Florida State University

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bstevlin
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Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

18 year old grandson is transferring from UW Madison to Florida State. He has about 53 credits if all of his AP courses are counted and the 32 credits he earned from his freshman year. His GPA IS 3.79 higher if AP credits are counted. He was in bio science at Madison, but will enroll in the actuary science program at FSU. When he enrolled at Madison the family thought he would go in to actuary science program because of his strong grades in AP calc A and B. and interest in business. His parents supported his biology tryout, but he understands unless he goes into healthcare he is sentenced to a life time of meager earnings. He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison. It is important to him to be able to lift weights and run outside to relieve stress, neither was available to him because of weather or gym availability. Tallahassee is an inconvenient minimum 6 hour flight from his hometown. His parents are not to pleased. FSU is about $7000 more if all fees are tallied, maybe a little less if he can get scholarship money. He understands he may lose credits transferring from Madison to FSU. FSU alums and other folks, any constructive thoughts will be appreciated.
Last edited by bstevlin on Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
oldfatguy
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Re: Florida State University

Post by oldfatguy »

bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison which he perceives as having a oppressed dystopian atmosphere. That part of the post should not to be open to discussion.
Then why include it?

Without discussing the merits of his perception, his decision seems rather impulsive and foolish, IMO. There are tens of thousands of people in Madison who are lifting weights and running outside. Sounds like there must be more to the story? Is there a romantic interest located in Florida?
Normchad
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Normchad »

Interesting. I’ve always heard Madison was a fantastic place to live.

But, not every school is a great fit for every student. Sounds like he is academically strong, so he be successful at FSU. My intuition is that UW is a more academically rigorous place.

My FIL got his PhD at FSU and loved. If you want to be outside, running, playing frisbee, etc, it’s hard to beat Florida.

I think actuarial science is a great field, with great prospects. Getting that degree from either school,would serve him well.

I’m sure this thread will get locked. Sometimes the best thing for a student is to put some distance between themselves and the parents. Maybe that’s what going on here. But moving to Florida would certainly be a learning experience. And if money isn’t a problem, I’d be receptive or supportive of it for my student.

Best of luck to him!
ElJefeDelQueso
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Re: Florida State University

Post by ElJefeDelQueso »

bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm 18 year old grandson is transferring from UW Madison to Florida State. He has about 53 credits if all of his AP courses are counted and the 32 credits he earned from his freshman year. His GPA IS 3.79 higher if AP credits are counted. He was in bio science at Madison, but will enroll in the actuary science program at FSU. When he enrolled at Madison the family thought he would go in to actuary science program because of his strong grades in AP calc A and B. and interest in business. His parents supported his biology tryout, but he understands unless he goes into healthcare he is sentenced to a life time of meager earnings. He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison which he perceives as having a oppressed dystopian atmosphere. That part of the post should not to be open to discussion. It is important to him to be able to lift weights and run outside to relieve stress, neither was available to him because of weather or gym availability. Tallahassee is an inconvenient minimum 6 hour flight from his hometown. His parents are not to pleased. FSU is about $7000 more if all fees are tallied, maybe a little less if he can get scholarship money. He understands he may lose credits transferring from Madison to FSU. FSU alums and other folks, any constructive thoughts will be appreciated.
If it is a financial question, he could get a student loan.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

oldfatguy wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:13 pm
bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison which he perceives as having a oppressed dystopian atmosphere. That part of the post should not to be open to discussion.
Then why include it?

Without discussing the merits of his perception, his decision seems rather impulsive and foolish, IMO. There are tens of thousands of people in Madison who are lifting weights and running outside. Sounds like there must be more to the story? Is there a romantic interest located in Florida?
He is normally a very cautious person. Again I will mention his parents pretty much feel as you stated especially Mom. This is a kid who through out his life his parents never had to tell him to do your homework. Unless your are an athlete free weight availability is very limited on campus. The walking paths are slippery and it is cold. I have edited the post to say he was unhappy at UW and city. No actually his love interest is here and to her credit she told him go for it if it will make you happy.
Last edited by bstevlin on Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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RickBoglehead
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Re: Florida State University

Post by RickBoglehead »

Wisconsin is a great school, Madison is a renowned place to live. FSU has a well-deserved reputation as a party school. Hopefully he focuses on education.

Changing schools because of the orientation of the town, or the school administration, vs the educational opportunities seems poorly advised, which I expect his parents have voiced. Let him pay the cost difference.
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Dude2
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Dude2 »

Many people figure out a way to establish residency in a state where they want to go to school and save themselves out of state tuition. Surprisingly any ex-military automatically has Florida in-state residency. It will take at least a year to do it otherwise, but it is do-able.

