UF vs NOVA

[typingpig]

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Please no flaming 👎

Ok...

I am conflicted between choosing two schools (UF-Orlando and NOVA-Davie). I know some of you guys will say something like "why are you stuck, UF all the way", but I am stuck. 😕

One thing is: I am creating this thread because I need your opinion and suggestions. I am actively trying to find answers to these questions as well and I hope that current students or any knowledgeable individual can assist.

Are pharmacy related research opportunities abundant in both universities?
Would it be harder to find a technician opening in Orlando compared to Davie?
I heard that the UF education quality is better on average than NOVA, to what extent is that true?
Just what am I missing out of if I choose one from the other?

Please no flaming 👎

 

[rjm546]

I would go with UF all the way. Main reason tuition why would you want to pay Nova's tuition

 

[Pharmpills]

I love Nova but too bad it will never be🙁🙁🙁

 

[PharmApp2008]

A lot of people have had the same question. I chose UF/Orlando because I already live here. If I didn't, I'm not sure which I would chose. I have a friend at Nova and she doesn't like it too much (not pursuing pharmacy though) but the campus is beautiful (and there is a campus). I'm sure you will get a good education at either but UF is cheaper and I would say it is better known than Nova is. That might help if trying for a residency.

 

[Gitana]

UF has a better reputation AND it's cheaper. I would understand you being confused if it was one OR the other. I know that how much weight the difference in tuition makes depends on your particular situation. Are there other considerations? Are you in the Davie area now?

 

[typingpig]

I would go with UF all the way. Main reason tuition why would you want to pay Nova's tuition

Yes, it would make sense if I based it on tuition alone. Yet, if I balance it out with living away from home both costs would be the same overall (with slightly less cost yearly living at home).

I find that living at home can be comfy, but it is great living outside as well.

 

[Torkey]

UF...cheaper, and not to mention South Florida SUCKS lol. But if you take Nova thats cool too cuz im on UF's alternate list hahaha...im sure you'll be happy with either, i personally though would go w UF's

 

[typingpig]

Pharmpills ß Awww don’t be sad

PharmApp2008 ß Yes, you brought up a very good point about residency. I also thought it would be nice to keep as many doors open as possible.

Gitana ß I am by the Davie area. That is why I can live with my family so it somehow balances out the total cost of going to pharmacy school when comparing UF and NOVA. The main “considerations” are the questions listed above (if that answers your question)


Er…I don’t know how to quote multiple times in one post so I had to just type it like this. 😳

 

[LoKoTe]

UF...cheaper, and not to mention South Florida SUCKS lol. But if you take Nova thats cool too cuz im on UF's alternate list hahaha...im sure you'll be happy with either, i personally though would go w UF's

If South Florida sucks so much then LEAVE

 

[Torkey]

If South Florida sucks so much then LEAVE

Two weeks and I am 🙂

 

[typingpig]

UF...cheaper, and not to mention South Florida SUCKS lol. But if you take Nova thats cool too cuz im on UF's alternate list hahaha...im sure you'll be happy with either, i personally though would go w UF's

lol thats kinda funny. It can be quite a pain though when a hurricane strikes.

 

[Torkey]

lol thats kinda funny. It can be quite a pain though when a hurricane strikes.

Not to mention its rediculously overpriced, and overpopulated, theres a TON of old people, 95 traffic/ construction is horrible...and Orlando is similar, but you can get on the outskirts a little bit to keep your sanity..I've heard apopka where the campus is is pretty nice..

 

[PharmApp2008]

The part about living at home...that is why my friend who goes to Nova chose Nova (same cost) and she is miserable. Her parents have a killer house though so I don't know what she's complaining about. Maybe its the retirement community set-up that she's stuck in for 3 years? I would say to think, do you want to live at home for 4 more years?

