and Florida.  I know ya'all from miami may not believe this, and those from the northeast certainly wouldn't, but most of us in our state find Miami wretched.  This is not a cop out, UM biglaw firms would recruit more at UF if they knew they had as good of a chance of getting UF grads.  Honestly, to most UF grads, working in Miami would not be worth it...no matter what.  That being said, if you want to work in big law in miami, you will have more classmates there with you if you go to UM, but remember, if you go to UF, and still want to live in Gamora (miami), you can do it.  They will still hire from UF because they know it is the more prestegious school, either way you have to kick ass in class rank.  Unfortunately they only give the advance on the rented ferrari and massive hair-gel bill if you have a UM degree.  You will have to live with that.

I find this a strange comment. I am from FL (born here/raised here, Orlando-area) and most of my friends are from FL. We all see Miami as an exciting place and we have a great time when we go there.

It's OK for you to speak for yourself and your friends but please don't speak for all or even "most" of us.

[AspenLizzy]

Go to Oprah.  This is a battle to the death.

/jk 

[bittrsweet]

i'm going to attend UM this fall. i went down to visit in march. i didn't have time to see downtown miami, just the coconut grove and coral gables area. people just looked....normal. i was really worried about perfect skinny/fit gorgeous people breezing around in ferraris, but i really didn't see it. there were really good-looking people--and there were really not, and some were driving porshes, but most weren't. so, maybe i went on the four days all the plastics cleared out, or maybe they're only downtown, or maybe that whole stereotype has been completely blown out of proportion. i really don't know. all i can say is that at least the UM area didn't scare me.

i'm not worried about going to UM for three years. i plan on working hard so that, if i really don't end up liking miami, i can clear out. the resources are definitely there to leave as long as you distinguish yourself and be proactive. meanwhile, it's a beautiful campus and a beautiful area to de-stress in when not working on school stuff. i've read so many of these UM vs. UF threads to get the sense that you're going to get a good education either place you go. with that out of the picture, it's hard FOR ME to imagine someone desiring a college town like gainesville over what any big city can offer except where tuition is concerned. especially because it's near the water! but that's the key issue: for the kind of people who NEED a lot going on (ME), who look for festivals and museums and trendy nightlife and beaches and fifty types of ethnic cuisine to choose from, miami (or big city in general) is it. meanwhile, everytime someone talks about entertainment in UF being big, they mention keggers or $4 dollar beers. that's not a bad thing, but it's a very different type of scene for a very different type of person, ie i would think someone more down-to-earth, has that favorite bar, likes to go the more casual route, doesn't feel jilted that there's only one indian place to eat in town, or whatever.

you guys are arguing like there is one answer to this question. either UM and miami is better or UF and gainesville is. but  neither school has won the argument of more prestige or better education yet (the US news ratings matter to those people who care about the name, and honestly, those people better get into the top 40), so it comes down to which area suits your personality. UM suits mine, maybe UF suits yours. i don't think there's a need to put down one or the other. it would probably be more helpful to list the kind of activities or opportunities each school offers so that people considering either one could figure out which school fit them.

.....and i'll probably get five people telling me how i'm wrong and a complete idiot, but for what it's worth, that's what i think.

[Reesespbcup]

So I guess my question is, isn't every resort town/ city a victim to superficiality?  Is superficiality at the root of So. Florida's economy (a necessicery evil), and is there a culture of locals that carve out a place for themselves that can circumvent the issue?

But to address your most recent question, I think most 'resort towns' are superficial and such superficiality is necessary, to an extent (but not sufficient in and of itself) for the local economy. It kind of depends on the meaning of the term "resort". Resort, as in Mickey-Mouse-Orlando or as in Vegas, Miami, etc? Regarding the former, no, I wouldn't say that superficiality is very necessary at all unless, of course, tourism (ie vacationing) could be considered superficial. I think superficiality can be helpful to an economy as a whole but detrimental to certain segments of it should they become displaced by it.
 
The hope is, of course, that the locals CAN 'carve out' a place for themselves. That is what makes a place diverse—people with different cultural backgrounds who have different tastes and different interests. Both of them have something to offer the other, even if it is just a new way of doing things. And, my friends, THIS is why I love Miami  

[lifewasted]

i'm going to attend UM this fall. i went down to visit in march. i didn't have time to see downtown miami, just the coconut grove and coral gables area. people just looked....normal. i was really worried about perfect skinny/fit gorgeous people breezing around in ferraris, but i really didn't see it. there were really good-looking people--and there were really not, and some were driving porshes, but most weren't. so, maybe i went on the four days all the plastics cleared out, or maybe they're only downtown, or maybe that whole stereotype has been completely blown out of proportion. i really don't know. all i can say is that at least the UM area didn't scare me.

i'm not worried about going to UM for three years. i plan on working hard so that, if i really don't end up liking miami, i can clear out. the resources are definitely there to leave as long as you distinguish yourself and be proactive. meanwhile, it's a beautiful campus and a beautiful area to de-stress in when not working on school stuff. i've read so many of these UM vs. UF threads to get the sense that you're going to get a good education either place you go. with that out of the picture, it's hard FOR ME to imagine someone desiring a college town like gainesville over what any big city can offer except where tuition is concerned. especially because it's near the water! but that's the key issue: for the kind of people who NEED a lot going on (ME), who look for festivals and museums and trendy nightlife and beaches and fifty types of ethnic cuisine to choose from, miami (or big city in general) is it. meanwhile, everytime someone talks about entertainment in UF being big, they mention keggers or $4 dollar beers. that's not a bad thing, but it's a very different type of scene for a very different type of person, ie i would think someone more down-to-earth, has that favorite bar, likes to go the more casual route, doesn't feel jilted that there's only one indian place to eat in town, or whatever.

you guys are arguing like there is one answer to this question. either UM and miami is better or UF and gainesville is. but  neither school has won the argument of more prestige or better education yet (the US news ratings matter to those people who care about the name, and honestly, those people better get into the top 40), so it comes down to which area suits your personality. UM suits mine, maybe UF suits yours. i don't think there's a need to put down one or the other. it would probably be more helpful to list the kind of activities or opportunities each school offers so that people considering either one could figure out which school fit them.

.....and i'll probably get five people telling me how i'm wrong and a complete idiot, but for what it's worth, that's what i think.

wow....nice.  i don't believe it could have been expressed any better.  it's an individual choice and each person is different--motivation and interests vary.