[OT comments removed by admin LadyGeek]

Yes, Florida schools accept AP credit. Florida education is perfectly fine. In general anybody anywhere transferring credits is subject to loss. Anyway, I went to the University of Florida, so we have a rivalry with FSU. That being said, it's fine, and everything is what people make of it. You get out what you put in. My boss' kid just got kicked out of FSU due to playing video games all semester in his dorm room during covid lockdown and not doing any coursework. One aspect is that Florida isn't exactly known for its booming economy, so getting a job as a student is probably more challenging than in a big urban area. Not sure if any of this info is useful. Just some thoughts. Historically Florida education was much cheaper than elsewhere. Out of state tuition is a big rip-off of nearly 4x the normal cost. Also we have in-state "Florida scholars" tuition programs. You're going to find partiers on one side and hard-working scholar types on the other.

I can tell you that at UF we had major recreational facilities available to students -- at least 4 gyms on campus, dozens of baseball diamonds, tennis courts, etc. With a student ID you could get in and do anything, even without taking any classes along those lines, but they were offered. That aspect was not lacking -- if you had any time to take advantage of it.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

I would have recommended Gainesville over FSU, but FSU has an actuary program. My GS has classmates from NJ and NY. Why they choose Madison when U FL. is available for less tuition and a lot nicer campus is beyond me. Florida has some of the lowest out of state tuition in the nation for flagship schools.
Big Dog
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Big Dog »

what is his home state?

His reasons for transferring don't make much sense to me (I lived in Chicago and trained for marathons, so running in cold weather is not a challenge), so I'm guessing that there is more going on with him. SO? Get far away from family?
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MrMars
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Re: Florida State University

Post by MrMars »

So the 18 year old kid would rather be in Florida than Wisconsin. That seems wholly reasonable to me.

That doesn't mean there won't be some consequences from that decision but that's a lesson you have to learn at some point too. If he needs to take out student loans to cover the additional cost, so be it. He could probably make the additional costs up via a part time job. I'm not sure what there is here that is objectionable.
oldfatguy
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Re: Florida State University

Post by oldfatguy »

MrMars wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:43 pm So the 18 year old kid would rather be in Florida than Wisconsin. That seems wholly reasonable to me.

That doesn't mean there won't be some consequences from that decision but that's a lesson you have to learn at some point too. If he needs to take out student loans to cover the additional cost, so be it. He could probably make the additional costs up via a part time job. I'm not sure what there is here that is objectionable.
I think the objectionable parts are that it will cost more, travel is more expensive and less convenient, and he may end up losing/wasting credits for no apparent reason.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

Big Dog wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:32 pm what is his home state?

His reasons for transferring don't make much sense to me (I lived in Chicago and trained for marathons, so running in cold weather is not a challenge), so I'm guessing that there is more going on with him. SO? Get far away from family?
His home state is Wisconsin. They do not salt the walking paths or streets in Madison.
Nyc10036
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Nyc10036 »

Establish residency if he can.

He can pay the difference between UW-Madison and FSU.
PoppyA
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Re: Florida State University

Post by PoppyA »

I say the kid deserves to make his own choice. So far he has made good ones. Let him succeed or not on his own.
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Re: Florida State University

Post by davemanjam »

When its 90+degrees with 80%humidity and 75 degree dewpoint its basically impossible to do any physical activity outside.
That's been the last month of weather in Tallahassee.
A good portion of fall and spring are essentially summer.
...But if you're just trying to avoid winter & snow it is a good option.

FSU is a good school that has been rising in the ranking of public universities.
As has been mentioned it has historically been considered a party school as well.
But to be fair its a campus of 30,000 students so he can find the partying or some other atmosphere if he chooses.

There doesn't seem to be a compelling reason, but we're hearing from the doubtful grandparent.
So, without hearing his side I'd have to say i'd give him a chance and set some ground rules.
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Big Dog »

MrMars wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:43 pm So the 18 year old kid would rather be in Florida than Wisconsin. That seems wholly reasonable to me.

That doesn't mean there won't be some consequences from that decision but that's a lesson you have to learn at some point too. If he needs to take out student loans to cover the additional cost, so be it. He could probably make the additional costs up via a part time job. I'm not sure what there is here that is objectionable.
Has the kid even been to Florida? FSU? How does he know he wants to live there for the next 3+ years? Who is gonna cover the extra expense? (If the kid is already borrowing to attend UW, his student loans could already be maxed out.) Will a part-time job turn this into a 4-year sojourn?