 

[RxChick]

Please no flaming 👎 Ok... I am conflicted between choosing two schools (UF-Orlando and NOVA-Davie). I know some of you guys will say something like "why are you stuck, UF all the way", but I am stuck. 😕 One thing is: I am creating this thread because I need your opinion and suggestions. I am actively trying to find answers to these questions as well and I hope that current students or any knowledgeable individual can assist. Are pharmacy related research opportunities abundant in both universities? Would it be harder to find a technician opening in Orlando compared to Davie? I heard that the UF education quality is better on average than NOVA, to what extent is that true? Just what am I missing out of if I choose one from the other? Please no flaming 👎

Hey I was in the same situation as you. I got into both NOVA and UF (St. Petersburg campus). I chose nova though. I think your choice will depend on your situation. For me, I live five minutes from nova’s davie campus. So it just didn’t seem right to me to go miles away when I had a very good university right in my back yard. That’s just me. As for the matter of cost, for me it would have added up to be around the same when you factor in UF’s $14,000 tuition plus living expenses. Of course UF would be a bit less expensive. But not by very much.


It also helped that I love Ft. Lauderdale. Besides I was placed at a distant campus not the Gainesville one. I was somewhat uncomfortable with that. They say that there is no difference between a satellite campus and that it would not adversely affect your studies. Chances are they are right. But I have talked to an equal number of people who said choosing a satellite campus is the worst decision they made. So I wasn’t too comfortable with taking that risk. After all this is the rest of my life. I felt that I should go to a regular campus. Yes I agree that UF is highly ranked etc…But NOVA is a very good university as well. Nova has gotten extremely competitive in the last few years. In fact I had a much tougher time getting admission to NOVA than UF. I am sure that in a few more years, nova is gonna climb up the ranking ladder. This is why I chose NOVA over UF. Of course my reasons may not apply to everyone. You have to sort of analyze your situation. If UF was down here and it wasn’t a satellite campus, then my choices may have been different.

 

[DoctorRx1986]

If South Florida sucks so much then LEAVE

LOL, someone's angry

 

[Carbonutopia]

I also was faced with the same decision of picking between UF-Gainesville and NOVA-Davie. I chose UF. It has a great reputation, rank, and the tuition is less. The cost of living is also more reasonable in Gainesville than South Florida. I don't live with parents, so tuition and cost of living did factor into my decision. I will be moving from S. Florida to Gainesville at the end of July. However I love living in S. FL, and will probably move back after Pharm school. Best of luck with your decision.🙂

 

[FLPharm2Be]

I might be in this same conundrum fairly soon. If my interview goes well next month, I will also have to make the decision between UF-Gainesville and NSU-Davie. I live in Ftl and love south Florida. I am leaning more towards NSU. I have a fiance who isn't too keen on Gainesville and I like how connected NSU is in south Florida, since it is where I would like to end up in the end. I guess I will have to see how the interview at UF goes before I make an absolute decision.

 

[LoKoTe]

LOL, someone's angry

Nah I didn't mean it like that 😀 ... I realized now that it looks like that so I apologize for that, but what I meant is that if one is not happy where he/she is then you should go where you feel better.

 

[typingpig]

PharmApp2008 ß That’s a good question. I have mixed feelings about staying at home or going out to live. I feel that whether I choose one or the other I would lose something and gain something at the same time. Leaving home is a bit riskier because I am traveling through unknown waters, but that’s where the excitement and adventure comes in. Staying at home would mean I’m in a comfortable environment (with drama once in a while 😱) with the people I care about.

RxChick ß I really enjoyed reading your post 🙂.Yes, I was also told that there is no significant difference in a satellite and main campus that would adversely affect ones studies.