How does he know he'll actually like Actuary? (strong grades in Calc is a poor indicator)

His home state is Wisconsin. They do not salt the walking paths or streets in Madison.
As the OP is a resident of WI, what about U-Minnesota which also cross-state tuition reciprocity and is higher-ranked for Actuary than UW? If it's just warmer weather, what about the Arizona schools? U-Texas? How about BYU, the to Actuary program, and which is guaranteed to be more conservative? Or, instate to Eau Claire (assuming they salt sidewalks as does his hometown)?
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Re: Florida State University

Post by hahabye »

I graduated from FSU in 1994. I was the first person in my family to get a college degree and I love FSU, because that diploma opened doors and allowed me the opportunity to work hard and become a millionaire.

My daughter just finished her freshman year at FSU and loves it. She plans to major in finance and she just wrapped up Business Calculus, the notorious weed out class for students wanting to get into business school. FSU and UF are both fantastic schools, both ranked in the top 20 nationally for public universities in US News and World Report.

I saw another poster mention that FSU is a notorious party school, and frankly I laugh at comments like that. There are plenty of bars, clubs, frats, sororities, etc...in all college towns. If this young man knows how to prioritize his time he will be just fine. If he likes to party, he will have plenty of options as well, lol. But frankly the reputation as a party school dates back to the 1990's when any Tom, Dick, or Harry could get in to FSU. The kids getting accepted into FSU now all have high school GPA's over 4.0 and very high test scores as well.

I am confident that things will work out just fine in Tallahassee. The campus is gorgeous, the academics are top notch, the nightlife is amazing, the beach is 90 minutes away, the athletic teams are competitive, etc...

GO NOLES!
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Re: Florida State University

Post by hahabye »

davemanjam wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:23 pm When its 90+degrees with 80%humidity and 75 degree dewpoint its basically impossible to do any physical activity outside.
That's been the last month of weather in Tallahassee.
A good portion of fall and spring are essentially summer.
...But if you're just trying to avoid winter & snow it is a good option.
Yes it's hot and humid in Tallahassee. No it's not impossible for a physically fit college student to go for a run or exercise outdoors. If he can't stand the heat there is an enormous rec center on campus called the Bobby Leach Center that has an Olympic sized pool, indoor track, multiple basketball courts, free weights, nautilus equipment, treadmills, etc...He will be just fine!
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

hahabye wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:36 pm I graduated from FSU in 1994. I was the first person in my family to get a college degree and I love FSU, because that diploma opened doors and allowed me the opportunity to work hard and become a millionaire.

My daughter just finished her freshman year at FSU and loves it. She plans to major in finance and she just wrapped up Business Calculus, the notorious weed out class for students wanting to get into business school. FSU and UF are both fantastic schools, both ranked in the top 20 nationally for public universities in US News and World Report.

I saw another poster mention that FSU is a notorious party school, and frankly I laugh at comments like that. There are plenty of bars, clubs, frats, sororities, etc...in all college towns. If this young man knows how to prioritize his time he will be just fine. If he likes to party, he will have plenty of options as well, lol. But frankly the reputation as a party school dates back to the 1990's when any Tom, Dick, or Harry could get in to FSU. The kids getting accepted into FSU now all have high school GPA's over 4.0 and very high test scores as well.

I am confident that things will work out just fine in Tallahassee. The campus is gorgeous, the academics are top notch, the nightlife is amazing, the beach is 90 minutes away, the athletic teams are competitive, etc...

GO NOLES!

This is a most helpful comment along the poster who said let him make his own choices he has done well so far. I want to show this to his parents and him. He has other options than Madison and FSU looks like a fine choice based on academics and cost.

Thanks to both of you.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

hahabye wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:41 pm
davemanjam wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:23 pm When its 90+degrees with 80%humidity and 75 degree dewpoint its basically impossible to do any physical activity outside.
That's been the last month of weather in Tallahassee.
A good portion of fall and spring are essentially summer.
...But if you're just trying to avoid winter & snow it is a good option.
Yes it's hot and humid in Tallahassee. No it's not impossible for a physically fit college student to go for a run or exercise outdoors. If he can't stand the heat there is an enormous rec center on campus called the Bobby Leach Center that has an Olympic sized pool, indoor track, multiple basketball courts, free weights, nautilus equipment, treadmills, etc...He will be just fine!
Thanks, I will let him know.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

PoppyA wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:10 pm I say the kid deserves to make his own choice. So far he has made good ones. Let him succeed or not on his own.
Thanks, I agree and support him.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

hahabye wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 2:36 pm I graduated from FSU in 1994. I was the first person in my family to get a college degree and I love FSU, because that diploma opened doors and allowed me the opportunity to work hard and become a millionaire.

My daughter just finished her freshman year at FSU and loves it. She plans to major in finance and she just wrapped up Business Calculus, the notorious weed out class for students wanting to get into business school. FSU and UF are both fantastic schools, both ranked in the top 20 nationally for public universities in US News and World Report.

I saw another poster mention that FSU is a notorious party school, and frankly I laugh at comments like that. There are plenty of bars, clubs, frats, sororities, etc...in all college towns. If this young man knows how to prioritize his time he will be just fine. If he likes to party, he will have plenty of options as well, lol. But frankly the reputation as a party school dates back to the 1990's when any Tom, Dick, or Harry could get in to FSU. The kids getting accepted into FSU now all have high school GPA's over 4.0 and very high test scores as well.

I am confident that things will work out just fine in Tallahassee. The campus is gorgeous, the academics are top notch, the nightlife is amazing, the beach is 90 minutes away, the athletic teams are competitive, etc...

GO NOLE
I was on the campus about 15 years ago. It was very nice. My wife and I went to Tallahassee for a long weekend, we visited the beaches and they were beautiful. We ended up staying in Tallahassee instead of the beaches because the airline lost our luggage. We went to a play on campus but had trouble finding the theater. Some friendly students escorted us to the theater. Is a car recommended?
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MrMars
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Re: Florida State University

Post by MrMars »

oldfatguy wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:53 pm
MrMars wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:43 pm So the 18 year old kid would rather be in Florida than Wisconsin. That seems wholly reasonable to me.

That doesn't mean there won't be some consequences from that decision but that's a lesson you have to learn at some point too. If he needs to take out student loans to cover the additional cost, so be it. He could probably make the additional costs up via a part time job. I'm not sure what there is here that is objectionable.
I think the objectionable parts are that it will cost more, travel is more expensive and less convenient, and he may end up losing/wasting credits for no apparent reason.
These are all things that can be easily worked around. Work study/job/loan/grant/scholarships are all potential avenues to negate the increased cost. These things are objectionable only if one party is bearing the brunt of this decision. In my view this as an opportunity for the 18-year old to get some real world experience in being willing to "work" for what they want. Now, if the 18 year old wants to go Florida and live it up but isn't willing to do anything to contribute to off-setting those increased costs that's a different ballgame. I have no issue with parents saying "we will pay for this (Wisonsin) but anything more than this is on you". It is my opinion that 18 year olds are sufficiently old enough to have some agency in their decisions.
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Re: Florida State University

Post by KSOC »

Both my daughters graduated ('14 & '15) from FSU. Both enjoyed their time there. The buildings and campus are beautiful. They also took visits at UM,USF,UF & North Florida. Everyone I ever interacted with at FSU was very friendly, kind & helpful. True southern hospitality, IMO more so than at the other schools.
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oldfatguy
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Re: Florida State University

Post by oldfatguy »

MrMars wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 4:02 pm
oldfatguy wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:53 pm
MrMars wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:43 pm So the 18 year old kid would rather be in Florida than Wisconsin. That seems wholly reasonable to me.

That doesn't mean there won't be some consequences from that decision but that's a lesson you have to learn at some point too. If he needs to take out student loans to cover the additional cost, so be it. He could probably make the additional costs up via a part time job. I'm not sure what there is here that is objectionable.
I think the objectionable parts are that it will cost more, travel is more expensive and less convenient, and he may end up losing/wasting credits for no apparent reason.
These are all things that can be easily worked around. Work study/job/loan/grant/scholarships are all potential avenues to negate the increased cost. These things are objectionable only if one party is bearing the brunt of this decision. In my view this as an opportunity for the 18-year old to get some real world experience in being willing to "work" for what they want. Now, if the 18 year old wants to go Florida and live it up but isn't willing to do anything to contribute to off-setting those increased costs that's a different ballgame. I have no issue with parents saying "we will pay for this (Wisonsin) but anything more than this is on you". It is my opinion that 18 year olds are sufficiently old enough to have some agency in their decisions.
No argument from me about that. I was just reiterating what factors seem to be objectionable to the parents, as presented by the OP.