Carbonutopia ß Yes, your points are right. Rank, reputation and tuition are the right points to choose UF for. Yet, for the past few days I think to myself that its just rank and reputation that as long as I try hard during pharmacy school to learn my stuff (and find opportunities to practice what I learned) and prove that I am as capable as the ranked Universities is all that matters (I’m silly, right? 😳). I love S. FL too 😍

FLPharm2Be ß I hope this thread will help you when that time comes for you to make a definite choice. 😉

LoKoTe ß I agree. South and Central Florida has their own distinctive charms. 👍

Thanks guys and gals for your input. I really appreciate it. 🙂

 

[BlueHens66]

Everyone who says UF is better than Nova never has anything to support that statement. They will only say UF is more reputable without any fact to support such a statement. I will concede that UF is more reputable as an entire university because it is much larger than Nova; however is there really evidence that shows UF's pharmacy school is better than Nova's? If so, I have never seen it.

I guess if I were chosing between UF and Nova, I would choose UF because the tutition is cheaper. Both schools offer a great education using similar but different means to reach the same end. Either way, you cannot go wrong.

 

[RxChick]

Everyone who says UF is better than Nova never has anything to support that statement. They will only say UF is more reputable without any fact to support such a statement. I will concede that UF is more reputable as an entire university because it is much larger than Nova; however is there really evidence that shows UF's pharmacy school is better than Nova's? If so, I have never seen it.

I guess if I were chosing between UF and Nova, I would choose UF because the tutition is cheaper. Both schools offer a great education using similar but different means to reach the same end. Either way, you cannot go wrong.

Amen to that. See you in the fall.

 

[Printo]

I would choose UF in a heartbeat. UF has lower tuition and a higher ranked program. Seems like a simple choice to me.

 

[rosiered]

UF is the better school. I'm an undergrad at UF and the level of competition is overwhelmingly cutthroat! UF is known to have attracted the best and brightest from all over the state. A couple of years ago we were ranked as the number 1 school for number of National Merit Scholars. The kinds of students who get into UF's pharmacy school typically have 3.7's 3.8's and high 80's on the Pcat score. Everybody knows that UF's quality of education is higher than Nova's in every field out there (Med, Dental, Pharmacy) I believe US News World Report ranked UF's Pharmacy school as #9 in the country. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited to start Nova in the fall but that was my fallback school. I didn't get an interview or anything from UF but I really wanted to stay here in gainesville. It is a small college town but there's lots to do, we won three championships back to back so most people go to the games and stuff. Plus it's much cheaper than Nova (maybe $12k a year compared to $20k in tuition) If you got into both schools pick UF. You will NOT regret it.

 

[Pharmpills]

The tuition between Nova and UF isnt even that big of a difference plus what does it matter bc once u graduate u will get a job. SEcond UF goes way in depth with material than most pharmacy schools and from what i heard students are not very helpful bc they see you as competition for some strange reason.

UF goes much in depth with book material while Nova goes more into hands on training. I dont get why ppl keep saying tuition it's not like that money will make a massive difference in your life bc eventually u will realize u can only buy so much with ur money. I would go with the school that's closer to family, friends and that makes me happier unless the tuition is extremely different like 20,000 difference a year

 

[BlueHens66]

Difficulty to get into does not equate to quality of program. One program (UF) could have higher admission standards because so many people apply to the school because of a cheaper cost of tuition. It seems that almost every Florida resident applies to UF because it has a cheaper tuition. It is very easy to have strict admission standards when everyone wants to get in.

Also, it seems that the highest "ranked" schools are the large universities that pull in the most funding for research. UF is a huge university and their programs will "rank" higher than smaller schools that cannot pull in the funds.

I don't think it is fair to say one school's program is better than another's based on the admission standards and overall university science research funds.

 

[BlueHens66]

I would choose UF in a heartbeat. UF has lower tuition and a higher ranked program. Seems like a simple choice to me.

This is a classic response to the question of UF or Nova. It offers no fact to support the claim other than tuition and "higher ranked" program.

 

[Printo]

This is a classic response to the question of UF or Nova. It offers no fact to support the claim other than tuition and "higher ranked" program.