Personally, I think it seems like a silly decision to spend 10K more a year for an out of state school, based on the reasons stated, but I suspect there is much more to the story than the OP is aware of.
lgs88
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Re: Florida State University

Post by lgs88 »

bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm ...He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison. It is important to him to be able to lift weights and run outside to relieve stress, neither was available to him because of weather or gym availability...
The gym being COVID-closed and the university administration/Madison generally being COVID-conscious to a fault is a temporary issue. Things will be different come fall. As for running outside, there's no such thing as bad running weather -- just improper running clothes!

Freshman year can be difficult and alienating. College is marketed to high school students as the best four years of their lives, so reality can be a bit of a letdown. That doesn't mean that UW-Madison is a bad fit or that FSU would be better.

My two cents, from somebody who transferred and felt ambivalent (at best) about it.

lgs88
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

lgs88 wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 4:21 pm
bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm ...He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison. It is important to him to be able to lift weights and run outside to relieve stress, neither was available to him because of weather or gym availability...
The gym being COVID-closed and the university administration/Madison generally being COVID-conscious to a fault is a temporary issue. Things will be different come fall. As for running outside, there's no such thing as bad running weather -- just improper running clothes!

Freshman year can be difficult and alienating. College is marketed to high school students as the best four years of their lives, so reality can be a bit of a letdown. That doesn't mean that UW-Madison is a bad fit or that FSU would be better.

My two cents, from somebody who transferred and felt ambivalent (at best) about it.

Just out of curiosity can tell us more?
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Re: Florida State University

Post by rotorhead »

OP, I would caution the kid to make surely he fully understands all the requirements for inter-state transfer; and what impact they would have on his status. It's not so easy to become a FL resident for the lower tuition rates - if that's a concern. Here is the FL Statute on the matter: http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/ind ... 09.21.html

Also, the AP course credit may not transfer. I really have no idea, but it's certainly a consideration. He really needs some excellent counseling to make sure. Could be in for a rude surprise. Also, the Florida universities have really filled up with students the past few years, as many "locals" who would have gone out of state in previous times have "come home" because out-of-state tuition costs have gone up so much at other schools. So he might not find the school so eager to go out of their way to help.

Make sure all the critical issues are covered before making the decision.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

Out of state tuition is not a big deal at the present, but your right unwinding the credit transfer is a big deal. His parents have made it clear that's on him.
lgs88
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Re: Florida State University

Post by lgs88 »

bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:00 pm ...
Just out of curiosity can tell us more?
I transferred after my freshman year because of a variety of things that rubbed me the wrong way at the first college I attended. I found myself somewhat out of the stream of things at the new college, where I had to figure out a whole new administration, gen ed structure, which professors to avoid, etc. It took me another year to get my feet underneath me at the school to which I transferred. In retrospect, my distaste for the first college I attended had more to do with my immaturity at the time (forgivable -- I was 18) and less to do with the school itself.

I mention college marketing because it creates tremendous expectations for the "college experience." Freshman year can be a bit of a letdown. Students may feel that they've chosen the wrong school, because they're not walking around with a grin plastered on their face the way everyone in the marketing brochure was.

The kid will turn out fine either way, since he sounds academically serious. But I would counsel caution; the "problem" with Wisconsin sounds temporary. Maybe he ought to work for a semester or a year and get some more life experience under his belt. My summers as a furniture mover gave young me some needed perspective.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

lgs88 wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:30 pm
bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 5:00 pm ...
Just out of curiosity can tell us more?
I transferred after my freshman year because of a variety of things that rubbed me the wrong way at the first college I attended. I found myself somewhat out of the stream of things at the new college, where I had to figure out a whole new administration, gen ed structure, which professors to avoid, etc. It took me another year to get my feet underneath me at the school to which I transferred. In retrospect, my distaste for the first college I attended had more to do with my immaturity at the time (forgivable -- I was 18) and less to do with the school itself.

I mention college marketing because it creates tremendous expectations for the "college experience." Freshman year can be a bit of a letdown. Students may feel that they've chosen the wrong school, because they're not walking around with a grin plastered on their face the way everyone in the marketing brochure was.

The kid will turn out fine either way, since he sounds academically serious. But I would counsel caution; the "problem" with Wisconsin sounds temporary. Maybe he ought to work for a semester or a year and get some more life experience under his belt. My summers as a furniture mover gave young me some needed perspective

He wants to graduate and earn money. I do not see time off from school to work as an option. His mom pointed out some of the things you mentioned above things being temporary. My best high school friend became a renown history professor at the university of Toronto. One of his kids left his school and transferred and finished at Ole Miss. because he was fascinated with Faulkner. The kid is now in the Canadian diplomatic corp working with the European Union. You just never know.
adam1712
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Re: Florida State University

Post by adam1712 »

I hate to speculate but am going to with the hopes it may potentially help this grandson or other family of college students. Please consider whether there might be mental health issues or potential radicalization by some political, religious, or other group. I'm probably wrong but it feels like some red flags here.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

adam1712 wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 7:57 pm I hate to speculate but am going to with the hopes it may potentially help this grandson or other family of college students. Please consider whether there might be mental health issues or potential radicalization by some political, religious, or other group. I'm probably wrong but it feels like some red flags here.
He had tough time of it. He took 18 stem credits the spring semester with a 3.8 GPA. His parents warned him he was in overload and yes at times he felt very stressed and over whelmed. Madison is the epicenter of far out ideas and there are some who are quite willing to share their views whether or not you like it. He was more annoyed than swayed by their polemics. The big joke in Wisconsin is a quip by a former state official that Madison is defined as 17 square miles surrounded by reality.
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RickBoglehead
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Re: Florida State University

Post by RickBoglehead »

bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:55 pm
Big Dog wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:32 pm what is his home state?

His reasons for transferring don't make much sense to me (I lived in Chicago and trained for marathons, so running in cold weather is not a challenge), so I'm guessing that there is more going on with him. SO? Get far away from family?
His home state is Wisconsin. They do not salt the walking paths or streets in Madison.
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Big Dog
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Big Dog »

lgs88 wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 4:21 pm
bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm ...He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison. It is important to him to be able to lift weights and run outside to relieve stress, neither was available to him because of weather or gym availability...
The gym being COVID-closed and the university administration/Madison generally being COVID-conscious to a fault is a temporary issue. Things will be different come fall. As for running outside, there's no such thing as bad running weather -- just improper running clothes!

Freshman year can be difficult and alienating. College is marketed to high school students as the best four years of their lives, so reality can be a bit of a letdown. That doesn't mean that UW-Madison is a bad fit or that FSU would be better.

My two cents, from somebody who transferred and felt ambivalent (at best) about it.

lgs88
That's an excellent point. For a guy that likes to work out, gyms being closed is a huge downer, but they won't be closed this year. Yes, Madison can be the Berkeley of the midwest, but things will be much different when everyone is back on campus. Don't forget that UW attracts students from all over teh state (and nation) so there are thousands of his kind nearby.


btw: 'grats on the strong spring semester. 3.8 in stem classes is excellent (and a LOT of work).
gips
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Re: Florida State University

Post by gips »

my son wanted to transfer after a 4.0 freshman year so we sat down w him to understand his reasoning. after listening, let him know we supported his decision but asked him to think about whether the challenges he described were with the school or himself and if the latter, were they likely to re-appear at his new school. he gave it some thought, decided to stick it out and had a great college experience at u mich…perhaps a school not too different from UW.

$7000 buys a lot of weight equipment or a gym membership at a facility with an indoor track. he’s going to pay a heavy social penalty as a transfer. doesnt care for the college administration? i’ve heard lot’s of reasons for transferring, that’s a first. will UF be different? he doesnt like madison? how much time has he spent in talahasee?

i dunno, to my eye, doesn't feel like he’s revealed root cause…
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Kagord
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Kagord »

IDK, I think he should rethink this and go to Colorado, that's really the best place to train because of the elevation. Also, he could pick up kayaking, I did this in the 80s, it was great.
blackburnian
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Re: Florida State University

Post by blackburnian »

I went to grad school at both UW Madison and FSU. Both are so huge that you can find any group of people you want, and both have excellent academics in many areas. As for running outside in Tallahassee, from about March to October you need to run very early in the morning before it heats up too much. It's basically over 90 and oppressively humidity for 6 months. It sounds like the decision has already been made, but if not, he should try visiting there now to see what it's like. Of course winters are beautiful, and the parents might enjoy visiting him then. If he grew up in Wisconsin, it might be good for him to experience living in a different part of the country. I'm from Ohio and enjoyed living in north Florida for a while (despite the heat--and I did not have air conditioning).
willyd123
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Re: Florida State University

Post by willyd123 »

FSU has a solid actuarial sciences program with great job prospects after graduation. I know one graduate personally who had multiple offers coming out of the program and is now a partner with a large consulting firm (and he's around 32). So I think this young person will do great at FSU and be happier.
Old Guy
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Old Guy »

I certainly have a different view of Madison and the University having worked for UW and living in downtown Madison for 10 years. I see it as one of the best university towns in the country. Years ago my son applied to FSU’s highly rank film program and was accepted. We were unimpressed with campus and the town. Once he was accepted to USC’s film school, FSU was no longer in consideration even though they were less expensive and accepted more of his IB classes.