Well it is a state university so it will have cheaper tuition, especially if you are a Florida resident. According to the US News & World Report, UF's program ranks 9th in the nation. Nova is unranked. For any student choosing between the two at first glance, they will most likely pick UF over NSU. Truth is that is all applicants have to go on besides interviews and campus visits. What else do you want?

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/pha/search/

 

[fsupharmguy]

The rumor about the student competition is entirely untrue. Not to be rude, but frankly I believe it was a rumor made by people who did not get into UF so they decided to spread that rumor to deter people from attending. I have loved my experience at UF, thus far. Yes, it is difficult and we do go in depth with the material, but isn't that what you'd want?

I am almost finished with my first year and feel accomplished with the amount of knowledge I have gained. Also, about satellite campuses. I am grateful that they have that option. I am actually transferring to the Jax campus due to some personal issues that have occurred. It's nice to think that going to class helps, but you're really not missing anything. Everything is included online. The only thing that really helps is the convenience of going to office hours. Then again, the discussion boards are checked regularly by the professors so questions are always answered in a timely manner.

Do I believe UF is a better program than Nova? I am not going to make that judgement. You should attend a school based on what fits you.

 

[typingpig]

BlueHens66 ß I agree with you. Either way nothing can go wrong. They both are good universities to go to. Both graduate capable pharmacists. 🙂

Printo ß If only I can make this choice as fast as you. 😉

rosiered ß Yes, you listed good points. I like the way you wrote it. It has much determination (if I phrased that right). 👍

Pharmpills ß Yeah, happiness is a major factor for me. 😍

Printo ß I’m going to post this so it would be easier for other people to see the specifics on how the rankings are created:
http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-graduate-schools/2008/03/26/health-methodology.html

Excerpt from link above:
“All the health rankings are based solely on the results of peer assessment surveys sent to deans, other administrators, and/or faculty at accredited degree programs or schools in each discipline. All schools surveyed in a discipline were sent the same number of surveys. Respondents rated the academic quality of programs on a 5-point scale: outstanding (5 points), strong (4), good (3), adequate (2), or marginal (1). They were instructed to select "don't know" if they did not have enough knowledge to rate a program. Only fully accredited programs in good standing during the survey period are ranked. Those schools with the highest average scores appear.
In the fall of 2007, surveys were conducted for the 2008 rankings of Pharm.D. pharmacy programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (56 percent of those surveyed responded)…”

Isn’t St. John Fisher College of Pharmacy not fully accredited yet? Is that why it says N/A for their score? 😕

fsupharmguy ß Thanks for the insight. Picking a school that fits is important. 👍

Guys and gals: Your input is splitting my brain in half. I’ve already annoyed my father by being indecisive. I promise I’ll make my choice soon. Really, I’ve come to realize from your inputs my priorities. I want to say thanks much and I’m trying hard to come to a decision.

 

[Alkylholic]

At first I wasn't too comfortable with the idea of going through pharmacy school pretty much on my computer, so I almost didn't choose a satellite campus.

But then I thought about the Organic Chemistry I and II classes that I took this past year. I walked into class, sat down, listened to the lecture, then picked up my stuff and walked out, without saying one word the entire time. Then I thought, wow I could the exact same thing sitting at home watching this online. I still learned ALOT from that class.

The only thing will be mustering up the motivation to sit there and watch them all on a regular basis, I can see how that might be a problem for some.

 

[Pharmpills]

Take money/tuition out of the equation and make a decision. you can't take it with u plus its not tha big of a difference so pick the school u like BASED on happiness and not which program is better bc after all both programs are great and u will get a job for sure unless the entire economy crumbles which is unlikely.

 

[Evee11]

I agree with pharmpills. Pick the school you know you'll be happy at. I ended up choosing Nova over UF (St. Pete) because I know I'll be much happier around friends and family (My sister already goes to Nova). Plus, I've always been pretty bad with keeping up in online courses. Pick whatever suits you 🙂