However, to each there own.
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quantAndHold
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Re: Florida State University

Post by quantAndHold »

One of my employees went to school in Madison and couldn’t wait to get out of there because the town around the school is so conservative. However, he had the maturity to graduate before he left, and got a good education while he was there.

The kid’s reasons for wanting to transfer seem pretty specious. I’m sure if he wanted to change majors at UW he could, the COVID restrictions will be less this coming year, and wanting to work out outdoors just seems like something where his parents should tell him to suck it up and learn to be a little flexible for a couple of years. If he transfers, he will lose some credits in the transfer, and probably delay his graduation.

Every kid thinks they want to transfer at some point. The kid is at a good school and doing well there. And his reasons for transferring don’t indicate a serious problem with his current school. If I were his parent, I would encourage him to stick it out.
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Re: Florida State University

Post by zlandar »

$7k/year for better weather, city, and a gym. I don't comprehend the "admin" part. Why does a college student care about the "admin" of a university?

I could see switching to a different university if the current one doesn't offer the degree/experience you need for your future career. He's a little young to be indulging in lifestyle creep.

If I was the parent I wouldn't pay a dime to fund this. He needs to earn/borrow the $7k difference on own.
Flashes1
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Re: Florida State University

Post by Flashes1 »

If he goes to FSU, I strongly recommend he rush PIKE:

1. The single, largest fraternity in the country.
2. Very popular with the sororities.
3. Prominent alumni like Bobby Bowden, Charlie Crist, Jimbo Fisher and numerous NFL football players.
4. Great looking house with no shortage of things to do.
5. Physical fitness is stressed. There's weight lifting equipment on the lawn so you can get several quick work outs through out the day.
6. Send him a link to the below video for more information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieV1HpAfi1k
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

Flashes1 wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:01 am If he goes to FSU, I strongly recommend he rush PIKE:

1. The single, largest fraternity in the country.
2. Very popular with the sororities.
3. Prominent alumni like Bobby Bowden, Charlie Crist, Jimbo Fisher and numerous NFL football players.
4. Great looking house with no shortage of things to do.
5. Physical fitness is stressed. There's weight lifting equipment on the lawn so you can get several quick work outs through out the day.
6. Send him a link to the below video for more information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieV1HpAfi1k
Thanks, I will do that.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm 18 year old grandson is transferring from UW Madison to Florida State. He has about 53 credits if all of his AP courses are counted and the 32 credits he earned from his freshman year. His GPA IS 3.79 higher if AP credits are counted. He was in bio science at Madison, but will enroll in the actuary science program at FSU. When he enrolled at Madison the family thought he would go in to actuary science program because of his strong grades in AP calc A and B. and interest in business. His parents supported his biology tryout, but he understands unless he goes into healthcare he is sentenced to a life time of meager earnings. He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison. It is important to him to be able to lift weights and run outside to relieve stress, neither was available to him because of weather or gym availability. Tallahassee is an inconvenient minimum 6 hour flight from his hometown. His parents are not to pleased. FSU is about $7000 more if all fees are tallied, maybe a little less if he can get scholarship money. He understands he may lose credits transferring from Madison to FSU. FSU alums and other folks, any constructive thoughts will be appreciated.
Thanks to the responders who posted thoughtful and comments. We are his grandparents, we just want him to be happy. We would prefer he stay here, but we support his decsion to go to FSU if that what he wants. The city of Madison is not what it used to be. His friends who went to other schools in State and out of state are satisfied with their experience. They feel their school administrators did a good job of handling the pandemic. At Madison GS, his parents, the student body and the grandparents know the administrators never reached out to the students, they just hunkered down, checked out and continued to collect their fat salaries and loved every minute. The UW Administration answer is that's not our job to reach out to students.
Last edited by bstevlin on Sun Jun 20, 2021 1:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
mr_brightside
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Re: Florida State University

Post by mr_brightside »

i have a relative at FSU. she has enjoyed it despite the recent COVID anomaly. as others have said it is a very nice campus. she described the overall atmosphere as 'collaborative/ supportive' versus the more 'cutthroat' atmosphere possibly elsewhere. she was admitted to UF but chose FSU.

obviously that's a personal opinion. your other comments about the campus environment are well-taken. those of us in 'regular' society might be shocked to know the extreme ideas advanced as 'mainstream' on various college campuses -- and I can understand his position regarding that. my sister is a tenured prof at a CA university and the stories she can tell ...

FSU as out-of-state might be a lot more -- but it sounds like he might find his stride there. IMO -- fall back on the evidence. to me the evidence states the he is a solid student and its worth the premium to find his spot. its a massive school with a wide variety of different groups / activities.

good luck --

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gips
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Re: Florida State University

Post by gips »

bstevlin wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:54 am
bstevlin wrote: Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:08 pm 18 year old grandson is transferring from UW Madison to Florida State. He has about 53 credits if all of his AP courses are counted and the 32 credits he earned from his freshman year. His GPA IS 3.79 higher if AP credits are counted. He was in bio science at Madison, but will enroll in the actuary science program at FSU. When he enrolled at Madison the family thought he would go in to actuary science program because of his strong grades in AP calc A and B. and interest in business. His parents supported his biology tryout, but he understands unless he goes into healthcare he is sentenced to a life time of meager earnings. He does not care for the administration at UW and the city of Madison. It is important to him to be able to lift weights and run outside to relieve stress, neither was available to him because of weather or gym availability. Tallahassee is an inconvenient minimum 6 hour flight from his hometown. His parents are not to pleased. FSU is about $7000 more if all fees are tallied, maybe a little less if he can get scholarship money. He understands he may lose credits transferring from Madison to FSU. FSU alums and other folks, any constructive thoughts will be appreciated.
Thanks to the responders who posted thoughtful and comments. We are his grandparents, we just want him to be happy. We would prefer he stay here, but we support his decsion to go to FSU if that what he wants. The city of Madison is not what it used to be. His friends who went to other schools in State and out of state are satisfied with their experience. They feel their school administrators did a good job of handling the pandemic. At Madison GS, his parents, the student body and the grandparents know the administrators never reached out to the students, they just hunkered, down checked out and continued to collect their fat salaries and loved every minute. The UW Administration answer is that's not our job to reach out to students.
if accurate, that's an awful response by the administration, our D just graduated and we believe her school was on the leading edge of proper response protocols. My sense it that kids at that age may mischaracterize administration's actions and engage in "group think". I know my middle son and most of his classmates were guilty of this.

Anyhow, the pandemic is passing and everyone I know who went to UW oos loved it. I wonder if your gs would be willing to give it a try for another year and transfer at the end of soph year if he still feels it's not a fit. I was an RA in college and saw firsthand how hard it was for transfers to join the tightly woven groups of friends made freshman year.

good luck to him!
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Re: Florida State University

Post by getthatmarshmallow »

When he transfers, the university will have a process of 'articulating' his courses -- deciding what courses meet what requirements. Universities aren't standardized, and while the registrar gets most of it right most of the time, it will be worth it for him to compare his transcript with the general education/breadth requirements at FSU, and make sure that all the boxes that are supposed to be checked are checked. This is a good thing to do while sitting down with an academic advisor. I can't tell you how many times I've saved a student from having to repeat basic science/humanities credit because it didn't transfer over properly.

Madison is one of the best college towns in the U.S., IMO, but I can imagine that a first year in a pandemic didn't reveal a lot of its charms. Or maybe he just wants to get out of Wisconsin. I'd encourage my kid to stick it out another year, but he's not making a terrible decision.
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bstevlin
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Re: Florida State University

Post by bstevlin »

I talked to my son earlier this evening. My GS is good to go at FSU. He has signed the lease at a complex called YOUNION. If that what he wants we are happy for him. I am sure he will be fine. Mom and Dad are more than a little sad. Post responders have pointed out he needs to unwind his credits from UW and his AP credits. He has spoken to professional staff from FSU to set up semester course schedule and a credit transfer process. That is surly more than he got from Madison where the academic advisor was a disinterested Student. At Madison there was no need for a car but Dad is going to give him a car to take with him to FSU. It is a if you need it the car it is there. He is a bit of an outlier, not many kids from the upper midwest go to Florida public universities. Again, he will do well both in academics and social life. At Madison he was cited for helping other students with Chemistry and Biology in his dormitory. if he continues that it will help his social life. Again, thanks to responders who submitted helpful and supportive posts.
JustGotScammed
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Re: Florida State University

Post by JustGotScammed »

Florida State will be great for quality of life. He will almost certainly be a happier person, be able to keep up with physical fitness and be able to graduate, get a better looking romantic partner, and I think FSU’s actuary science program was reporting 100% employment after graduation so his job prospects should be fantastic as well. No one has ever regretted moving to Florida so this should be a fine move for the kid.
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